Evening star., 1918-01-06
Paris Sends New wMicl-Seas0n Gowns to Promo
By ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

E1HE psychological effect of the
New Year on the trade of
women's apparel is perceptible
q even to the most careless on
locker.
The trade sings the refrain of one
of our popular war songs, DO Some
thing. Do Something. Do What You
Can" An appeal must be made to
the public It cannot be made with
any success on the sound and con-
servative basis of selling clothes to
those who need them as a protection
from winter cold. That particular
kind Of trading long since ceased to
exist. Exploitation. stimulation and
advertising are necessary during each
month of the year except October and
May, in order to lure the coin from the
purse of the public.
This month Of January witnesses the
annual performance OF stirring stunts
TO keep the women interested in the
question of apparel Heretofore the
traders have had two excellent pegs on
which to hang new clothes at this time
of the year-the exodus to Palm Beach
and the incoming of midseason French
fashions.
But this January the trade has added
a third peg to the row on which the
two others were placed. They have
had a sop thrown to them by the gov
ernment in the nature of a request to
make gowns out of as little wool as
possible, and they have pledged them
selves in a body to keep within the
four-and-one- -half-yard measurement
for a suit or gown.
This third peg. was an actual stin-
white way to exploitation. 1t fairly
bubb1ed and seethed with advertising
possibilities. 1t was taken up by the
trade as eagerly as brilliant phrase
multitude and made a part of an appeal
to war.
Propaganda, propaganda Is the
thing" said all those who trade in
clothes. Each man jumped 90 his scis-
sors. his pencil and his material and
went to work to beat all his com
petftors In producing a costume to
which he could point with pride and
ture. This 10 the ultimate pinnacle on
twined."
IT have made a gown from one and
famous 5th avenue designer, 'and It
Is good to look at
"I hope the woman is said tho
listener
"oh. I have added other materials"
quickly explained the designer. '"The
sfsibility." NV ''' 'A' minimum %
The frock had to be brought down
that its wearer would not break the
law of economy in wool or that of
proper drapery. It was Of black
woolen material. made with bodice
= hi - t.
panel in back. fastened with bone but
tons from neck to heels The under
slip was of pleated black satin, with
sash OF itself that tied loosely over
the wide sandwich back.
This 10 only one example out of
hundreds that are being offered
Exploitation is the life of the trade
in women's clothes. When the gov
IN helping them over a serious situa-
tfon there was joy in the land of APP
parei. On every side we hear Of efi-
cheney biouses. economy gowns and
us that less than three yards Of wool
- employed in each costume. because
the nrm Is too patriotic to withstand
the appeal of the government.
The traders are trying to go the gov
ernment "one better" and not even
reach the maximum measurement of
four and one-half yards per suit. Ap-
peals were made by the French am
bassador to the French government
thatthe Paris designers do not put any
mora than the American allotment Of
wooI into their new gowns. in order
that the patriotic American traders
1So4ld not be offended and refuse to
exploit gowns that look disIoyal
Individual designers insist that no
WOOL should be used in the new clothes,
Tidy conf1ne their acceptance of it to
embroidery made from ends of yarn
that cannot be used for knitting.
We are shown remarkable street
frocks and restaurant gowns which
depend for their color and briliiancy