The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-02

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| New York.-For IL months the Frenci
and the American women have realized
the interesting possibilities of separate
| blouses that, like the Chinamans shirt
are worn outside.
There was strong prejudice agains
| them at first. 1t arose from the fact
| that the fashion started with artists
smocks, and the average woman Goes
not care to wear studio clothes unless
she is in studio or has some afftlia
ton with one. She feels that they are
quite as opposed to her personality al
yachting cap would be in the sub
| way. Artists smocks were all very wei
for girls who held palettes in theii
hands, but when they were worn tc
afternoon teas, to lunch parties and
under coat suits, they gave one an ar
tificial pose. Therefore. these blouses
were taboo by women of taste.
| 1t was difficult to work against this
prejudice, and so the short, Russian
blouse that was offered as a substitute
| for the smock did not find easy access
TO the favoritism of American women
They preferred the shirtwast winch
had been worn for a generation and
which could be tucked in neatly under
the skirt and covered by a belt They
refused to see that this strong line OF
demarcation at the waist was out OF
the picture of the hour, and it made
them look trifle old-fashoned unless
the coat was kept on to hide it.
INSISTENCE OF THE TUNIC
However, the tunic won out. The
shirtwaist is still worn by thousands
of women, but you will notice that these
women keep on their coats when in
M ant 20 f,loo
when they are in the house, to a loose
blouse that drops to the hips and is
carelessly girdled at the waist.
There was so much in favor of this
latter garment that it appealed to the
economical sense of women 1t pro-
vided, as it We're an entire costume,
and this work could never be accom-
plished by the white blouse that was
tucked into the belt.
AS soon as it was permissible to
wear blouse of another color than
the skirt provided it did not end at
the waistline, the short tunic leaped
into favor. 1t was made of satin, OF
striped silk, of embroidered crepe de
chine and sometimes on the order of
tight, slim sweater banding the hips
and heavily soutached from neck to
hem.
USED FOR ECONOMY
AS soon as this garment gained a
place. as soon as it established pres
tige, the designers instantly saw in it
a chance for giving to the women Of
the war so-called economical eve
ming gown. They produced a tunic,
elaborate of it's kind, low in the neck
and without sleeves, which could ps
worn over any kind of soft skirt at
opera, dance, dinner party or theatre
The idea will make a strong appeal
Whatever sounds economical is eagerly
srasped at today. 1t may not prove
TO be all that its promoters claim for
1t. for the exploiters of economy from
sugar to shipyards have not always
met with consistent success: but the
effort is good, the purpose is well
meant, and it won't hurt a nation To
try its best not to be wasteful, eyta
II 1t fails in some quarters through
lack of knowledge
The new kind of evening tunic IL
shown in the sketch today. 1t is of
black net embroidered in gold. The
sides of ii are cut in a way that has
gained great prestige during the last
SIX weeks. The two edges join only
at the hips and the shoulder and thev
are outlined with heavy gold cord
that drops from the points of the hem
In weighted tassels that reach to the
ankles.