Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
PARTISAN WOMEN FLOCK
TO OLD TEA ROOMS
War Restrictions Apparently Fail to
Check Society's Lat
est Fad.
SUGAR SCARCE; CAKES BAD
Nevertheless. They Continue Com
ing, and Show on the Smartest
Frocks Theaters Show Marked
Economy Of Talent.

PARIS. January ls.--There is dis
crepancy between fashion and the
economies which are no. practiced in
Paris: at the tcarooms. where the
newest fashions are to be seen, there
are many war restrictions. Sugar is
rare. there is no milk. and cakee are
not what they were; but women still
flock to tea rooms, dress is there at it's
smartest. and no one seems to mind
paying francs for a most unpalatable
apology for what used to be the
contest meal OF the day.
At the theaters there Is marked
economy OF talent. and as marked
rise in prices. Very few women wear
full evening dress. but the toilette
which has taken the place OF the
dccollete gown can scarcely be called
economical, for II abounds In rich ma
tcrials; satin. fur, cloth of gold or sill
yer, and on It CLEAN pearls in ropes.
Tho house as a whole looks dull, but
between the acts. in the foyer, dresses
sober in color show themselves on close
inspection to be both beautiful and ex-
pensive. But the bcst-dresscd people
are those who dress with noticeable
neatness and simplicity. and a woman
may go to the Francois or the opera in
tallormadc IL she is so inclined.
In private life there is the same dis
crcpancy between spending and saw
ing. Here, on the one hand. are peo-
pie who have reduced expenditures to
the finest point; there, on the other.
are people who are furnishing afresh
throughout, and the furniture shops
are as busy as they can be. Several
Of the large dressmakers now under
tako house decoration, and at her
dressmakers 4 woman can discuss a
new dress and the setting at home In
which she will wear II. Wall hang
ings. curtains, cushions. upholstery.
electric light fittings household linen
and many other domestic details can
be discussed at the dressinakers
But even in the most luxuriou.
houses there Is the other side. which
tells OF war; there will probably be
no heating, or not enough; there will
be difficulty in household washing;
service generally will be poor, sugar
carccs.abSead, IS nfsriorrl aud only the
rattle OF crisp notes will tempt trades
men to sell certain goods even at a
large profit. Servants wages arc
higher than ever. and servants dif-
iicult to find. Only what is super
nuous is easily obtained. and this Is
SO even in dress. Luxurious clothes
can be had any day, but necessaries,
such as sound boots, gloves which wear
and look well, wooden underwear, ser
viceable cloth for a coat and skirt.
are hard to get. Women who have
growing girls TO clothe and boys to
fit out for school have much to ponder
over.
There is no actual scarcity of food,
except OF sugar: but to the poor, and
the unobtrusive. respectable people
whose incomes have decreased. many
things arc prohibitively dear. Trades-
men know that they can sell what
ever they have. and can in consequence
ask what price they like. Prices vary
in different quarters; even bread is not
soId at the same price everywhere In
the matter OF coal there is much con-
fusion, for although cards have been
dealt out and landlords have under
taken to provide central heating, there
are many who can get no coal, or get
very bad coal. or find that half the
coupons on their cards have been struck
out because the house is supposed to
nc heated. Coal merchants have no
coal to send out landlords have no
satisfactory answers to give, and
tenants can do nothing, not even go
south, for there is no room on the
trains.
a recent restriction on spirit es
sence viii probably lessen the number
OF private motors very soon. and taxi
cabs are likely TO become fewer. But
pet dogs still live in the lap of luxury.
nnd women still pay fabulous prices
for the latest specimens. which they
continue TO load with costly collars
and all the trappings OF civilization.