Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-07
americans ind
BY ANNE RITTENHOUsE.


clothes when the first cold wealth
III er OF the season is descending
nd to be confronted, with the first
3 hshions for spring. This In the case
s9t this hour.
y Two-thirds of us have not been well
K sta blished In our first cold weather
d garments, nor have we completed our
\ wardrobe for the four months of win
7 Ter ahead, yet here are the shops
u Knowing new clothes for warm wealth
3r. or at least for warm climates.
! Fow the manufacturers are announce
ing their April fashions. They insist
hat the public be Informed that their
buyers have been over once or twice
ince the August exhibitions; there
lore. that which we wear now is quite
Impossible to continue. Isn't this sad
ening to those who are bound
Through inclination and economy to
Continue with their seasonal clothes
I'm order to get full value for money
Spent?
n X n X +
n It fs quite true that the great ma
7jority of the public really cares little
about any fashion that is casting Its
sshadow before. It is grippingly con-
Bcerned with the actualfties OF the
fpresent. 1t wants to know what is
Rbeing worn at the moment that 1t Is
Eah DOSING it's clothes. The public, in
buying clothes, has no past. no future.
LIT is neither retrospective nor pro-
phetic Keep me from getting what
HIS not worn this very month and what
will be in fashion next month Is its
/ cry for help.
AS opposed to this attitude the en-.
tire working force Of the trade is nee,
essarily engaged in the task OF aban-
|doninr. one outpost after another. The
frontier line changes while the public
sleeps. This Is admirable strategy. but
It does not always succeed Tho pub
lie is often obstinate. 1t showed that
strain this autumn. 1t shrugged Its
shoulders at hoop skirts and crtnoline,
refused, In mass, to adopt the back
less bodice or to cut deep decollete
in the back with q collar bone line in
front. individuals have accepted these
things. yes, but not the public.
It ia curiously obstinate. this Ameri-
en- public. a. one will md when there
10 sufiicient interest to study the rela-
ton between mass Psychology and
fashions: not only fashions for wom-
On, but those for men.
The ardent development OF Anaeri-
canism. the passionate desire for no
ENHANCEMENT with European politics
that has grown since the return OF
our soldiers has Its brilliant reflection
In the fashions for women today. This
10 feeling that Is not a. we'll UNDER
stood In New York. especially among
the social internationalists. as In the
vast reaches Of tho continent.
There Ia no antipathy, mind you, but
indifference; q spoken or suEEested
thought that America IL quite good
enough for Americans. thank you. 1t
should give one pause and an hours
meditation The war has left us with
bchip, ON the shoulder where this gun
rested. No one who has been in France
since the arinistice or has talked to
homecoming soldiers has failed to see
this chip. This national attitude won't
hurt the unceasing demand by the
shops and dressmakers for French In
apiration and fashions. but 1t has led.
undoubtedly. to q more determined
Americanization' Of the clothes Ameri-
can women adopt.
As far as the season has gone there
has been no wearing Of the so-called
bathing suit street frock that was the
corner stone Of the French wardrobe
last summer. Our skirts have short
ened, 1t Ii true; the sleeves grown
shorter and the back decolletage
deeper among those who are accus-
toned to exposure.
~ II SO
The diflicult thing is to find the rea-
son Of the French bitterness against
this condition. 1t may arise from the
feeling that there is some pussy
footing going on, which will result
. In Paris fashions being barred like
French wine. This last trade condi-
itiSip has aroused bitter depression In
Francsi ssi}
: wonder they are alarmed IL they
permit themselves to speculate upon
the chances of Paris clothes not being
permitted to cross the ocean. The
greatest part of the industry OF Paris
IL In apparel for women. Surely there
can be little basis for that alarm, al
though there is no .oubt that America
will begin to build far more upon the