South Bend news-times., 1919-07-25

and many a gentle soul
now finds her home too small for her
and the home clothes out OF date
Household shows and children's clubs
and civic reconstruction and taking
care OF sick soldiers-all these outdoor
causes continue to draw her far from
the tea apron and the long-trained tea
gown and the curl papers and the
breakfast shawls and wrappers Of be
fore the war-things worn by women
only at home and fashioned, as we're
most OF their clothes, by women's
hands at home. Ask for any Of these
domestic garments and the answer
comes. ''It is a new era" Changeable
woman has changed, but this time she
changes simultaneously with all the
rest OF the wOrld-economic, social,
financial and educational.
Nowhere is this new era more evil
dent than in the apparel of the war
woman. One sees her. the "gentler
SEX" with rough. high-necked bodice
which she really calls shirt" her
feet no longer pinned 70 the bottom of
he -E.-ts. as people once believed, but
she Is booted like a cavalier II she
belong to that very valuable aid. the
Red Cross Motor Corps, and like as not
she is trousered. She wears the olive
drab whether IL Is becoming or not.
and the most moderate one of her. the
French blue covert cloth "Y" field
worker. has a skirt six inches from
the hoor.
Old School Heads Are Worrying.
Gentlemen OF the old school are
worrying when they see mothers and
sisters and wives" In these coarse.
heavy clothes. They fear the old fem
mime love Of fine raiment has perished
from the earth. Home dressmaking is
done for, Il would seem. when women
are always away from home. What
will II all develop into? Imagination
pictures some such future ill-clad type
as the Mary WollstOnecraft of the poet
Shelleys day. She-this very intellec-
tual Mary-had no time from her
brainwork to devote to her clothes.
and she strobe about in irregular short
skirts over awful shoes; she was col
larless, and one thinks her hair was
bobbed. A horrid condition, for not all
the women can charm by pure men
tality, without the aid of beauty, and
what will life be worth when all the
women become ugly? $50 say these
sorrowful gentlemen who have tried
TO keep up.")
But for their consolation let the
women quote Q. Horauus Flaccus:
You may drive nature out with
fork. but she still returns" It will be
impossible 10 prevent woman. when
things become normal again, from try
ing TO look pretty. Her customs have
changed. and she may not ever make
clothes much at home again. When
she fares forth to do many things she
will just go. like Minerva. all at once,
"fuil-panOplied from the head Of Jove." "
That is to say, for the edification Of
those who do not know. a new manner
OF deriving clothes for women has ar
rived. The 'ready-to-wear" age has
6awned.
This expression, 'ready-to-wear." :"
does not mean at all what ready
made" meant twenty years ago.
"Ready-made" clothes on a woman
were once something 10 apologize for.
II is no longer so. a great influx OF
talent and energy has come into the
'ready-tO-wear" TO compensate for the
changed conditions of women's lives.
Artists have consented TO become
designers OF "ready-tO-wear." receiv-
ing salaries that would bring panic
and sudden death 70 the painter in the
attic Designing has become art work
Il has been indiudualized Tor every
woman
Possibly outer suits-yes, and coats
women have expected in years past
10 buy at the stores il emergency
Added 10 these now. and daily grow
ing better. are the exquisite blouses
the petticoats. the silk underwear and
negligees. the very large departments