The Washington times., 1919-10-19
81 Prot. AIOn Bemenf,

~ " q 9Al0ae AAGal-9leeg -
Assistant Professor Of Fine Aria, Teacher
College, Columbia Univsrsity.
wANY Americans are inspecting with
HW wonder and establishment, tinged
with some derision and occasion
any, perhaps, a blush, the newest crea-
tions Of Paris. say derision advisedly,
for never before has the present genera
ion seen such extremes in brevity Of
skirts and 81 such scantiness and fsim-
siness Of bodice. even from the most &C.
centric and original Of Partisan eOuturieresC
As to the blush, there are stiH among
us citizens who are honestly shocked 20
see anything Ike immodesty associated
with the sex that they have always loved,
cherished and respected.
France, as dicator Of fashion. has, afser
nearly century Of good taste, cast aside
her restraint and appeared before the
world in the Summer Of 1919 literally
garbed b immodesty Rumors of these
changes had come 20 Us early fl the
season. but the buyers and dalignsfs who
vent across to Paris were Tar from pre-
pared for what they found Here and there
newspaper notice had reported that Ger
tain celebrities had, as protest against
rising prices, appeared IN public with
out stockings, bat as :. Is one Of the we'll
known prerogatiVes Of celebrities TO do
unusual things, very little attention was
paid to these notices. The FIRST outdoor
gathering at Dsauvile demonstrated that
these reports, instead Of being exaggerated,
were really understated, for there it be
came apparent that most Of the ladies
we're without hosiery, and more than that,
their gowns were short to the knees, scant
in material, and cut astonishingly low at
the neck.
This fashion, rather than being burst Of
eccentricity at the beginning Of the season,
60 be moderated and improved upon later,
grew more and more pronounced as the
season advanced. By Summer It was being
copied by the other European countries,
and had been confirmed By the best
modistes Of Paris itself So when the
American buyers and designers returned
IN September, each with his quota Of model
gowns and designs, they were Of such an
extreme type that they brought down upon
themselves Immediate criticism from the
American public, who we're still unpre-
pared Tor this revolutionary style.
In considering this strange outbreak Of
fashion We must not regard Il simply as a
capTjcious, senseless, shameless desire to
catch the eye. There is evidently a deep
seated impulse among the women Of Eu-
rope 20 wear clothes that expose the
figure. I find that IN ordinarily sensible,
WelI-balanced England, the girls are wear
ing new costumes that are fuHy as scant
as any to be seen in Paris. In photographs
Of fashionable race courses and regattas in
the United Kingdom I observe girls and
young women Of the British aristOCracy
displaying an unusual amount Of charm
The evidence satisfies me that In every
European country greatly ravaged by the
var, these scanty fashions prevail. And
there you have the key 70 the mystery. The
fashions are a direct outcome Of the war.
A philosophical consideration Of the sub
ject leads one inevitably to the conclusion
that European women, now in an enormous
excess over the men, are engaged Ia fierce
competition to finds husbands, made scarce
By vars rayages. These women are in-
spireo by nature to replace The enormous
loss Of life. The racial instinct drives them
on TO seek men By any means in their
power, ct the sacrifice Of ordinary delicacy
q feeling. Strange to say, scarcity Of
clothing Is caused by scarcity Of men. II
is noticeable that these cost Irnes seem to
aim at the brutal revelation Of substantial
charms rather than at the delicate semi
concealment, which at ordinary times
proves 50 much more alluring than bold
exposure
dO-hot overlook the fact that some Of
these freakish costumes IN Paris are worn
~ women who we're not modest even in
normal times. But am also satisfied that
respectable young women Of good family
in France and England are wearing them.
The historical evidence shows that after
every devastating war seriously endanger-
ng the life Of 8 nation the women have