The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-06
DRESS By ANNE RITTTENHOUSE
ecopyrgh 1918, by the Newspaper syndicate)

Each French Dressmaker lries Ou'
 Various Methods of Obtaining fui-
 ness and Width at the Hip Line m
 Order to Meet a Variety of Crlu-
 cisms. .,,,,
 Paris, September 27.-The season continues as it begun. with each dress maker, large and small trying out number of experiments with the mp extension. No one house presents ohly one method. Evidently the designers are not quite sure of themselves UT rather of the effect that this silhou- cite which calls for extraordinary ma . nipulation of drapery, will make upon the American public. -
 Mind you. the French women have not been consulted yet. for they are busy at the holiday resorts wearihs 5 the clothes made in June These nave more or less tendency to wide .nlps' but there is no crinollne unoer tie fabric. The French women accepted the exclusive designs of great houses at that time and they will find lttle that is new. at least in outline, in tEe large collection that has been pre- senteG to American buyers, including private clients.
 One finds hesitancv wherever the hip drapery appears; each gown mas it's own note of authority, but each assembled collection proves to the American observer that there is an ef- fort to present variety in order to get at the strangers opinions
 So far no one style has won out The American season will show all these styles probably. and the issue may be soon decided by the public. The several methods of arranslnS width at the hips are interesting. The direct action taken by the use of crino- line puffs on the hips is looked at with askance: the godet fullness placed slightly below the hipline is liked. e5- | pecially in knee-length coats and cer- ! tain types of informal afternoon 1 frocks. Jenny manages this arrange ment very well and her house has held 1 it's usual good fortune this season, 1 Martial ct Armand. Bernard anu Renee get that special movement into | their tailored coats. and this trick alone will give them success with 1 American women who cannot accept | in mass the fantastlc tricks employed on sCme of the street coats to give width below the waist
 l There is a graceful swing Of the ] cloth from the hipbone to the Knees and it begins at the end of an eXag- l gerated long underarm line. Tnls |
 be looked after more in Anglo saxon countries than in continental Europe l Renee has an interesting method oi
 dividing the bodie of a frock from the skirt or long tunic by shaped l band about four inches wide; she at'
 taches the upper edge of the latter
 garment to this band by series oi open loops edged with stiff threat of galloon or silk braid or silk. what ever the fabric requires or suggests
 This gives rounded distension oi
 the hip line. but there is no sugges ton of crinoline.
 Poiret makes the pannier of thicf l and sumptuous fabrics with decided horsehair stiffening, but Worth ane Doucet. along with others. give tn' distersion to an over fabric which +
 transrarent, then place 1t over a sim lining that follows the curves Of th' figure and produces exceeding grace
 They also obtain the effect of a ions
 skirt by the same process, cutting 'n
 lining moderately short and permit ting the transparent oversklrt to ofol
 nearly to the ankles
 Even the most critical approve 0
 this treatment of skirts. As th
 French wear the short skirt today has not the saving grace Of beauty
 for if is too short and it's hem IS reg
 ular, cutting the legs at an ugly iin' When the lining is short the overski' Hong and the hem drops in an irres
 ular line above the ankles. one get
 grace. This is the prevailing fashic
 and it will be accepted in the states
 Madeline ct Madeline place their OK I tended drapery at the end of the spln' at the back, in a slight cascade witn out crinoline. horsehair or any art, ficial method of making the faori stand out Lanvin is apt to omit an
 hip distension on her cloth 1rock : keep:ng it for her large display
 afternoon frocks of taffeta which as 3 the flea ture of her exhibition.
 : Worth and Bulloz. also poueillet' us
 the butterfly overshirt, which is shol
 in front, ripples down the sides an l back. This drapery Is made or tafre, r over tulle. and even cloth over clo. , In the evening gowns there IS WIG D ruffle of lace, metallic or thread, r. give fulness tothe edges.
 Premet gets much of her fitness { 7 the sides by large apron flounce . with deep lace at the edge. This apro ', is not new. but it has been accentui ted by many houses this season. It do' Inot pretend to cover the back; it enc {, abruptly at the sides. and thereb
 gives the effect of what one crit calls "a spanked back" Every effo l is made by most of the dressmakel to flatten the back and the exact froI \ of skirt until one appears to pressed down by machinery. Of cours this is done to give emphasis to tf
 exaggerated fitness at the sides. \ lmannequin looks as though she had p' on an old fashioned full skirt, ha