Evening star., 1920-01-12
Women
CHIFFON AND LACE WITH TAFFETA
ny ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

The American woman did not care
to accept taffeta for her winter
| frocks when the material was shown
in Paris as the leading fabric for De-
! cember. She said 1t was too cold.
She said the same of blue serge
Now that the spring clothes ap-
pear. however. she looks more kindly
on both fabrics, for not only are they
change from duvetyn and velvet,
but her wisdom tells her that they
will fit into the weather of May.
This delights the dressmakers.
They have plenty of taffeta on hand
and they are not averse to usins, it in
frocks for gayety and those for serv-
ice. This weave of silk comes in such
wide variety of co.ors that frocks
of it can run the gamut of life.
once upon time, not in the far
past at that. we chose the ma ajority
of our evening gowns in colored taf-
feta. such as rose pink. nile green.
Chinese blue and mandarin yellow.
We did not veil these fabrics: we
used a bit of lace now and then and
draped the silk in order to give it
distinction.
This season, upon the. return of
taffeta-for this fabric, like a great
.ctor or prima donna, is constantly
saying farewell and reappearing-the
dressmkers have decided to veil it
with net. Chiffon is used. but the
effect is not brilliant. There is a
growing feeling that chiffon over
chiffon is the best combination for
the fabric. 1t is an exclusive weave
that appears to best advantage when
1t mingles with its own kind. And
it is difficult these days to make chif
fon appear sufficiently brilliant for
an evening gown
1t has been used so constantly in
everyday service, and its lmitator,
seorgette crepe. has been used by the
dozens of yards for so many street
gowns that a woman who is offered
it for an expensive evening gown usu-
ally declines it. She prefers tulle or
net. and they look SO alike that only
the dressmaker knows the difference.
What is called Callot net wears for
ever and a day. while genuine tuile
crushes overnight.
Making Gray Brilliant.
This silk net that is in the market
has a certain brilliancy of its own.
a kind of luster that is effective and
relieves the dullness of a taffeta sur
face Possibly this is the reason for
it's extensive usage; at any rate, II
lends itself happily to the kind OF
gown that must be both serviceable
and brilliant, for this is request
that many a woman makes of her
dresSmaker
wNen this net has silver tone 1t
blends in a happy manner with gray
tan "a. and just there you have the
combination sought. Casually speak
ing, one would not think that a gray
taffeta frock would be effective at
dinner or dance, but the dressmaker
has learned the trick of covering the
surface with this silver gray net
adding a sparkle of metal lace: show
ing a touch of green and defying the
world to call the result demure. SOBER
or restrained.
An Ancient Necklace.
Another small fashion which has
come about to make soberly colored
gowns more effective is the adoption
of necklace made of metal ribbon
or braid which has pendant orna-
ment in brilliant colors. This type
of necklace goes back to OLD Egypl.
THO sketc, shows a frock which is
made of Quaker gray and could not
possibly have been worn BY QUAKER:
The Puritan would have looked at II