Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-10
BY ANNE RITTENHOUsE.

his picturesque Arabian followers He
never failed to stir the crowds into
lively interest.
When the pilgrimage to Mecca be-
gan to that part of Arabia which the
French knew well by this time, the
costume designers reflected the act.
The costume of the Arabs was not
popular Curiously, it did not inspire
Paris. There was strong tendency.
however, to go to Morocco for inspira-
proved success all of northern AZ
RIGA was included in the search for
impressions.
Egypt. as a part Of this country. is.
and has been. giving an overlapping
bushel measure of ideas to the French
of Morocco was first reflected in cloaks
and riotous embroideries. The pill
grimage now gives an impression OF
subdued frocks. The monaStic robe,
built of coarse wooden cloth. with its
simple string girdle, was adopted by
Paris and transformed into hundreds
of gowns which have been paraded by
mannequins for four weeks.
The embroidery used is that of Mo-
rocco, not of Egypt 1t is curiously
designed in small sharp fgurations
which more closely resemble the work
of the American Indians and the rem
nants of art by the vanished tribes of
our New Mexican deserts than the
flanboyant Balkan designs.
These are the designs which we see
in gold which rarely rubs off. The
embroidery on the frocks is not touch
ed with metal, and the colors are
those of the sun on brick, on palms,
on roof tops and temples.
The sun in Morocco is unlike that of
other countries. Something in the air.
something in the slant of the light
rays gives to everything that is touch
ed glow that makes it different from
what the same object would be in
Europe or America.
That peculiar red Of the Moroccan
bricks is the color of the hour in
France. 1t is like rust, somewhat like
henna. 1t is the color of the country
and has been imported into France to
be adapted as embroidery on these
simple monastery frocks which are
more easily slipped on than any kind
of gown women have worn.
The women who like to dress after
the manner of a fire horse, slipping
are enchanted with this new form Of
fashion. They care not for it's source,
whether it is from priest or pagan,
but they like it for itself. The advan-
tages it offers are not trif1ing.
The world is not full of a. number
of women who are amiably inclined
toward dressing with the precision of
Marie Antoinette. The two-hour proc
ess is not for them. They do not care
whether every hair is adjusted, wheth-
er each article of clothing is in fault
less condition or the gown assembled
through adding one garment to an
other until u perfect whole is COM
pleted
Life is too ardent in its demands for
the majority of women to be content
to spend so much time upon the toilet.
They disavow any inclination toward
q disorderly appearance. They have
no time or patience with those who
straggle through life. But their creed
and it Is a worthy creed-is that a
good and interesting toilet may be
made in minimum of time if one only
learns the expediency of efficiency. To
dawdie over dressing is a disgrace,
say these women; life presses too fast
on the heels and the call is ever on
ward.
To suit the new type of woman, she
VINO must vote, run a house. watch
shopping for the essentials in order to
keep down the cost Of living. this new
monastic robe, thrown into the arena
of fashion by a religious pilgrimage
to holy city, comes as an answer to
an appeal for help.
Nothing could be more directly de-
signed for the woman who take her
part in life this year. It is of dull
brown or blue, even black, and Its
rough wooden surface or soft silk
duvetyn threads give a promise of adj
mirable service. The robe is simply
cat; it suggests the outlines of the fig
ure more than it reveals them. 1t IS
short and is fastened down the front.
1t puts itself in the hands of the en-
broiderer to get brilliancy.
+ 4 X x
There are no odds and ends that de-
mand connection with it. The string
girdle is attached at the hips. the bell
shaped sleeves have no tight cuff. the
neck is finished with its own applied
collar. The lining hangs loosely from
the shoulders. 1t demands few pieces
of underclothing.
Each woman wants to vary It ac-
cording to her type and coloring. This
is simple matter. Whatever color
one desires in cloth is to be bought II
one has money. The designs for the
EN- broidery are easily found. The col
ors must not be garish. The embrotd-
cry must not leave the edges 1t is
not spread about over the cloth in
patches. 1t is purely a decorative bor-
der
The cut of the robe must be man
nish not feminine. 1t is not permitted
to curve it in at the waist or below the
spine. 1t is not permitted TO sag over
the girdle as many of it's rivals do.
Whatever the inspiration, it is an
accepted and established fact that the
waist line is at the hip line. This fash
ion is divided into two parts. One
part shows the monastic girdle drawn
about the hips without pulling in the
cloth: the other part shows an orna-
mental girdle Tightening the hips and
holding the cloth In full folds above
1t. Both fashions are in full swing.
The frock that was exploited last
spring and which consists of two ma
terials and two colors Joined at the
hip line is the fashion of tho hour
which rivals the pilgrims robe. Speak
ing broadly. one might classify all the
new fashions for the street into these
two designs.
The dressmakers are not especially
pleased with this development They
have paid staggering prices for the
French models and they do not wish
to be held UP in an Argument as to
why SO much Is asked for q frock that
can be made at home by a competent
seamstress.
1t is not as easy as every amateur
thinks to build one Of these simple
frocks in the sewing room. yet the
mind that is struggling with high
prices goes out instinctively toward