The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12
PARIS, Nov. 81.

selection of her gowns. After all that has
happened In the fashion world during the
past several years, society had become
rather faded by startling Innovations IN
dress and had commenced to take strange
things as a matter Of course.
But when the Viscountess de Flougere
asserted the right to dress herself as she
pleased and commenced to display her
gowns at the various French resorts this
season new interest was excited. The
ytscountess demonstrated that, while there
might have been a certain effervescence OF
ideas in dress, the real heights OF imagina-
ton had not yet been attained.
The woman who has oaused this renais.
sance of interest in sensational dressing Is
a remarkable parsonage. The Viscountess
de Flougere is the wife Of member OF ono
of the oldest families Of France, a scion OF
ancestors who were famous at the court
of Louis XIV. and did much for the his
tory of France. She Is displaying
some of the independence and sans
gene that her noble husbands great
grandmother, Monique de Baralie. showed
when her originality, vivacious manner,
charm and beauty and utter disregard for
conventionalities attracted the attention OF
that very appreciative monarch, Louis
XIV. The King showered gifts and at
t.cilon5 upon her so that she was counted
Ills .avori.e The old chateau which the
G.T.3ugere family has since occupied, near
,.on.9auier was a gift from the king to
the pretty Monique de Baralie, whom he
loved so much, as we'll as the title which
is borne bv her relatives to this day.
So the Viscountess de Floueere has
precedent in her family for ~ strange
cccentricities which she exhic and by
which she shocks the fashion, e world.
But, Notwithstanding the Louis XIV. pre-
cedent, the Viscount, who Is distin-
guished looking Frenchman Of the old
type. whose pointed beard makes him look
older than he really is, does not approve
of the sensational doings Of his Wife 1t Is
the one and constant bone OF contention
between them. He is serious and great
stickler for the converts 4alities, while his
wife has different views. rs a result, while
they are very friendly and are seen out a
great deal together, they have separate
apartments.
The vivacious Viscountess visits her
Niscount for several days at time, but
she always retains her personal liberty In
the apartment which she has installed In
the Champ de Mars, while her husband
lives in his apartment in the centre OF the
city. She has told him that when he &C
knowledges that she has right to dress
as she likes, no matter what the styles
may be, she will come to live with him.
But the Viscount has the sedate and seri-
GUS breeding of centuries In his blood and,
while he can readily forget the escapades
of his ancient great-great-gran
he cal lot suffer the trivialities Of his wife.
The Viscountess believes in the first
place that scanty costumes are both grace
full and healthful. She holds that she has
a right to wear as little as she pleases.
Some of her costumes are cut away to the
limit at the back, and others are CORE
spondingly high at the bottom, while in
other instances the decolletage is equally
balanced at both ends. But however un-
conventional they may be- they are always
interesting, and are worn with the dis
tinction of a woman of high rank, quite
sure of her position. She holds that noth-
ing which is artistic can be immoral.
In the great salons of Paris, at the fash
ionable watering places and race courses
of France, the Viscounte,, always crectes
a stir the moment she ar -. She Is pro-
gressive in giving scnsa, ms. Each cue
ceeding night at Deauville she became
more audacious, and displayed new
creation every night When she got TO
the seventh or eighth night OF the ten
nights she spent there, the crowds awaited
her with misgiving for 1t did not seem pos
sible that she could go any farther than
she had gone. But the Viscountess never
disappointed the people. They were stunned
by what she wore.
She introduced the V-shsped opening
under the arm, extending down to the
waist The revelation, internationally dis
played, depending upon the position OF the
wearer made more startling effect than
the peelea-boo waist ever did In Its most
advanced days. Old men who had before