Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-02-04
JAPANESE WOMEN
LAUNCH MOVEMENT
TO DISCARD KIMONA

| Washington, Jan. 27.-Acrorriinr IN
recent news dispatches, Iapanese women
/ are seeking n new dress better suited 10
! modern life than the graceful kirnonO.
| American machine nnsde clothes arc heing
| considered tn suppiant the native dress of
the women Of Japan.
In th~ connection, bulletin iswrled by
the National Geographic Society says:
Probably in an the world there IN no
more charming figure than the japanese
maiden, with tinted parasol, pigeon toe
ing along IN tho attractive costume Of her
race Throughout the history Of Japanese
art there have bccn changes Of wousns
drees, but warp waists, balloon sleeves,
hoop skirts and pantalettes have no, been
among the fashionable features The same
graceful lines ~ the kirnouo have pre-
vailed, despite minor changes, which are
M patent 70 the Japanese woman as is the
difference between Hudson seal and plush
velour N m American isdy of fa.hion
Seen At distance of % Yards, walking
in the shade Of the majestic cryptonnerias
of Nikko, or the bamboo of the bvwavv,
the diminutrve japanese lady, with her
bright parasol and touch Of color show
ing At the border Of her outer kimono, Is an
eye-delighting figure. She ernbcdies grace
and eoqiettt-h charm.
FEW ADOPT roRylev DRESS
beside such a one, If observed from a
distance, the Empress, gowned in Paris
styles and wearing an enormous beauty
phlned foreign hat at her semi.annllal
garden parties, seems a sorry figure. Few
indeed are the Japanese men who gain
dignity from frock coat and silk hat, but
fewer still arr the japanese women who
add 70 their charm by assuming foreign
dress.
The Japanese feminine costume is
made up OF layer after layer Of lovely silks /
Of the brigl.t hues, all discrcetly hidden /.
under an outer kInono Of dark gray or l
black. Nor are the kimonos at all stand /
ard IN pattern. Sleeve length, faliness and 4
4 score OF more subtle variations CITY aloud 1
The extreme chic Of the best dressers.
To the peasant woman these changes +
make little difference. Her main demands
are two-conveneuce and durability.
For the field worker in n hot. daniu
Innate one requisite of the kimono is that
he upper portion can be slipped off and
tucked under the belt on hot days, and for
he factory worker It Is necessary that the
ong dangling sleeves be glrded back out
i the way of tools and gear.
RIPPED APART FOR WASHING.
'For durability the peasant kirnono il
It Is so constructed that the
'aTious pieces can be fitted together In
Iifferent ways so that what is the bottom
dye today can, after the next washing.
e basted up snd down the back, where It
an rest from heavy wear until the next
Washing. For each washing the kimonos
ne ripped apart and the different pieces
re then dried and smoothed by spread
ng them, while wet, on a board in the sun.
10 electric iron is necessary and the parts
re quickly hasted together to serve until
he next washing day. In this way the
last for a long time.
For the lady Of fashion, however, no
uch easy methods of dressmalzing are
ossible. The finest crepes and silks are
sed. and so carefully are the patterns
owen that the slightest deviation from
ae measurements for which the patterns
ere designed may subject the wearer TO
dslong chances from her rivals. Far
ON being all alike both pattern and cut
re iealo'lsly guarded by the would-be
adler in dress.