Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-18
Of Interest to Women
EGYPT INSPIRES THE DESIGNERS
BY ANNE RITTENHOUsE.

Ihose who strenuously object to tn
exposure of the body as it has been
Endorsed by fashion during the war
years and after thought they could
draw breath of relief that the world
of women had turned from a primrose
path into straight and narrow one.
But that sigh of relief will turn into
one of pain when the new evening
gowns make their bow to the public
at the winter functions.
True. there is less decolletage than
! usual Skirts are longer. Arms are
often yelled. Then what is the matter?
Well, wait and see. if you wish, Egypt
! is the sponsor of the fashion in new
evening frockS. and Egypt. who has
begotten much since the world began,
| has never been decorated for modesty.
| This country did not find in semi
nudity. as the Americans have ex-
, plotted it. any grace or allure. They
cover the body, but reveal its every
curve.
| When these 1920 frocks are in full
| fashion it may be that the purists will
have every reason to rise and protest.
They surely cling to the figure and
Ike of each woman modern YER
| sion of Aphrodite and Cleopatra.
France has sponsored them and Eu-
: rope accepts them. and SO evenly does
America keep up with what the smart
women wear in Paris that the earliest
of the autumn exhibitions here eX-
plotted the wrapped frock built of
one piece of fabric and held up to
one hip.
Our designers preferred the frock in
apricot metal tissue. also in water
green tissue with a light silver back.
Jet paillettes on silk net made a
fabric that was given high color by
the addition of a rose or gold metal
lie girdle.
If. therefore. the two nations have
joined hands in the propaganda to
make this type of evening gown a
success it must be reckoned as of
prime Importance. 1t may not be com
monty accepted. The average woman
would not wear it. and she couldn't.
1t cannot he carelessly built at home
and worn with or without figure
which is what most amateurs think of
the hoopskiFt. fer instance. the piece
of draped tulle over satin. the full
gathered skirt of taffeta with a few
artificial roses tucked in it's hip folds
This gown of ancient Egypt and Baby
lon-of Sodom and Gomorrah. the
purists will say--has to be fashioned
by master hand and worn by wom-
an who is mistress of her poses.
She cannot rush or jump or be silly
and Juvenile in this frock. Dignity of
carriage is a requisite to success. 1t is
too tight by far to permit of hoyden-
ish behavior. 1t is not for the type of
debutante who thinks it is fun to slide
down the bansters at a party and
who does it. This is not a figure of
speech. 1t actually happens.
The designers call it the type of
gown deliberately designed for the
smart young married woman. So much
is done for her that the average wom-
an begins to think she is the only
person to be catered to in the atmos-
phere of fashion, but one feels in
clined to think that this especial gown
really belongs to her, though there is
every evidence that the women of all
ages will wear it in it's most conspic-
uous shaping or adopt. modified
imitation of it.
The sketch shows the latter. 1t is of
French frock by Martial and Ar
mand, built of gold tissue to cling to
the figure with the strongest Egyp-