Evening star., 1920-01-04

ply of them. at the shops. These
are, entitled, through their original
ity. to persuade the public into buy
ing them.
Such blOuses have appeared this
month. They are intended for sep
arate skirts as wel as coat suits.
for the economical idea of using n
separate skirt Is abroad in the land;
in truth. ii liz strongly entrenched.
Far back in 1885 there was widc-
spread fashion to wear separate
skirts with ornamental blouses and
the costume was considered suffi-
sientiy formal .or the Gayest OF ar
ternoon affairs and even for small
dinners and the theater. Yet so sub
tly does each generation change it's
creed OF clothes that the costume of
today which is made up of the sep
arate skirt and the blouse has not
the remotest kinship to the costume
OF 1895.
A description of one seems to tit
the other, but 1t is misleading. The
costume of 's5 was made up from
long skirt with a train effect Mt
the back. the material crepe de chine.
satin or figured crepon; the blouse
was of taffeta. of embroidered tulle
or spanelcd net. This was the gem
Grafton that sponsored the small
waist and the curved hips. so the
ornamental bodice was boncd to a
deep point front and back.
To-day this costume consists of a
short skirt, cut from six to twelve
tn.I1 f,lt1 l,
serge, satin OF homespun, and
blouse that is dropped over n soft
china silk lining that does not touch
the figure after it leaves the shouI-
defs and is tied around the hips,
usually with a sash.
The contour OF 'a5 was stiff and
formal. yet according to natural
laws. as far as the curves of the
figure We're concerned, the contour
of today is as supple as that OF
young Indian, all the curves SMOOTH
ed out. the straight lines deprived
OF rigidity,
x < X *
Get it we'll fixed in your minds
that the new blouse which is offered
to build up the wardrobe between
now and spring is not Il simple gar
ment, not one that can go 10 the
tub or be worn with any kind Of
coat or skirt. On the contrary. it
is garment de luxe. 1t is intended
to be the most ornamental part Of
the costume. 1t is so expensive that
no woman would spend so much
money on garment that was neg
lgibIe.
The bulk of the money for the cos
tune is put in the blouse. and the
skirt becomes the insignificant
choice. You must admit that this is
reversal of our point of view to-
ward dress. 1t il really medieval to
think OF the tunic as the foundation
for glory and the lower garment as
something to keep the legs warm.
The men of several centuries before
the directoire period who brought in
the ineroyables, the unbelievables,
with their long trousers caught un-
der the instep, thought more of the
tunic. the blouse, the jerkin than
any other part of the costume, so the
great embroiderers Of France. Eng
land and Italy exhausted their skill
oh .tHc HdHC'WoIh tHat went 10 MAKE
this top garment a Thing of beauty
Ne. such handiwerk EXISTS todaM,
although we have reached a degree
of skin that the people of, ten years, 4,
ago thought impossible. 1t Is mar
vetOHs how well we do il when It is
done SO quickly, for speed is the key.
note Of modern labor
1t is a temptation to depar; from
the subject of blouses and tell seme-
thing OF this rejuvenatien OF exqui.
site hantiwork, for II is remark
able development in American artis-
try; but the blouses that we may
choose this month are a bit more
servfeeablA than the gorgeous af-
fairs that the hapdworkers are try
ing to develop. Therefore, they are
worthy Of a detailed description.
Their glorious sisters can go for an
other day.
One Of these new blsuses, for IN.
stance. In of pink duvetyn. orna-
meMed with gray angora. That
must give YOU an instant impression
of the novelty Of tbi. new upper
garment. There 10 nothing eom-
place about such a cotor or MA.
terial. and II IL is taken as a straw
that shows the wind we arc in for
a gale of novelties that will upset
all tradition about blousss. 1t is =