The New York herald., 1921-09-11
Banishment Of Black and Re
turn to COlors Another
Striking Change.
by ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

THE influx of new clothes proves
that women must buy new
clothes. 1t is all very well to
say that the silhouette has not
changed. but the outstanding truth is
that everything is so subtly changed
that one dismisses the old with a
strong gesture of rebellion.
This is as the trade desires, but it
Is also according to human nature.
We tire of, that which we have. We
are never anxious to repeat the same
model of the same hat. even though
they were praised by our friends and
envied by our enemies.
The first anxious question that each
woman filings at those who have been
behind the scenes concerns the sleeve.
the skirt. and the colors. One would
think that no other features of fash
Ion existed in the imagination of the
designers; and truth to tell expert
opinion begins to coincide with that
OF the public.
Jenny created more excitement by
her new sleeves than by any other part
of her clothes. When a dressmaker
leaves the top OF the arm bare and sus-
pends a full sleeve from a bracelet
above the elbow to the wrist. naturally
the world stares. exclaims. wonders
When Molyneux uses a wide trans
parent scarf edged with a galoon of
color across the front OF low bodice
permits the ends of IL to stream out
across the arms and fall at the sides.
and calls this a pair of sleeves, the
public realizes that the designers are
taking to new arm coverings as a means
of attracting attention away from the
overadvertised skirt. At least that is
the impression. This scarf. by the way
is attached to the bodice by snap
and can be removed at the wearer's
will When It is removed. one Is in the
usual low gown.
There is a concerted movement In the
new gowns. also, to omit the armhole.
Possibly the dressmakers are weary OF
hearing complaints on the fit of the
sleeve and the pull OF the bodice be-
cause the sleeves are not placed right !:
whatever the reason Jenny Is only one
OF the designers who casually leave out
the curved and perplexing opening where
the arm joins the body by merely ex-
tending the drapery OF the bodice to
the wrist This was done In the So
fdllsu DdJliUE
America Joined In wearing for two
years. but do not let any one be led to
believe that this new trick Is even the
frst cousin. once removed. to that rul-
Ing fashion. These new sleeves are
long They not only cover the arm.
but the wrist, and often the ends go
downward toward the knees.
what OF New skirtsf
As for skirts, they are decidedly
longer. Some dressmakers are holding
out aga inst them. but the feeling that
they will rule the fashions. by Novcm-
ber Is too strong to be denied. The hoop
skirt OF Spanish persuasion Is shown
by most OF the dressmakers an a pic
ture gown but II did not catch the eve
OF the American buyer in Paris. IL has
slight chance OF holding the attention OF
the vast American public which shows
much common sense behind Its choice
or apparel. One point OF Importance
must not be missed. 1t Is this: The new
long skirt is not as full as prophesied.
IL is narrow. and as fiat at back and
front as planked shad. There Is full
ness at the sides. arranged In various
ways. godet circles In some frocks.
draped points In others. But the fat
ness OF the new skirt is appalling. From
whence will come the figures to wear
these skirtsg A woman must not show
n single curve back or front. All di-
mensions are omitted from the figure
except that OF breadth. IL Is not easy
TO tell whether woman Is going or
coming.
In n gorgeously colored evening gown
she must appear only rs C. streak OF sum
SET light. or the straight brush stroke OF
a clever artist No one type OF frock
which has been invented to meet the
ceaseless cry OF women throughout the
ages for interesting clothes has been
M difficult as this. When one realizes
that the drcssmakers insist that such
frocks must be fitted over the figure
without the aid of a corset. there will
surely be a wall that reaches TO the new
star the astronomers have discovered
blazing east Of the sun and west OF the
moor.
Longer nj the Back.
II Is the accepted fashion to drop a
transparent skirt TO the heels at back
and slightly shorter In front over n slim
clip " supple silk that falls 70 reach
the hem OF the upper skirt by eight
inches. One Is sorry TO say that the old
~d rvly fashion NJ kicking m the back