The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-06
AMERICAN GOWNS
FOR MRS. HARDING
First Lady of the Land Ignores
European Models in Max
ing Selections.
BLUE PREVAILING COLOR
Outfit Includes Dresses and
Hats Suitable for Every De-
casion: Not Elaborate.
BLUE PREVAILING COLOR

Two outstanding features of the femi-
nine sartorial outfit that will grace the
White House after March are the
Americansm of the designs for the
dresses, coats and hats and the fact that
the patronage of the future first lady
OF the land has been distributed among
half dozen or more leading New YORK
city firms
The wife of the President-elect let it
be known yesterday through Mrs. Harry
S. New, whose husband Is Senator from
Indiana, that she has not INDUCED in
shopping orgy during her weeks stay at
the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and she also ex-
planned that the reason no details have
been forthcoming from the Harding suite
IS because Mrs. Harding does not want
her clothes to be so minutely described
that they will have lost their novelty and
interest after the inauguration. When
she does appear in them not even the
fabric will be recognized by her friends
and the public.
Mrs. Harding declined to purchase
either imported models or copies of these
models and every garment she has or
dered was specially designed for her, ac-
cording to Mrs. New. Mrs. Harding was
fitted for the entire wardrobe. devoting
most of her days to this ordeal.
The number of dresses and hats is not
excessive; it is merely adequate for a
woman who is to occupy the exalted po-
sition to which she is called by reason
of her being the wife of the next Presi-
dent of the United States. 1t might be
characterized as an appropriate outfit,
for Mrs. Harding always has made this
the keynote of her costumes There is
n dress or suit for every possible occa-
sian that may confront the future mis-
tress of the White House, but there is
no attempt at elaborateness in fabric
decoration or design.
When the army of dressmakers, tai
lors and milliners swarmed round Mrs.
Harding they hoped that she would Sc
lect their imported models or permit
them to copy certain European fasions
for her. But Mrs. Harding insisted that
special designs be made and that these
reject as far as possible er intense
American spirit.
Mrs. New did say, however that the
predominating color in the White House
sartorial display is blue and that other
dresses are gray, green and combina-
tons of black and white. There are few
coat and skirt suits, as Mrs. Harding
does not care so much for this severe
style of dress. Instead she has shown
a preference for one piece costumes with
an occasional wrap to match.
Even Mrs. Harding is uncertain which
one of her collection of dresses will be
worn on March 4. Several have been
designed to suit various temperatures,
for March in Washington. d. c., Is
more uncertain as to weather than any
feminine mind. whether II be concen-
trated on fashions or politics.
Mrs. Harding has purchased no jew
elry during her stay here. and she will
wear only the simplest ornaments when
reigning at the Presidential home.
Although she has been occupied almost
every minute since Monday with dress
makers and millners the week has
greatly improved her: she feels rested
and is now anxious to arrange her
affairs in Washington so that she can
join the President-elect in st. Augustine,
Fla. which she expects to do Thursday
or Friday
Two Girl Scouts, Beatrice Cline and
Gertrude Nathan, visited Mrs. Harding
in her suite at noon. They brought her
bunch or orchids. Mrs. Harding told
the young girls that she was keenly
interested in the Girl Scout movement
and that IL she were to start her life
over gain she would become Girl Scout
ut very early age. She assured her
young visitors that when she returns TO
Washington she will do what she can to
further the interests of the movement
there.
Mrs. Harding and Mrs. New will leave
to-day on special car attached to the
IL 20 Z. NJ. Baltimore and Ohio train.