The New York herald., 1921-05-08
Habilinents of Grief Are Now Being Borrowed
by Women of Fashion for Hours of Pleasure
Wearing of Dead Black Has
Passed Far Beyond the
Fad Stage.
ny ANNR nITTENHoUsE.

ny ANNR RITTENHOUsE.
r EFT % take up this odd and al
most exciting subject Of wear
1nU dead black for all the hours
ef ones life In public 1t has grown
beyond . fads It has become the chief
bst fashion Of the spring. One might
FAY Of n As Harry Lauder sang OF
fir1nkfnE tits not q habit: it's a gift"
Many aro inclined, but few are
chosen. to wear black with success,
put that sharply evident fact does not
keep women from running full tilt into
danger. It's the fashion. There you
are. Men may call 1t foolishness, but
IL is a foolishness that has ruled the
world not only of women but of men
since prehistoric days 1t Is quite
probable that the Neanderthal men
left their caves in tiger skins one sea-
son and sternly refused to wear them
the next as leopards were the new
fashion.
1t Is a curious trick of critics 10
Judge humans by what should be or
might be instead of by what Is. Fash
ion is the ultimate power of the world
even in ornaments and politics. So II
a world of women are going to wear
black. and black without lustre, as
though the human race was in mourn
ing for some cataclySm, then by all
means let us accept the fact and dis
cuss the method and the manner of
wearing it.
1t is claimed that the French invented
the fashion through motives OF economy
and not through reasons created by the
battlefelds. Her women were not able
TO buy many clothes and they chose the
kind OF costume that was least strident;
one which would serve throughout all
the days of the week and all the hours OF
the day without suggesting adverse
criticism
Kind of Coauetry In 1t.
There may have grown up kind Of
coquetry in ii. The French look well In
black. Any woman does who possesses
o pallid. healthy skin, expressive dark
eyes and slender figure. Any woman
who knows the art of makeup-and
would that all the Americans knew 1t,
now that ii is universal on this conti-
nent-is assured that she can use black
as a foundation for the rest of her ap-
pearance: IL she has fine pearls, SO
much the better.
But black is the color for the artist.
not for the amateur. Women have been
mistaken through centuries regarding It's
difficulties. Those who have been In
mourning know it's devastating habit of
destroying whatever charm one has.
They are aware also of the ease with
which one gets into careless rut through
wearing black they know the eternal
vigilance required. Economy in materials
Is impossible. The whisk broom must
be ones constant companion. One must
dress In a piercing light. The least dis
crepancy in the costume Is plainly visible
for criticism.
These are facts that must be borne in
mind by those who are bent on following
the new fashion. That We may be in
danger of appearing like procession Of
mutes at an ancient funeral is beside the
question. The thing is done.
The sallow woman must learn to put
color touches where they will do the
most good, the brilliant woman must
learn to tone herself down In order not
to present too violent a contrast to her
costumery.
The French Conception of 1t.
The question among the dressmakers
IS What will the Americans do with
these all black costumes? What will
they demand to go with them? VIII
they ask for colored hats as the season
advances because the deadness of the
gowns depresses them will they soon
tire Of fashion that is not suited to
the majority OF them, or will they learn
TO master it as they have so many other
Paris fa ashons that were untitled to our
figures. climate and activities?
/ was in Paris when the madness for
black costumes broke out. 1t is still
running at fever heat The milliners
think there is a chance of breaking IL by
the Introduction Of gayly colored hats.
but there is no definite result yet just
after the arnfstice there was an cpl
demic Of gray and black pin striped suits
Of flannel, shapeless things. like bags
carelessly tied in the middle With these
went a mushroom felt hat with a wreath
OF colored small fruit. Any one would
have thought the costume had been pre-
scribed by the Government; that II was
another war measure like the rationing
OF food, hot water and coal, because of
its universal acceptance.
Suddenly this costume gave way to a
chemise frock of dead black with fringe
ard string OF pearls. 1t spread over
Paris. 1t has held the city In its grip
for over two years.
American buyers did not even ask for
these black costumes of the designers
when they bought the semi-annual as
sortment Of clothes for this country
after the peace conference ended why
the hesitation, no one knows Possibly
they thought Americans would not ac-
cept the fashion. Therefore there came
about two sets of costumes in high
fashion, our colored ones and the
French black ones. At last there is only
one fashion.
The question is: VIII America forsake
black IL she finds that Paris is growing
tired of IT.? There is no doubt that