The New York herald., 1921-01-16

blaze the path. 1t is not they who de-
eide the result.
The public pleases itself in the end
when it comes to the final decision on
fashions. The old English saying that
usage is the judge, the law. the rule Of
speech, is not always applicable to
clothes.
The commercialists may be inclined
to doubt this. What is Worn by the
masses is held as fashionable by those
who sell and by thousands of those
who buy. But II is not strictly true.
The group of women in any nation
| who lead fashions are apt to discard
whatever the masses adopt. The de-
signers Of Importance relinquish their
grip on that which becomes universal.
Those who create fashions and those
who explore and accentuate them re-
| fuse to buy the thing which has been
offered to all.
1t is this flowing and ebblng of the
tide that creates interest in clothes,
which promotes trade, and keeps the
waters of fashion from becoming stag
nant.
| II fashion could be determined In
mass 1t would be easy for the trade to
1 lay down a law regarding the exact
type of clothes that every woman must
wear. Afterward they could sleep. But
/ the public refuses to be led in this man
ner. No matter what path It's feet are
placed In there quickly comes restless
ness and the feet stray into other paths.
- hair oh
The French designers know full well
| by this time what they will launch for
/ spring But there is every evidence that
/ they are not in full accord. They ap-
| pear to be beating the air. They want
/ to sell clothes for millions OF francs,
and when the desire to please over
reaches the desire to create merely in
| the name OF art and beauty, there Is, OF
necessity. a tumble Of various styles
thrown on the market.
We all know the reason for French
uncertainty. II is no slight task. no
small financial outlay to prepare iew
thousand frocks for a handful OF foreign
buyers Failure to sell these gowns re-
suits in vast business depression in the
industry of clothes. The French women
do not take with seriousness the clothes
designed for the American and English
women: they do not even wear them
when their season begins. SO II Is often
the case that the dressmakers suffer
great loss No wonder their gift OF de-
signing is split asunder by their desire
and need TO make money on their VEN
ture.
What is to be launched in Paris 10
still In doubt. In America the new
spring styles are launched. The South
Is the field of exhibition. Palm Beach
Is the central spot.
The gowns going South are America s
contribution TO style. 1t must be ad-
mitted that they do not indicate revolu-
ton. They follow In the footsteps OF the
gowns worn In France during the mid
winter. The long skirt. the gathered
skirt. the tight bodice. floral effects, are
features that are significant.
The ribbon gowns sent over early in
the season by Lanvin arc the novelties
OF this season. Those who watch know
that she and Poiret have hammered
away at this type Of frock for six
months. The dressmakers over here
thought that II was phase. The pub
lie treated 1t with Indifference. Yet the
fashion persists in fact. II Is launched
as the newest Of the spring silhouettes.
II is worn In Paris IL is exhibited In
America. Yet it will have n strong In
nucnce on everything that Is FASH
ioncd from now on. II will lengthen
skirts. q will raise the waistlIne. Il
will create width on the hips and at
the hem.
II will finally win It's way in America,
even though II is modified. The French
women have been appearing in this
style OF frocl for over two months. II
is worn on the stage. II has been
adopted By smart women In their own
homes II has brought back that
Spanish effect which we adopted two
years ago. The latter fashion may not
be rcinstatcd In this country II was
too common at tho timc OF It's donn-
ance TO be looked upon with pleasure
now. But a fashion Is important In Its
Influence. II often creates q revolution
without being accepted for itself.
The situation Is that the Americans
still wear skirts sixteen inches from
the floor. The French have accepted
seven inches from the floor as the fash
ionable length. All that Is twice told
tale TO many. but IL Is too important at
this hour OF the year to ignore.
The young women may be tho first TO
accept tho fashion for full and longer
skirts purely through tho beauty Of
tho ribbon gowns which have been ~
New York for a few weeks. They arc
made of twelve and fourteen inch rib