Evening star., 1921-10-02

mi wear, whether or not we
choose to do 1t. So here Is
a synopsis of the leading
houses which even the remotest
American should contemplate with
interest, for these things will soon be
brought to her doors. All that France
does America gets. There were enough
buyers Of clothes over here during
the time of the collections to guar
antee that none in our country shouio
cradle any belief that old clothes were
good enough or that new IDEAS were
dormant until next spring.
The names of those who lay down
fashions over here may be as sound
ing brass to thousands of Americans.
HIT that does not signify that the
products of their imas1natlons VIII
fail to influence even those tnousahos'
Callot exploits three sihouettes-
the Egyptian. almost touching on
savagery; the Japanese, with the sim
kimono built of soft woolens. not
crepes, embroidered with beasts ana
birds in dull Japanese colors' ana the
second empire, with a touch OF Goya-
Spanish In the first two the hips
are fattened by the material and the
wide sash is drawn around the END
of the spine, its ends disappearing at
drapery, but not tied. The Egyptian
clothes have tight underskirts with
close lotus leaf panels. richly embroid-
cred, often in white against black
X y y
THE skirts in the empire frocks
l. have hoops inserted at the knees.
not hips. and the hem is graceful
through scallops that fall loosely to
the floor, or through the material be-
ing looped up in somewhat the fash
ion of the Algerian skirts. Both these
movements prevent that hard line
about the feet which the old gowns
of that sort possessed. Lace panta-
lettes are also used to soften the
effect.
The bodices are very decolette and
tightly drawn about the figure, &C
centuating the slightly higher waist
line. These skitrS are not flat in back
and front: they are evenly gathered
all around the edge of the tiny bodice.
Sleeves are large. Japanese fashion.
square things that cover the hands.
floor. with the hand coming through
at the waist line. The special sleeve OF
the house is one attached to a wide
jeweled bracelet placed just above the
elbow; it is finely pleated and hangs
to the finger tips and is built of
transparent fabric. Another novelty
is the lavish usage of Landscape ma
terialS, in woolens as in brocade. the
kind of pattern that the American
refuses. Some Of it is printed. some
tremendously to the price Of the frock.
At Lanvin's this season there is
the usual manipulation OF Fabrics
for the young girl who is going to
parties or who must be well turned
out for the street in things that are
at icot NJ
tniscent of the nursery. And for
such as these she has arranged sec
ond empire gowns In Juvenile way
and argues by her varied presentation
OF them that youth is to be modelled
after the Empress Eugenie. She has
chosen for her mannequin a demure
young piece of witchery who could
not by any modern reasoning be ex-
pected to behave the way she looks:
il she did she would be two hundred
years behind the times. But she
makes an enchanting Jane Austen
heroine, only needing bottle of
smelling salts instead of a bouquet
to gain perfection.
The second empire frocks of the
house of Lanvin are actually reminis-
cent of our family ancestors, for the
skirts with their hoops at the knees
are built of f1ounces of silk net cover
ed with tiny flowers, like edelweiss.
arranged in pale coral ribbon.
The tailored suits for adults have
hip length coats, loosely swung from
the shoulders and tightly girded at
the lowest line of the hips with wide,
dark fur which has pendent loops of
the peltry hanging across the front
or back. They refuse to continue
across the sides. and if they are in
front. they don't appear in back. The
sleeves are square. as all others are.
Here and there they are fastend up
the outer edge with large metal but
tons. the bare arm gIimpsed between.
T !ANvIN sponsors velvet more than
the other houses. which use wool
en- for suits and simple frocks. Like
Patou, she draws on Italy Of the
doges for inspiration. The names
and the colors would prove that point.
She uses the padded roll of metal en-
broidery or one of velvet across the
front Of the skirt, hanging from the
low waist line. reaching upward At
the hips. How the average stout
American matron would look in this
gay horses collar swung below the
belt in front is easily imagined and
then dismissed. Pray that 1t will
never come to pass.
The skirts sweep the feet in all
clothes but the tailored suits. the
skirts of which are about ten inches
from the floor.
Hats are not to be omitted Lanvin
never omits detail so important.
She does not let another choose the
hats for each of her gowns. She is
TOO serious an artist. This season
she advocates the Russian peasant
headdress with fatty upturned brim
covered with small snail shells, tightly
curled When one does not desire to be
so ornamental there are plain black
satin and gray felt hats. some of them
with tiny silver tassels along the
outstanding edges at each side.
The idea of shells is enchanting, al
though one hopes that only youth will
adopt them, for they harden the face.
but the sequins of mother-of-pearl
which initiate the inside Of a seashell
are lovely with any skin and these
she uses on evening turbans, on satin