The Connecticut labor press., 1921-01-01
The D|RECTOIRE
NOTE IN COATS
Fall and Winter Wraps in Line
With Features in Other
Wearing Apparel.
HIGH COLLAR MEETS FAVOR
Historic Form of Neck Dressing Is
Eagerly Taken Up by Smart Won1-
en- and Success Seems AS
sured.

Coats are among the first clothes
that we buy for autumn. There are
several reasons for getting these early
in the season. We can wear them over
our summer dresses and start the sea-
son with cloth frocks left over from
spring If we have a good-lOOking coat.
Then, too, the fashions in coats are
settled earlier than they are in dresses.
There is not the constant changing
that there is in frocks. 1 do not mean.
writes a Paris fashion correspondent,
that there are not great changes in
coats from one season to another but
that the styles in coats brought out
early in the autumn carry through the
entire winter.
This falls topcOats are in line
with the advanced style features seen
in other articles of wearing apparel.
Along with the oriental and Egyptian
notes, which are being strongly
featured in both current and advance
fashion models, there is appearing
another note fostered by several i'm
portant houses. This is the Direc-
toire
Regarding the styles of this period
there might be something in COM
mon between the psychology of 1920
in France and that of the closing
years of the eighteenth century.
The style of the Directoire period
was patterned upon exaggerated
classical outline and appealed to that
new class of citizens recently come
into power and wealth through
Frances changing political condi-
lions. The Paris dressmaker today
is catering to a similar class, those
who have gained wealth and influence
through the recent war.
MinoIe in New Models.
Society is not yet organized as 1t
was before the war. Everything goes,
as it were, in a hit-or-miss style. The
Paris dressmaker, being forced to
study the state of new class of Gus
toners, vaguely reaches out for ideas
around which to build models that will
conform to this new standard in taste
in dress. Just as the Directoire was
melange of classic and modern ideas,
so today are fashions eliminating in
q mixture of orient and occident.
One of the most pronounced and
striking features, which has already
registered a success in Paris, is the
high DirectOire collar of Organdie or
crepe georgette,- and even of plated
CLOTH This historic form of neck
dressing has been eagerly taken up
by few smart women and its success
seems to be assured. These Directoire
re
as they are on. dresses. In fact, the
Directoire is strongly emphasized in
winter wraps.
Very smart in its aspect is the> tall
Ored coat developed in beautiful beaver
shades of cloth, that strongly empha
sizes the slim line of the Directoire.
Such coats also have the high-mount-
ing collar Of that period. Directoire
coats were brought out in midsum-
ner developed in bright yellow linens.
to wear over dresses of plated white
orgardie made in semi-chemise form
without a vestige of trimming. Only
a narrow belt of organdie tied about
the waist broke the straightness of
their lines. These dresses were semi
decollete and had sleeves so short that
they might almost have been said to
be sleeveless. This type of costume
took so we'll that it has been copied
in heavier materials for autumn. The
coats may be Of cloth, lined with heavy
silk crepe, and the dresses Of the same
material as the coat lining. 1t is a
perfect costume for afternoon wear.
Deep Color Tones.
Very charming dresses in deep color
tones are being made up in Directoire
style. Among the new models shown
by one French house are dark brown
and rose-cOlored cloths made in a cross
between the Directoire and the mod.
ern French dressmaker's Interpretation
of that period. One such model is de-
veloped in brown cloth with high Di"
rectoire friIl Of ecru batiste.
third Interpretation of the Direr-
toire is seen in three-piece suits de-
veloped in blue serge, with beautiful
embroideries executed in metal nail
beads of iridescent colors. The skirts
of these dresses have a one-side drap-
cry, with a slashed opening at the
side where the drapery falls. The
coat shows the cutaway front and the
long sides and back so characteristic
Of the Directoire period. There is con-
siderable dignity in these suits and
they are also of type very becoming
to the average American figure. A
strong point in favor of the success of
the Directoire is the fact that almost
all women like the simplicity of line
which characterizes it.
A coat with novel vest having
DirectOire collar is worked out in
lightweight serge, with accordion plait-
ing set on at low hipline. This IL
Illustrates one of the methods of OBJ
tanning the Iong-waisted effect that
has taken such a firm hold on all au-
tumn coats. 1t appears in suit coats
as well as separate wraps. Reboux
hat of the Breton sailor type is worn
with The coat. Here the trimming
which takes the form of fiat silk roses
Is placed beneath the brim just over
the right ear