Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06
Ribbon Frocks Gain
in Favor Because
They Lend Them
:: :. selves to the Ex-
plotted Silhouette
That Is Taken From
the Second Empire.
Materials Accept
ance Suggests Arti-
fetal Figures of
Other Centuries.
BY ANNE RTTTENHOUsE,

OTeSS.
makers
whether or not this decree comes
about through a paucity of fabric in
the French markets or from obsti-
macy in holding tho two fabrics. tat
feta and crepe de chine, in the first
place Of fashion. is immaterial. The
TACT which is about to govern orr
newest gowns is that these two ma
terials will be employed to build a
vast and diverse number of garments
We have not had the crepe de chine
ohsession over here Buyers who
brought back clothes from France had
CHOSEN more variety in fabrics than
the French houses offered and had ex-
pressed themselves as somewhat per-
picked as to the loyalty shown by
classes and masses to the one kind of
weave for all kinds of gowns. That
might do for one city, they said, but
mot a continent.
Duvetyn caught us right and good
It swirled over the continent like a
storm Every woman was snatched
up by 1t although warnings were sent
out broadcast as to it's ability to per-
'1sh- But the time for this velvety and
dangerous, yet altogether lovely, fab
nc is passing. In the northern eli
mate the weave will be suitable and
comfortable for two months yet, but
the trend Of thought is toward the
Immediate future What we will wear
- the problem shaping in our minds.
The answer accents taffeta and crepe
de chine We are to take up the
french fashion. you see
II s~ urfa~ for 1yor,,~ 81
well her own figure and type as she
approaches a season devoted to the
adoption Of these two materials. It
may not be necessary for her to
chpose between them. II she is ex-
enpt from the troublesome and vexa-
ttous business Of always making q
Choice OF trying to be fashionable
and not unlovely at the same time,
then let her trip lightly into any
shop or dressmaking house and pick
IN at random that which is put before
har and which pleases her whim or
Wish.
sYhe perplexed majority arc not a.
these. They must bring moro judg-
Ment and shrewdness than inclina-
tloh and money to the proposition Of
new frock or an entire seasonal
wardrobe.
They will find themselves at the
crossroads between taffeta and crepe
de chine as soon as the last vesttge
OF their winter clothes has given its
ultimate service. They will md that
ts>dressmakers and shops have de-
,clared both materials good in their
sight and propose to make a rich
harvest with them.
The reason they win be placed be-
tween two choices Is this: that crepe
IL for the large, the full. the fiorid:
ta6eta is for the small, the pale, the
AIAnAoY ri hnp
self each time she views the fabrics
whether she is too large to wear the
one or too thin to wear the other.
Such Is the influence Of fashion.
sTa6eta presents the more acute
problem. L cannot be built up into
stidiy from the figure even when
plainly cut and adjusted. If It has
rndies and puffs it becomes impos-
sible for the big woman.
Crepe has the disadvantage OF
'elingins without any effort Of con-
Ita II a revealing and a disillusioning
fabric. Fortunately. there is no in
teAtion of building it with severity
upon any kind of figure. for it Is pre-
eIninently the fabric for drapery: but
no amount Of pointed cascades or ir-
regular loops keeps it from plainly
Disclosing whatever anatomical de-
ilciencies one may wish to conceal
Through these qualities it gives,
1herefores grace to the large and
gives added bulk and q strain Of awk-
v1rdness to any but tho willovy. There
10 the choice.
! As Mr.. Chesterton IN his American
lectures has scoffed at the ignorance
Of the educated" when they refer to
British and American stock as An
g1p-Saxons. 1t may be better to ind
another label for the type of woman
we are inclined to define in that man.
nsr-at least, to find another label
while Mr.. Chesterton is in the coun-
try and is making US self-conscious
We say the big woman" is wiser il
ahe looks at taffeta from a safe dis
lance, leaving its evident popularity
to that new type Of woman that has
grown. seemingly. to 1T the present
fashions.
The insistence upon this sprightly
SIN, with its dominating character, is
due, undoubtedly, to the stern efforts
women into wearing clothes that are
Q mixture between old Spanish and
Victorian French. Probably 1t Is bet
ter to designate the 1870 fashions
Eugenie-French. for the Spanish
American empress did go into society
tom of the English smart set to say
with a contemptuous shrug that the
queen was not in society"
Whatever the source of distended
skirts, wide hens. tight bodices and
small sleeves. the fact remains that
French leaders are doing their best
20 make them a part Of the present
fashion
The Americans who have been
meeting in council to ordain purely
Ill
have dropped from Napoleon the
Little to Napoleon the Big and
launched the directoire.
One country wants the tight, slim
bodice extending to the hips: the
ether wants the high waist encfrcled
the Inerrter. Let US welcome all OBJ
sG2eles to molding women into ono
EDsn, one fashion 1t makes for Q
Ely and harmless war. although 1t
may leave the manufacturers Q bit
Whatever silhouette exnreta may
assume it seems to be reasonably
clear that the Egyptian. the oriental,
the northern African win not do. II
the French win. or II the Americans
win, there's an end to primitiveness
in the result
Taneta is q sophisticated fabric.
II lends itself to artifciaIity and 1t
expresses itself best in eras when
lines and curves are built. not re.
vea1ed.
Looking at It in that light, It has
dep significance. II it comes into
geDefal usage now It will express
itself as always. and that alone
means an abrupt turn about from
Uaak has endured for years.
zen can see, can't you. how the
- nahFacs. both offered for sprmg
AoG6 la1nche6 - 4naD RaanA q