Evening star., 1921-08-21

Paris-at least the Paris that centers
its interests in making and wearing
clothes at this time of year. 1t IS
important for them to know how TO
buy. Lots of things are important
but most important for them is the
knowledge of American women. Con-
glomerate though we are. product OF
a melting pot in which have been
thrown all the races of Europe, there
il a very distinct something that is
American taste, as unlike French
taste as it is unlike British or South
American taste.
The French dressmakers and de-
signers, most of them, think they
know what this American taste
amounts to. They seem to think that
by making certain alterations TO SUIT
the different average anatomy OF the
American figure, by eliminating GER
tain trimmings and adding some
others, lengthening one season and
shortening another, they Will suit
the American taste. But there Is
moro to 1t than that. 1t is the result
of so many complex forces that when
a man or woman possesses this inter-
pretation of American taste We usu-
ally call it intuition.
OF course, if you choose you can
have the French fashions all inter-
nreted for you. You may be sure
that in five or six weeks the SHOPS
where YOU buy will have careruliy
assorted, well expurSated rendering
of what has been shown in france
u
realize at what pains and lost, what
Worry, and what jealousies and RI
vaIries sometimes, thesc things are
ready there for your choosing.
remember, however. that these
things have usually been seIecteo ioF
the average American woman
some women. many of them, find
Aversion and help, sometimes even
a source of economy. in Interpreting
the events in the dress centers OF
France for themselves. You may
follow the development of fashion be-
cause somehow or other it shows you
better than anything else the trend
of opinion and taste, because 1t
brings you into very close touch with
France in q season when you must
imagine the French races If you know
that this season they have worn black
and white, combinations OF black ana
white and shades Of violet. II you
know that there nave been StrlKlnS
examples of long bouffant skirts
with the predominance of skirts in
straight lines only fairly long. that
fringe ana Jet have played an i'm
portant role, that women are wear
ing Spanish hats. that black lace
floats from these hats or forms the
wraps with which they are worn,
that sleeves that are long or flow
ing form q contrast to sleeves that
still reveal almost the entire arm!
Now you may read fashion news
merely for this sort of diversion.
You are wise II you look at the
matter subjective1y. asking yourself
as you read of these departures in
dress just what bearing they may
helpfully have on your personal dress
problem. Anything like q literal
reading would be absurd. Just be-
cause one French woman makes q fad
Of wearing real flowers on her hat.
don't come to the conclusion that you
must consult the florist as well as
the milliner about your new hat. Be-
cause the correspondents make good
deal Of the fact that some one ap-
peared on the Bois de Boulogne wear
ing q white shoe with black stock
ing and q black shoe with a white
stocking, don't imagine that Parisians
have all gone in for 2 piebald effect.
Just because some friend in Paris
writes you that Every. one In Paris
IL wearing enormous long skirts"
don't be entirely convinced. Remem-
ber that one very long boaffant skirt
would attra6o more attention than