The New York herald., 1921-07-24

are strangely. peculiarly stamped with
label of the United States.
Even their copies OF the great gowns
seen at important establishments are
wondrously like the type Of thing that
one achieves at home with d seam
stress by the day. 1t might be said
just here without apology for its ir-
relevance that the American clothes
which sell at the same price as the
cheap clothes of Paris are better cut,
better fitted and have more distinction.
To find from which quarter the wind
is blowing 1t Is necessary to watch smart
French women at tfis season of the year.
What they wear is the one thing that
counts. BY smart" one does not mean
aristocratlc, for here. as in America and
England, one cannot look to the old es-
tablished families for what is new aad
brilliant in costuIlery. The smart
woman here Is not always in society, but
she is in the first rank of those who
make clothes profession. and therefore
become objects of first interest 20 those
OF us who are IN Paris for such work.
1t Is not possible to Sc, new clothes
during July, and therefore the American
tourists who see half empty dresssnaking
houses, who are offered the models Of
last April for their inspection. who see
only strangers end French workers on
the streets. cannot form a correct idea OF
French fashion.
The women who wear good clothes are
not wearing them in deserted towns.
They are showing themselves off at the
resorts. and they are saving their best
for the great week in Normandy on the
English Channel, where, as usual, in Eu-
rope. fashions follow the horses. All So
c:al life comes to glorious climax on
the night OF the first Sunday In August
1t does not reawaken until next April.
Tbs romeut trat great night breaks
into the dawn Of Monday the world OF
workers. including Americans. rush TO
Paris for weeks OF hard work spent in
specting new fashions. The world OF
pleasure goes to sleep, to rest, to read,
to take life easy in order that II can en-
JOY itself In Venice or Biarritz at the
end OF September.
1t is what the smart French are
wearing. therefore, that is of interest
to those Americans who are at home
as we'll as to those who are here.
what Do They wears
The first direct change that one
notices is the unexpected addition OF
white and beige georgette crepe and
chiffon to black gowns The frequency
of this fashion gives one the feeling that
the nation Is coming out of first into
second mourning. True. no one could
associate any feeling of grief with the
kind of black gowns worn by the French
women who were not in mourning. Its
brilliancy was more effective than color !;
its sensational artifciality was more
striking than purple or crimson. The
French women being artists. arranged
their faces to srlt these dull black cos
tunes and the effect was theatrical.
Simplicity is not the keynote OF the
new clothes. Severity is far from them.
There is a conscious return TO frivolity
expressed IN small things, and there is
direct and definite cleavage between
the fashions that call for one material
and one color from crown to heel and
the fashion that permits fiounces OF
ecru lace. bodiccs OF one color against
a skirt Of another. square Indian sleeves
Of beige or white crepe implanted In q
black bodice ard long tunics OF white
crepe embroidered In black placed be-
tween a black skirt and cape.
a few months ago the woman who
wore blue taffeta frock with a skirt
six yards wide at the hem and divided
into two parts. the upper part blue and
the lower rose. would have been re-
garded as an eccentric. Yet fashion
able woman appears In such gown at
a summer resort and ID considered smart
Not only is the skirt divided into two
parts but It Is festooned with ribbons
OF dark blue taffeta which are arranged
IN bowknots every once In a while. The
bodice ends above the waist line and
its short sleeves are tied with immense
bows on the top Of the arm. The wearer
| Of this gown promenades before the
multitude. knowing full we'll the sensa'
tion she creates.
There Is another striking woman who
has nothing Of the Victorian atmosphere
about her who wears clothes that sug-
| gest the swaEger OF a brigand. She, too
I Is smart
one OF her unique frocks, widely OBJ
served is Of black crepe de chine will
a trousered skirt partially hidden BY
immense sash ends that fall down In
front OF skirt apd are lined with beige