The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-25

S9%2 WO dear old ladies in prim A black silk and little shawls were WA sitting on a veranda the other Szg day. their eyes following two ex- eeedingly young ladies who strolled down the suburban street in the last word In sport smartness-i. e., knicker suits of snappy mannish style.
 T suppose" whispered one old lady to the other, those girls-h they pay any attention to us at all-imagine that .we.sare disapproving utterly and severely their appearance. They've got grace enough for that left-to feel that somebody may disapprove."
 Well don't you disapprove? ?" snapped the other old lady. DO you mean to tell me you like those-those pants? Wouldn't you rather see those girls in little sprigged dimities or rutied muslins with sashes, the way you and used to dress, and the way we dressed our daughters?"
 The first old lady chuckled. Not l." said she. q don't believe I'd ad- init it to my granddaughter, but | think those pants-suits are the cutest things ever. Wouldn't I have jumped at 'em-at eighteen. I'd have knick- CT suit now If 1t were possible. Do you remember how we girls used to dress up in pas clothes and Brother Bills and strut around with mis- chievous glee. The. girls nowadays can strut around all they like-and don't have to make a giggling dash for cover when 8 male person comes in sight"
 Trouser Suit Most Practical
 But the modern girl does not wear her coat and brooches suit with any spirit of mischlevous glee. She Is past all that. She wears it quite naturally and easily and takes 1t quite for granted as the most comfortable and practical sort of costume for active outdoor exercise. So gradually has the coat and brooches suit come to be accepted as perfectly all right for feminine wear that few women. realize that acquiring this sort of costume in the face of age-long opinion is really more remarkable than acquiring the Vote.
 With the general acceptance of trouser suits for women dozens of variations on the first, strictly man. nish style of suit. are flooding the market. One may have a tweed or home spun suit with belted coat a loose shantung suit, or linen suit with Tuxedo jacket little more fem mine in style; or pair of linen knickers to wear with a feminine blouse and sweater. In fact, one might say of this summers fashions that they are masculine, feminine and t1r boy, or like demure maiden-or like a cross between the two.
 Keeping The Masculine Suit Masculine
 The danger is going to be in ten dency toward absurdity; in the ming ling of feminine with masculine styles until the costume has a light-opera frivolity that will make 1t look foolish. The suit cut and tailored in masculine fashion should be accompanied by masculine accessories. Imagine high heeled slippers and a feather hat with the tweed knicker suit pictured You simply can't imagine 1t! But things may come to that pass if women keep adding little feminine touches to their boyish suits. The tweed suit pictured is admirably correct for country club wear. The coat has a well tailored trimness and the trousers drape grace fully. Stockings of ribbed silk match the suit in tone and the low-heeled oxfords are of black calf--a trifie smarter than tan calf this season. The broad-collared shirtwaist is conces- sion fashion has made in connection with the mannish suit, but let fem ininity beware of it--it may be the entering wedge that foretells that feathered headgear and French heeledl foofpaar above referred foi