Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-18

just now tnc UOIuuSucu 10 IOHhS
down Fifth avenue and causing per-
turbation in many quarters, but
Frank Alvah Parsons, artist, writer
and art professor, doesn't mind. He
isn't afraid. He just leans forward
IN his Louis XIV chair, acquires
another good-humored glimmer in
his keen gray eyes and fires this ofie:
"And a woman, mind you, wouli
rather take a chance on the here
after than being called old
fashioned" ....'
Decidedly, he isn't afraid. Prof.
Parsons, who has been buster than
the President Of the United States
turning away interviewers since that
recent afternoon when he mounted
q lecture platform and said what h,
thought about women's clothes, has
the courage Of his convictions. He
can tell you why, when and how. If
he tears down with one hand, he
builds up with the other. He has
clothes creed. It isn't piflle.
It might be called psycho-analyz-
ing clothes.
Finding the why in them Is a
palmer way of saying it.
Has Clothes Creed
and Isn't Afraid
If he were that sort of q chap,
he might 80 to the housctops and
shout out message and the mes
sage would sound like this:
First ThereIrust be crying need
for decoration before any decoration.
should be used. 1t would seem pos
sible to have certain blank spaces
on the human body unadornei with.
out any noticeable cry of pain on the
part Of the spot.
Second. Decoration should never
interfere with use. Shoes in which
one cannot walk, dresses in which
one cannot step, clothes in which one
cannot breathe and hats that nobody
can see past would seem to come
under this law.
Third. Decoration should follow
structure. The human figure ap-
pears to be bounded by curved lines.
Inasmuch as it is possible to follow
these lines without overriding the
matter, we shall be within this. law.
Any fashion that distorts human
proportion Is anti.artistic.
But in every mans English and
IN the straightaway style Prof.
Parsons likes best to put it, he says
IN the last essence women's clothes
srs bound up in three things, sim.
phc't7, consistency and common
sense.
Who has schooled Prof. Parsons for
DIS courageous calling? No one knows.
ons suspects pair Of twinkling but
seen gray eyes. Suspects them Of peer.
ING out the windows Of a motor by
aay a. 1t advances slowly through the
tane Of Fifth avenue: by night as 1t
.n'rls more swiftly past the lighted
enop windows or pauses for the inpour.
ing OF fashion herself into the theatres
Of the Roaring Fortips." lie Is exec.
uu7s In chief Of nm art school in Paris.
no Is president Of the New York School
OF Fine and Applied Art. Ten years ago
% wrote book on the psychology Of
atess. In the meantime he has hnd
classes innumernblc at Columbia Uni-
verslty, At present he has II class ut
New York University. with 107 pupils
for only 105 chairs.
Seeking an interview with the much.
mlked.of Prof. Parsons was an adven.
tNre OF no mean proportions.
At TAD Fifth avenue Mr.. Parsons was
not at home. William NJ. Odom, who
shares the tantalizins apartment. with
H3 vistns OF lovely ycllOws and soft
srays, and who is active head of the
school In Paris. was. 4 butler moved
back in the well -proportioned shadows.
1t was the next day before it was
poSsibl" to taE" the next step in the
process Of seeing Il much sought after
gentleman. 1t is, If you will. ten
m'r'y In the morning. The sunshine
mat filters broadway streams III and
"ahces about II bit in II waiting room
VI the art school One sits on II bench
outside II fntcfrl door.
a knob rnttlcs. Memories of the
''"s'" apartment persist. Would the
s'htleman Wear Il flowing tic?
lie did not.
Critic of WOnlan's Mor}e