Evening star., 1922-08-20
nv ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

- ONE cynic said that Paris was
the perfection of the non essen
1fals. That statement does not
- worry any woman who is here
to pick up what men may call the
non-essentials. She adores them. For
instances Dinner was progressing at
LIE Cabaret where many Americans
dine because tt is not essential to put
on evening dress, and the food Is
good and the prices high. The woman
who was giving the dinner was so
absorbed in, telling about small ele-
plants that the waiter was out Of all
patience because she wouldn't tell him
how she wanted the. lobster prepared.
elephants" she said. -"are the ami
mails Of the hour They are. Persian
and Indian. you see. and as the! move
ment is. back to. Genghis Khan. you
simply can't. escape those animals.
They. are embroidered on the new
cigarette. cases for women in the
color of the frock or the hat. They
are put on vanity cases in adorable
colors. Now. really. don't go home
without getting an elephant. And If
you want to be exasperatlng to the
family. cable them as one girl did:
Meet me at pier with freedom Of the
port permissfon; am bringing six ele-
plants.
That's all very amusing" inter-
rupted the other woman. but you are
wrong in one thing. It's not .Genghis
Khan who is influencing the move
ment toward elephants. It's the
Grand Duke Nicholas. the hero of the
imperial Russian army. He, like the
ether aristocrats, believed in the luck
of the elephant. as the Egyptians be-
lieved i'm the cat. He carried a Rus
sian leather case Of ,variously colored
elephants and took them out, choos-
ing one on the eve of battle. One Of
our war correspondents did the same
after lunching with the imperial
family and brought them to America.
THAT animal was the burden
bearer of the orientals. but it was
the luck symbol of the aristocrats OF
holy Russia AS the Russian infiu-
ence in dress has been the strongest
OF any during the last year. it was
natural that one of the symbolic
things should have found place"
Il don't believe a word Of that
harangue," said the hostess. Car
con. I want lobster thermidor." Per-
sonally, think the elephant is tribute
to President Harding.
Nevertheless, that harangue was
true. The Russians who are sewing
in attics know the truth. Don't you
remember the small elephants In
color that were embroidered on tiny
frocks for small children? The
source was the same. Now it is smart
to have not only an embroidered ami
NAL of India on the accessories that
one carries. but one in colored quartz
such as the Grand Duke Nicholas car
ried. His luck was good in battle.
one must admit. although one might
we'll be fearful of his luck in peace.
ELEPHANTS are for luck. as Presi-
IL dent Harding may agree-and
democrats and republicans are buy
ing them alike-but the appearance
Of nursery rhymes on blouses is surely
Russian
At one of the smart shops on the
Rue de la Paix there is always an
American group in front OF the win
dow looking at the blouses with their
ne" anu 10y ny O. Z
TO be worn outside the skirt, as most
self-respecting blouses are these days.
And the most alluring one is of white
seorgette crepe. with tight hip band
and rolling collar. the front cut in
imitation of a mans dress shirt. The
conventional bands are embroidered in
groups of children done in black silk
threads. bittle Boy Blue is blowing
his horn Justify, others are wrangling
and falling and fighting. The buttons
are only in front and at the wrists.
But there's another. equally popu-
lar with the changing crowds, which
IS distinctly Chinese. 1t is white
also. with the design in bright COL
ors. There are Cinnamon flying their
gorgeous fish lanterns and the colors
are red. black. blue and yellow. deli
cateiy done. The bands that frame
the blouse are embroidered in Chinese
parasols wheeling around as In a
windstorm. This is worn with a
white crepe skirt and is intended for
the beaches, but the weather man
knows that such fragile clothes are
not possible in this summer of rain
and cold and wind. If that blouse is
attempted there is a fur coat over 1t.
Many Of the women at the beaches
remind Americans of the snapshots
sent home from France in war years
by our beIoveds, looking like Eski-
mos, and followed by pleas for sweat
ers and still more sweaters. Yet the
French are putting up the old. old
cry to tourists that never was there
such a summer as this for cold and
rain. No wonder the veterans laugh
in their faces.
And just as the American is about
to think that Russia and China rule
the world Of clothes, up bobs blouse
definitely Indian, and one sees the
idea repeated in gorgeous, jackets
that were Inspired by the Prince of
Wales visit to India, or possibly the
presence in Paris of the same host
of spendthrift Indian princes who
were here last year. One hopes it is
the former.
The best Of these Indian blouses is