The New York herald., 1922-07-02

colorful world they had worn the
straight flourbag frock with its oblong
neckline until illustrators and design
ers beat the air in vain. They began
to wonder if the Middle Ages would
really come upon us in more tnings
than plague and war.
They urged women to remember that
1t was a choatic time, one in which all
things were overturning and somer-
saulting. therefore fashions in clothes
should do likewise. They urged revolt.
Women listened. looked at pictures and
went out and bought black chemise
frocks. 1t was no use. Obstinacy and
stagnation went hand in hand
You can see for yourself, therefore,
what a burst Of excitement was caused
by the Russian idea. 1t came upon
America as the political revolution came
upon Russia
Considered Too Conspicuous.
Then the thing that was prophesied
happened. Women wcaried of 1t. 1t was
too conspicuous, for the manufacturers
saw in it a half dozen ways to get out
Of quagmire; dress shop windows saw
n chance to make colors scream through
the glass to the public the embroiderers
decorating everything from q piece of
common unbleached muslin to tinsel
cloth.
The situation was like that which fell
upon the world three decades ago, when
every one who could buy paint brush
decorated their household trifles. Mar
guerites were painted on frying pans
which hung by green ribbons on the par
lor wall. Milk stools were painted with
poppies and placed in the dining room.
Everything that could bear bit Of
painted color was compelled to bear 1t.
Then, suddenly, some sane force
threw wide the windows. let in the sun
shine. threw the frying pans and milk
stools and macrame lambrequins into
the backyard. Simplicity prevailed.
Quiet reigned In interior decoration.
Something in that manner has hap
pened to the Russian colors and en-
broideries to American clothes. In it's
crude state the thing was overdone.
Paris had an epidemic of 1t from Janu-
ary to April. America got 1t from April
to July, and it is still going strong
in certain sectors Of clothes.
After France saw the terrific pos
sibilities in over-popularity, her fine
designers began to refine the Russian
crudities. The smart set in France
started a rebellion by using plain colors
in simple clothes. American women at
the best class of pleasure places, as In
the streets, did the same. In France,
the limelight thrown on Russian cos
tumery induced dozens of women to
go back to black frocks Over here,
women went back to gray, to mauve,
to white.
Everyone agrees that bit OF the
Russian brilliancy is enlivening In
dull world. But too much of 1t crashes
against the nervous system like child
insistently striking the keys OF piano.
So the new story in fashion has to deal
with the rebellion against too much
coloration. Yesterday the story told
OF an uprising against black. What
world.
Brown and White Is Chosen.
Once upon a time when many were
Young. and some were not born, tnere
was a widespread fashion for combina-
ton of brown and white in womens
clothes
A family album recently pulled down
from a garret shows photograph Oh
woman of place and power. taken III
the era Of brown and white. Youngster
though she was, she was proudly ex-
t'biting her white pique frock with q
long golden brown velvet vest fastened
with carved white pearl buttons. There
were brown velvet cuffs and collar anu
white straw hat with crown band OF
| brown velvet.
She explained her prideful attitude In
! looking over the old album by saying
that every woman in that era wanted a
brown and white frock. and she. whe
was not old enough to be INDUCED In 9
wish for such fashionable attire, was as
vain of her pique and velvet gown as
Cat with new pink ribbon and pciis'
The pique and brown velvet compina-
ton has not yet appeared on the sum
mer beaches and the country clun
porches. But 1t may. Brown veivet
bands with startling bows at one SIDE
| make many O. white straw summer ha'
! conspicuous, and there Is an allurine
white serge coat frock covered WIFI
brown embroidery which shows vest
| down front, from neck to hem, OF green
crepe fastened with white pearl buttons
There are white crepe de chine coal
suits in the heavy weave OF crepe win
corded surface. which carry brown
crepe dc chine Innings on the skirt
drapery. Such frocks are worn with
immense white hats fashioned In the
sunshade idea, the brim faced with
brown and a wreath Of flat brown SIR
roses about the crown.
There are top coats, loose and cape
like, of white kasha cloth lined with
brown crepe; there are brown organdie
blouses frilled at all the edges to be
worn with white serge and cloth suits.
The combination of the two colors
goes further women wear light pale
brown silk stockings with white shoes
and slippers for sports and gayety In
the open, and a parasol which causes
ripple of excitement even in Paris,
is made of white organdie striped with
brown silk.
Mnuve Comes Back, Also Purple.
A striking change in midsummer
costumery Is the adoption of purple
and the revival of mauve. Some women
may say that the latter color was never
forsaken by smart women, but every
| one cannot reckon It among general