The Washington times., 1923-04-16
Of HOUR
SEEN At OAR.
CONVENT|O
AssembIage Bears Testimony
to American Woman's Pride
in Her Appearance.
BY VIRGINIA KINGDOM.

! BY VIRGINIA k1NGDON.
Browning would have been de-
lighted had he visited a meeting of
the Daughters of the American
Revolution, for there he would see
exemplified his words as uttered by
Rabbi Ben Ezra, "the best is yet
to come"
The opening meeting has an in
terest that no other gathering can
hope to compete with. There is the
seriousness and the straight for
wardness that typifies the Ameri-
can woman of today: there is en-
thusiasm that is characteristic of
women and then there is life and
color that comes from brightly hued
hats, from gay bouquets and spring
frocks.
America may well be proud of
her women, especially the women of
middle life that make up the ranks
of the present convention. No
other country could produce such a
representative gathering of inter-
esting and intellectual women-weil
dressed and well informed and with
faces glowing with the seriousness
of purpose; a regiment of mothers
and even Erandmothers with spright-
ly step and interesting mein.
Conservative. i'm Styles.
To talk about styles and fashions
is almost superfluous. for If there
is one thing that the American wife
and mother prides herself on after
her ability to manage her own and
affairs of her Government, is her
this mornings assembly bore teSti-
mony to this pride.
Conservatism was the ruling note.
and as the meeting was a morning
one the costumes were severe in
line and suits and one-piece frocks
prevailed. Even a fashion editor
would have a difficult time to de-
eide which was the most attractive.
The ayes would be cast for a man.
nish two-piece suit in navy twill
with smart hat Of matching color
and trig walking shoes. A corsage
of violets giving the only note Of
color to the outfit. Then across
the hall our attention would be at
tracted to a tan and brown costume
and our vote would waver. For
when beige crepe trimmed in brown
chooses a large hat of the same tan
and trims 1t with brown velvet
pansies, then the dress is the thing.
Big cities were recognized in hats
and wraps from prominent de-
signers. The hand OF large shops
was seen in the smart and severe
careful selection. Towns and vii
lage dressmaking bobbed here and
there but showing a careful study
ing of styles and the influence OF
the woman's publications and the
style Journals. Now and then a
gay hat or blouse told the influence
that daughter had in selecting
mothers D. A. r. rousseau. A
Persian or Egyptian pattern in
frock or blouse gave further proof
Of careful shopping tour.
Mrs. Minor Has Own Styles:
Mrs. Minor. like Queen Mary, has
her own style in hats and the be-
coming blue, feather adorned toque
was most pleasing. Her severe dress
was a background for the armful
of American beauties tied with the
colors Of the Daughters that she
carried. Miss Dorothy Hunter, the
presidents special page, did honor
to her president by wearing frock
of the same blue. The cream lace
trimming and the lovely blue hat
| with it's unusual trimming Of gay
lacuuared flowers blended in with
| the flowers on the platform and
| brought to mind the days when
| Miss Hunter was in college and fav-
ored the rose and old blue OF her
| sorority.
Even the sun, which has been
| hiding these last few days, shone
| it's sweetest smile and picked out
the interesting colors that made
the high lights in the sea Of dark
tones of suits, wraps and frocks.
| Silhouetted against this tapestry
were the pages in the delightful
wilderness of their uniform. The
styles of the hour were we'll dis
| played in the white frocks. Pleats
We're the thing. Pleats in skirts, in
ruffles, in sleeves and blouses. Short
sleeves, lonC waist line and the
| favorite of the season, q pleated
skirt and severe and sleeveless
blouse. A knitted frock or a sweat
'er costume mingled with the silks.
Flowers, music, the silver notes of
a bugle call, tRe bright sunlight,
hurrying pages, messengers with
more flowers, a reporter or two, a
policeman trying in vain to keep
order, and thousands of middle-aged
women. But why discuss ages when
a woman is as old as she looks and
the delegates to the 1923 convention
are surely as young as their smart
chapeux, their beautifully marcelled
hair and their up-to-the-minuts suits,
'frocks and wraps.