The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-14
THEATRE FROCk FOR THE BUSINESS GIRL
Velvet Appears To Be the Choice
 Fabric This Season

Although most of the business girls clothes are chosen, more or less with their practical value in mind, she can put that consideration aside when she chooses the gown she is to wear at the theatre or when entertaining her friends at home. When she chooses
 this gown she should give free rein to her love of beauty. Without com promising between utility mad loveli- ness. she can indulge in soft flatter- ing materials for the gown and need
 not be be too lightly bound by con- vention.
 One good choice for a dress of this sort is velvet. If you don't like frills, or if you declare to your best friend
 who tries to suggest something flufty
 that you look awful in 1t, you will find the mode for velvet gowns in- teresting. You may choose between a straight, boyish-looking dress with.
 lingerie collar and cuffs and an in- triguing affair the exact cut of which would puzzle the most obServant. But | if it Is of velvet there is no question
 this season as to its smartness. The black velvet dress has several
 good suggestions for the girl who is planning a dressy gown. The skirt is slightly draped to point just below the right hip and held by an enameled Chinese ornament from which is sus- pended a long tassed of red and black silk that falls several inches below
 the hem line. This Is really the touch that gives distinction to the dress. The young lady is wearing necklace 1 of wrought silver with carnelians
 spaced at intervals along the chain.
 The cloudy red of the stones chimes l in with the ornament on the skirt and | .l14a 1.Q ,@1A a1.o
 and a finish to the richness of the velvet.
 Incidentally, there Is a perfect craze
 for semi-precious stones at present.
 You can pay almost any price for them and the imitation stones are even more popular than the genuine.
 One may have several sets of this kind of jewelry to give variety to
 costume and they are chosen with as much artistic indecision and as fine consideration for their lovely color ings as if they were sapphires or rubies. Amber, lapis-lazuli and crystal make stunning necklaces and they are strikingly lovely when posed upon the luxurious velvet background Of the new dresses.
 If you have a real lace collar to wear with velvet frock you are in-
 deed lucky Some one has said that real lace collar is a social introduc-
 tion. It is certainly on evidence of the most exquisite taste and you might do well to build an entire gown to live up to the distinction of a collar.
 Although velvet gowns are some times perfectly plain as to cut, the most charming models show slight
 draping that highlights the sheen of
 the material on the soft folds. One which I saw showed a black that was
 uninterrupted by any sort of belt and absolutely untrimmed. But the full ness of the skirt was gathered in large pleats at the front and hung
 from an oval plague of beads at the
 waist-line. Another of midnight blue l velvet also featured the flat back. and the skirt was slashed to the
 waistline to show a pleated petticoat i of petunia colored chiffon.
 The high neckline is very new and | promises to be tremendously popular Some girls are inclined to think that l it is not to be taken seriously, hiding
 as it does one of the most appealing
 charms of youth, a slender, pretty
 throat However, the high collar of
 today bears no relation to the rigid
 style with points under the ears that
 was beloved in days gone by. It Is loose and graceful and has an air of
 sophistication about it that is not to i be denied Moreover, 1t detracts no more from a youth appearance than
 fur scarf worn around the throat.
 and 1t would seem that the Ameican
 girl and her fur choker are insepar- able.