The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-25
BL0USES FEATURE OF I H [ SUIT M CD E

So long has the vogue of the blouse followed the vogue of the suit, con- forming tc it's changes as the seasons come and go, that 1t has become an integral part of the robe itself. And Fashions 1923 adaptation of this mode proves the. rapid advance of style that has many things to recom- mend it, chief among them adapta- bility, and after that, becomingness, beauty and practicality. True, the same type of blouse does not be- come every woman, if it did, there would be nothing interesting about 1t, for any garment that reaches a cut and dried state of perfection savors of a uniform, and while uniforms under certain conditions, are poth i'm perative and practical, no one wishes to be practical all the time. As we approach the many different models that the present season is sponsor ing, it is well to remember that the carefully chosen blouse may make friends with the separate skirt, play ing up to it's many modes-af1d moods the while it rightfully belongs to the suit,
 Colorful silks and crepes, knitted silk and novelty fabrics are the out standing material feature of the same sense of unreality, the same breath of the Orient in the very new est of the new blouses that every where Dermeates fashionable outer wear. India, Java, Persia, Egypt the East is everywhere and with few exceptions every new model express es some thought Oriental. To state a rule that will apply to the entire fashion of the separate blouse would be an utter impossibllity, but gen erally speaking, they are sllp-over- the-head casaques, when for wear with the tailored suit, and match the suit itself, in color, if not in fab ric. The boatline neck prevails, the sleeves are long-usually bishop style-and the cuff band at the hip is frequently embroidered in a con- trastng color. However, after mak- ing such statement, one is sure to see straightline blouse, not gath cred in at the hips at all, with wide, three quarter length sleeve and high neck. So perhaps 1t were safer. to avoid generalities and have to do with details.
 One sees blouses where the body of the garment Is of one material and the sleeves of another. but gathered into cuff of the first, the printed slip-on smoclz and the printed jac- quette blouse; the monogram blouse of crepe or tricot, plain of color, with monogram. either large or small done in a contrasting color. Whether smock or jacket type, blouses em- ploy the fashionable printed fabrics with deal of charm and variety, it would almost seem that no mode could be failure, if made of one of these inspired fabrics. There is lit- tie that one may recommend for trim ming, when it comes to such blouse except bindings or bandings of plain fabric on printed, but there is little or no need of trimming, since the materials themselves are picturesque beautiful, colorful. All through the winter we have had the jacquette model of matelasse, stitched with tin sel thread in an intricate pattern perhaps it was a forerunner Of the figured blouses of the present day and hour.
 Any collection of blouses that lays claim to smartness will include a blouse or bright caravan print; an- other brilliantly embroidered in East ern colors and motifs and A third of Georgette, elaborately soutached or braided usually in self tone. And they will be but three of many. The new Knitted fabrics are present in sports biouses that are something on the order of a sweater coat, button ing from neck to hemline, and beftca. true sports fashion, Such a blouse would, in the natural order of things. nave patch pockets and long sleeves, either plain or bishop style. The basque or tunic effect appears in bany blouse models for both snort and tailored wear.
 While the separate skirt has noth- ing to do with the suit mode that is directly, it has rpuch to do with the blouse mode, so on the principle that things equal to the same thing are equal to each other, one may refer to the versatile skirt mode in a general way, without geeting too far afield The possessor of a printed silk blouse, or one of the jacouette models. will surely include a finely pleated skirt of silk in her list of Incidental garments, for together they assure her an entire change of costume. So well established has this mode of the printed or jacduette blouse in combination with the pleated skirt. become that many de- signers are making up models of what they are pleased to call two piece" frocks, and they are nothing more-or less-than a slip-on or Jacquette blouse with pleated skirt. the latter designed for wear with this particular blouse or inci- dental wear with any blouse at all. While we are considering the fabrics and styles appropriate for wear in this season of the year in this par ticular climate, designers are con- cerned as much, if not more with models that may be worn in southern resorts. Their concern presupposes printed cottons, knitted fabrics, fannels and the whole wide, interest ing world of cotton materials.
 For many a long day we have had with us the beaded overblouse of crepe Georgette or crepe de chine, either Paris made, or Paris inspired, and American made. Such a blouse is after the manner of the costume blouse. very straight of line, and longer than the prevailing models of l fashion, which stop at the hips. | While the American limitations are