Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29

A MERICA may got be i'm posi-
~ tion--Or of tina temperament
"A to lead the world or herself in
4 a the matter OF teminine fash
ions, but she adarts and modi-
hes French fashions and shows con-
siderable originality in doing it.
The difference between French and
American styles is not due merely to
the fact that ours lag behind. They
DO in a measure, though FAR less SO
than do those of most European coun-
tries outside France. Some new
French fashions are adopted here
practically as soon as they appear in
France. Sometimes, as with the eX-
tremely short skirt, we take. a rev
months to get used to it. Nor is the
difference due to the fact that Ameri-
can women are lacking In chic, or that
they are Indifferent to subtle changes
In dress. The most characteristic dlf-
ferences between the smart clothes
worn by American women in this
country and those worn In France are
the result of our differences in tenn
permanent, in environment and in
Hgure.
1t sometimes happens that really
new departure In fashions starts on
native soil. But such departures are
not conceived in the workrooms or
our dressnaking establishments. They
are the outcome of some clever rad
that has its rise perhaps on college
campus or among the more daring
younger set at some fashionable sum
mer or Winter resort. Such fauS
arouse a measure of Amusement, Dut
sincere interest, in France. Well
dressed young American women In
Paris are watched keenly by French
style understand sometimes little
fad that is first observed here. say in
April or May. may find reflection In
the new frocks shown hy the Paris
dressmakers in August.
The Peter Pan collar was unuoGDt-
edly fashion OF this sort. and so. too.
was the large bow tie of the Buster
Brown variety that American girls
first revived some months ago and
that was later to be found on some OF
the smart French models.
One wonders how much Americans
have had to do with the gradual rails
ing of the waistline. For several sea
sons f1appers in our own country have
amused themselves occasionally by
tying the string sashes Of their scant
little one piece frocks at a line much
higher than was originally intended
by the designers of the frocks. Young
women of the chorus girl type along
Broadway were among the first TO
adopt the trick. 1t accumulated the
slender lines OF tnelr Ntno young LB-
ures Later fashionable young women
at the resorts took it up-stenogra-
pliers and girls at school and college.
American girls even dared to ap-
peaar in Paris q year and more ago
showing their high wa:stlines. The
Partisan modiSte was amazed but
none the less impressed Perhaps
she deduced from this that the
American woman was getting tired
of the long waist. while French
women apparently still found 1t en-
tirely to their liking.
At all events. the waistline has
been creeping upward for many
months and at all the we'll known
dressmaking houses-with several
notable observation-disclosures waists
have been observed Premet, who
caters especially to the smart young
Partisan. keeps the waistline at the
hips where she left il last Feb
ruary Cyber who caters to the
Partisan actresses, likewise keeps
low waistline. Jenny, whose Glen
tele includes many French society
women of the old aristocracy as we'll
as Americans who wish to appear
Partisan. shows waiStlineS of both
sorts ORossen. who makes suits
for European kings and Asiatic po-
tentates, as we'll as for well dressed
women. shows a slightly higher waist
line--not strikingly high. but just high
enough to show that he is not blind
TO the new tendency. Patou, who