New Britain herald., 1928-11-14
by JULIA RLANSHARD

|
New York, Nov. l4---Kussia is in
the throes OF second revelation.
! This one is being waged by stolid
! peasant women for moro scX-appea1.
That is the gist of the tremen-
| dous obvious changes among Bolshe-
>ik women noted by Frances Adams,
| former designer for the ukrainian
Guild. just returned from Russia.
women in their Soviet meetings.
even in little towns far down the
Nolga. are seriously considering the
adornment Of life now" Miss Ad-
ans stated.
''Threc years ago. women as
rule looked dowdy and unkempt,
and seemed oblieiors of the fact.
down at the-h heels appearance indi-
Gated social interest.
Chick Bobs and New Shoes
"Now a clear effort at style is be-
ing made. Womer's hair is no
longer cut by just anybody who hap
pens to own scissors. BARRIERS go IN
tor the latest hobs. You see women
with marcel waves, though per-
manents have not yet invaded Boil
shevik Russia.
'Three years ago large majority
of women went barefoot. Now even
the peasant women who met our
Nolga boat wore sandals. In Mos
COW and Leningrad the office work
ers are wearing high ~hceled. blonde
kid shoes.
"Thrcc years ago there were prac-
tically no hats seen. even in Mos
COW. Now little shops are opening
along the main streets of cities
which make hats after Paris models.
They are harsh felt and not good
color, but still they are hats. In
the Smolensky Market, Moscow.
ready made dresses and sweater
suits are for sale. not very pretty
but still an innovation.
Russian women. in their meet
ings. are learning to cut their
clothes by European and American
patterns. Russia now is making ex-
cellcnt textiles herself, pretty cotton
prints that make cut dresses. 1t is
even runIorcd that the gONeInm ent
will furnish patterns and instruction
soon to soviet women TO help them
=. in their quest for more beauty in
clothes.
silk Stockings arc still prohibi
/ tive in price, so they never are seen
But women had cotton stockings
, this summer. and many wore the
little socks American women use for
sports. Russia is beginning to max"
her own silk hosiery. so perhaps In
, another year or 50 Bolshcvik legs
will be silk clad.
'Thcrc are stores in Russia for
, cosmetics, articles that used to hc
Struggled in hv kind friends or
bought at cxorbitant prices because
OF luxury taxes. There are counters
for makeup. lips:icks. cold creams.
powder and p"rfumery. ! bought
some hand soap that was excellent
and adapted to the hard water OF
Russia.
THE interest Russian women are
SHOW ing in personal appearance now
does not mean that soviet women
have turned frivolous or vain" Miss
Adams analyzed it. "They are re-
sar]ing these things seriously ow
because, being reasonable people
they are discovering that ,aan does
not live 10y bread alone.
Apparently it is the Bolshcvik
flapr.rs Who made women in gen
cral realize this fact, because, as
Miss Adams continued
I1apyers Inspire ELDERS
''The young girls around IS. who
were too young to have responsible
ity in the revolution. have a blithc
freedom that older women cant feel.
These young girls dress we'll. and are
background and spur the older
women TO become interested in per
sonal appearance.
''1'nt the real analysis OF the
situation lies even deeper than that"
Miss Adams declared
"A general easing up in every
thing gives women fine and energy
10 think of themselves and their
homes. During those years of fam
inc. Russians forgot personal ap-
pearancc. surroundings and comfort
while they devoted themselves % the
problems of bare existence.
They spent hours finding wood
standing in the line for fuel. work
ing days in factories. nights caring
for th"ir families. Thcy made il Il
religion not TO care for personal
things. Their ethical code demand