Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15
BY MARY MARSHALL.

w We were talking about the new
IA blouses, and Mrs. X, who
MN wouldn't hesitate to spend
Nv $50 or $50 for a new after
noon or evening dress and
whose new fur-trimmed suit cost over
500, sighed and sale Il wish l could
afford to buy one Of the more expen-
sive blouses. OF course, you can get a
blouse that is attractive for under $40,
but what a Joy it would be to have one
of the new blouses that cost $40 or
"But why don't you?" some one
asked. You'd spend twice that
amount for a dress"
F"But for a mere trif1e like blouse"
Mrs. x observed, "that would be ex-
tTavagance."
we explained that a blouse might
fairly be considered at least half a
dress, and that when one already had
the right sort of suit skirt or separate
skirt a new blouse would be as salts
factory an investment as a new dress.
And in the end Mrs. X was reluctantly
convinced, though lurking in the back
of her mind she will probably always
have the idea that it is an extrava-
gance to pay more than $40 for a
blouse.
* 4 x
COME seasons it might be, because
~ blouses are merely accessories, but
now they have definitely been given a
place of Importance in the wardrobe
OF fashion. A few years ago one bought
a blouse merely to go with suit, and
there was a prejudice against separate
blouses and separate skirts save fol
sports wear But this season the sepa-
rate blouse with the right sort of skirt
may be used for almost any occasion
save formal evening wear.
Just because they are important they
must be chosen with care, and 1t is
a significant fact that in many of the
larger stores small fitting rooms are as
essential a part of the blouse depart
ment as of the dress department. 1t is
not enough merely to buy a blouse OF
the size one is used TO, to have the
sAleswoman measure the sleeves against
your arms to see whether they are o!
the right length, and let it go at that
The new blouses must fit very precisely
about the waist and hips. They must
be neither a Shade too large nor q
shade too small and if you cannot at
tend to the alteration yourself, then il
is we'll worth while to have them fitted
and altered at the store where you buy
them.
VERY little has been said about the
new wool lace blouSeS, but they
really are delightful and quite different
from the wool lace blouseS of a yea
ago-and they are an ideal complement
to the dark velvet suit skirt. On
should accent the word lace. not wool
in these new blouses for they are yer!
much finer and more delicate thar
those we wore before. They are 81
6imy, in fact, that one must wear {
special slip beneath them.
BlouSes of metal brocade are no
new, but this seasons models are es
pecially interesting. combining as the!
do the soft shades that we associate
with Persian embroidery.
Satin blouSes and silk crepe blouseS-
which will you choose? They are her
for you to choose from in wide vartet.
and they have every type of necklin,
SO that you can surely find one that i
becoming. You'll find them in white
in eggshell and some of the very ligh
pastels, but flesh tints and dusty pink
are less frequently seen than last year
Actually both satin blouses and thos
a silk crepe are washable, but in mos
az stores no guarantee is given o
the results. Dry cleaning is recon-
riended FOR both sorts, but when
comes to q showdown the heavy crepe
doubtless stand repeated washings bet
ter than the satins.