Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17

EAkt40.
|THE first week of the midseason
opening closed in rush of glcry,
with the possibilities, and even
- probabilities. Of what we viii be
wearing next Fail gradually TAX
ing shape before our eyes. It remains
one of the unexplained wonders Of the
world why the so astute fashion critics
and buyers Of the world do not give
more significance to these naidseason
showings.
They are passed over in rather an
cff-hand way, as If every thinking per-
son Gid not realize that they are really
the try-outs for the coming August
premiere of the Winter shows. The
siniie with the theatrical business can
be carried even farther, fer Just as the
play of any Importance must &c
through its tour of several weeks, 'in
the sticks" before being ready for a
Broadway try-out, SO the new fashions
can be gently and warily tried out in
er and public can be tested and each
of the creators of fashion can make
his or her deduction before going into
large scale production for the big sea-
son.
BUYERS muset not be too severely
criticized for overlooking the i'm
portance Of these shows, fer every year
more and more of them are making the
trip across the Atlantic for the mid
seasons They do some buying, but
their stocks are not in condition 10
require this trip as they do in Febru-
AIRY and August.
The opportunity to observe the trends
for the coming season explains the ex-
penditures Of both time and money re-
quired by the trip. Fer the wise buyer
does not merely recognize the various
novelties in line, cut and color, which
are suggested by the dreSsmakers. The
ability which has placed him in his
job also makes it possible for him To
decide which of the novelties will be
successful. just as definitely as 9 song
hit can be picked In show in the
provinces.
THIS being true, the only excuse for
this sermon Is to urge the ultimate
consumer, the woman for whom all this
energy OF creation and merchandising
has been expended, to look q little
farther ahead herself. in planning her
wardrobe: to pay as much attention to
these midseaSop Showings, with their
indications Of what will be offered to
her rext Fall. as she does TO the out
cf-town reports of coming Broadway
theatrical productions, 1t is new way
Of saving money on clothes and an OPP
portunity to understand the true crea-
ton of styles. Fer style is business
and not. as so many carelessly suggest,
Just an accident OF within or careless
femininity.
Let us start with the collections as
II you, too were in Paris, seeing them
as they GO on from day to day, until
they roach their climax
Madeleine started the week with a
small. but interesting show. This is
the house which made the very sue
cessful clothes for the second year OF
the IS Ike Fable" Her emphasis is
put or transparent effects, not only
in formal clothes, but also by using
colored eyelet embroidery in decidedly
tailored fashion.
Madeleine also is placing a good deal
of emphasis on the new little dolman,
which she is showing this midseasop IN
seorgette, in q color contrasting 10 the
dress, and Of plain material over prints.
This is definitely q tiny dolman. not a
little jacket, and though collarless, Is
finished with a band OF fur at the
waistiine which comes up the tiniest
fraction in front. Watch for these this
Fall. in wool and even fur. They are
clever because they always follow the
line of the frock and do not cut the
line of the silhouette as most jacket
effects do
4 4 4
XVONNE CAREFTE, whose crea-
tions are beginning to be appre-
ciated In America as they have been
for . long time by the carefully dressed
Parisienne, has several charming new
things for us In the little coats with
out which dress seems bare these days.
A simple dinner dress. in an attractive
Photographic print. has 3 tiny wrap
of the same material, but bordered all
around with a narrow band Of black
astrakhan. II seemed a part Of the
frock when on, for it came down over
the upper arm In front from a straight
standing collar. TO be held in place by
q belt Of the material
Another interesting bit of news was
contained IN several suits Of black