The Washington times., 1936-03-06

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that the worst dressed women in
town are Katharine Hepburn,
Greta Garbo, Merle Oberon and
Miriam Hopkins. That Is, to
say, they do not reveal the smart
ness in attire of a Kay Francis,
for instance, or Mrs. Gary Cooper
(Sandra Balfe). Pinned down,
the designers with whom dis
cussed the dress situation ad-
mltted that each Of the above
Is an individualiSt, who doesn't
give a tinker'S dam how she
dresses or what people think of
her dress.
On the other hand, In addi-
tiOn to Kay Francis and Sandra
Cooper, there is general agree
ment that ihe style-pacerS here
are Dolores Del Rio, CarOle
Lombard, Constance Bennett,
Mrs. Samuel Goldwyn, Joan
Crawford, Claudette Colbert,
Adrienne AmeS, Gloria Swan
son and Norma Shearer-in the
order named, with the Francis
gel topping the list.
Crawford was q sloppy, taste
less dresser until two years ago,
my informantS insist. Now she
Is among the SmarteSt-although
or because, she adheres to draS-
tic simplicity.
Lombard, Del Rio and Kay
Francis are the most glamOr-
Gus in evening clothes. Mrs.
Gary Cooper and Mrs. Samuel
GOldwyn the most fetching in
sports attire. Claudette Colbert
and Marlene Dietrich almost
exciting in their tailored out
fits. please remember, Dear
Lady Readers, the opinions
stated in this column are the
result of q canvass among the
1eading designers. Me- know
Marlene Dietrich Is wearing
black exclusively these nights
chiefly affairs with plenty Of
fringe effects. The black is her
mourning for the late John Gil
bert. All the designers freely ad-
init that the current Hollywood
trend toward tailored effects was
started by Dietrich. AS result,
the leading dress caterers h ve
one or more men tailors as part
Of their establishments.
Sylvia Sidney is not smart
dresser but she is individual
enough to command a certain
amount of respect for, her attire
which runs to simple effects,
bordering on the drab.
Dietrich, who is a highly accept
able and exciting wench in her
tailored clothes, looks gawky and
almost unprepossesSing in her eve.
ming gowns.
Jean Harlow is too sexy to
be effective in tailored clothes
and runs to frills and furbelOwS
and odd cOlOrs in her evening
effects.
Paulette Goddard inclines to-
ward bizarre colors and designs.
I was shown a design for a dress
made for her just before she left
for Honolulu with c h a plin. A
goofy-looking print affair in red
and yellow, barring most Of the
abdomen Goddard usually comes
in and says: Make me something
50 I'll look like a Tahitian"-or a
"Steeple-Jack," or an Eskimo"
Dolores Del Rio is somewhat
of a discreet exhibitiOnist, too,
most of her gowns being cut so
as to daringly expose the
shoulders and bosom and all Of
her back. Her latest Is an
evening gown Of green char.
teuse, simple in design except
where it is cut to reveal what
she wants revealed. With 1t she
wears sandals, no StOck1ngS-
and a read rose in her hair.
She incIines to the daring and
dramatic in her costumes for
night-tO extreme simplicity
in her daytime attire.
Constance Bennett is one Of
the smartest dressed women in
the film colony. Her latest, now
peing made up for her, Is some
thing in severe simple lines OF
fabric, completely woven Of white
crystal beads. Benefits demands
are simplicity in her gownS-but
rare and beautiful fabrics. In
the daytime she wears the
plaineSt frocks-usually un d e
costly fur coats.
In contrast to Dolores Del
Rio, Dietrich has horror Of
exposing her skin, and her
dresses cover her completely.
She insists upon sleeves for
her evening gowns and the
dress must cover her right up
to the chin. Only on rare Oc-
caSiOns is she seen in q dress
with a lOw-cut neck or back.
One of these occasions was last
week at the TrOcaderO. She
did not look too impressive.
incidentally, Dietrich is in
clined toward exaggerated
shoulders even in her evening
attire.
Falling into the class of what il
known as cute, debutante dresserS
are Airline Judge, Sally Evans anc
Frances Dee. These babies go ir
for the sport effects-SweaterE
and skirts, etc., and in the evening
wear frocks of simple, girlish de