Evening star., 1936-10-08
Individual
Clothes for
The Sub-Deb
Overcoming "Sheep
Complex" Is Impor-
tant as First Step.
BY ISABEL BURLINGAME.

BY ISABEL BURLINGAME.
CUB-DEBUTANTE daughter comes
- into the public prints hereupon.
It's high time that her costumes be
considered. Too often fashion ad-
yisers have confined their remarks
to the elders, with nary a glance at
our subject. This Is very definitely
addressed to the needs Of the younger
girl.
individuality in dress, that Mir
vana, Is hers for the asking, or,
rather, the go-getttng. Remember, 1t
takes digging to strike 1t. Once
reached, individuality Is never con-
fused with the startling outfits with
which some of the girls bedizen them
selves. The well-dressed sub-det
never looks like a circus poster.
Is there any real reason why SC
many sub-debs feel that they must
look alike? Why they should look
as though they had all answered the
same ad: Uniforms made to order
Upstairs? Please, let's have orig
inality. within good taste. instead
The sub-debs have the personality
Let them express 1t "the clothes
way"
Chance Just doesn't enter into the
scene at all. WardrobeS have to be
planned. costumes chosen with q care
for suitability and variability. Then
comes consideration Of these four
line, color, At and quality-to create
distinction.
Given o feeling for clothes, the
guidance of some one "in the know" "
the sub-deb emerges into q receptive
world serenely aware that she is all
that she appears to be. That is true
self-expression through dress. Secure
in her knowledge Of the laws Of charm
and individuality in regard to clothes,
the smart young miss next looks
around to discover what her not-so-
smart sisters are wearing. Shes not
too happy about what she sees.
So many are conscious "look-alikes. "
They wear the same hat at the same
tilt, the same chicken feather ut the
same angle. So much sameness makes
one wonder II they do not slip occa-
sionally and talk to themselves.
Others stroll about with . Lady
vere-de-vere hoist to the chin. looking
down over too many frills, and weight
ed down with too many bracelets,
amulets, pins and haphazard gew-
gaws.
And whose cousin Is she who caught
her spike heels in the fence at the
last hunt-race meeting? Swank garb
for the feet for any outdoor sport Cor
hadn't she heard?) whether It Is cross
country jaunts, archery, skeet-shoot-
ing or golf, is predicated on the nat
heel. That's just question Of sanity.
Short shrift is given to any but
simple clothes for the sub-deb. Sage
", she early accepts simplicity as q
precept and later incorporates it as q
major plank in her clothes philosophy.
. Sportswear especially must not be
pretentious. In the matter Of per-
sonal decor, the question is how much
can be left of. One exception to that
rule, however, Is the reappearance
this year of the single strand Of pearls
worn with sweaters. Detail is the
criterion of all that's fine in sports
clothes. It offers the only real OPP
portunity for individuality. because
any radical change from the classic,
quite sensible tradition, Is labeled &C.
centric.
And 80, for distinction, . misty
green tweed coat has lapels OF . wide
rounded cut, pierced by button hole
on the left to fasten button under
the right. A hubby, lightweight yel-
low woollen dress represents q COM
position of Eig-zag lines that incor-
porate pockets at frequent intervals.
goodness knows how. Self-color
stitching, rows Of 1t, adorn dress
collar. Tiny pin tucks march across
the patch pocket Of . tweed suit, or
spread out fan wise.
Details such as these make the
observant sub-deb daughter feel quite
secure that she Is expressing her
individuality % al the world can see.
weT6vsry proud Of hss.