Smyrna times., 1940-07-25
WAR MAY ALTER
LADIES' STYLES
Trousers For Almost Every
Occasion Is Forecast by
the Expert
"AMERICANIZE" STYLES

NEW YORK.-The European war
will help to "Americanize" women's
styles in this country, believes Miss
Ruth Hutton of the Cooper Union
art faculty.
Women, she predicts, may be
wearing trousers for almost every
occasion before the war ends.
Eccentric hats and other frivol-
tiles of women's dress will be out.
Miss Hutton said.
"A parallel influence to an en-
phasis on Americanism in women's
styles" she explained, will be utili-
tarianism or functionalism. In no
way can we escape altogether the
direct result of the war on world
fashions. There will be in America
reverberations of the utilitarian
mode born of necessity in Europe.
Silly hats, sable jackets. prominent
displays of jewelry and all types of
frivolity in dress, for instance, vir-
tually will disappear"
The war not only will bring about
changes in the type of clothes wom-
en- will wear, but will result in
wider use in styles of American de-
sign, inspiration and motif. accord
ing to Miss Hutton
Definite Break Forecast.
"A break with Old world fashion
centers has been forecast since the
early days of the depression. In
recent years women have been un-
able to afford exact copies of the
more expensive foreign creations
and this fact has loosened the grip
of the European fashion dictator
ship and softened the resistance to
change. Conditions following this
war. then, will be quite different
from those prevailing at the close
of the World war. The situation has
been further altered by the develop
ment in the United States Of an art
consciousness Of its own in all fields
Of artistic endeavor.
1T is obvious that the duration of
the struggle will be an important
factor in influencing the degree to
which styles in this country will go
American. 1t would not be surpris-
ing, however, to see women wear
ing trousers when the war is over,
not only for sports. as is done today.
but for almost every occasion.
Clothes are an expression of the
times in which we live and are func-
tional to the extent of the necessity
involved. Just as in periods past,
extremely feminine clothes, frills
and furbelows, for some strange
reason, have been the expression of
unsettled times and have presaged
wars of one kind or another, so war
itself and the aftermath bring about
a return to utilitarianism.
Trend Toward Simplicity.
I'VE can see in Europe today this
very change taking place, and OBJ
viously the influence Of this change
will be felt in this country. When
serious work is done. fenininity in
clothes is discarded and is replaced
by an emphasis on functionalism
which insists that clothes must be
suitable and wearable for a given
occasion. Hence the inevitable
trend toward tailored and other
such practical garb, and a wider
use of trousers, if the war should
continue any length of time"
With Americanism and function
alism to the fore in women's styles
here, Miss Hutton plans for her stu
dents in fashion design an intensive
program of research in American
source material for Inspirations in
design. This study will supplement
the usual research in modes of an
tiquity up to modern times. Amer
lean Indian designs, mems ordinary
work clothes, and cowboy outfits are /