The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-05

women. Meanwhile, make-and-mend
 Every department store has an expert to advise and also super intend transformation, if clients decide to 'entrust them to the store. They report good business.
 The exclu-ive dress designers of the West End also alter, transform and otherwise pep up" clothes, but only those that originally came from their own workrooms. The charge Is anything from three to five guineas, around IS to 20 dolalrs, which is not considered excessive, especially in view of ris- ing prices on all sides.
 Most women have used up their clothes coupor; for the year. The Queen is the one shining example of thrift. She is wearing prewar coats and dresses, hats more than two years old .-nd shoes bought in the spring of 1899. The argu- ment is, of course, that there was plenty to fall back on in her ward robe and that her dressmaker Is sufficiently clever to make done over clothes look like new.
 Eationing has meant cut of at least 30 per cent in the clothes budget of Queen Elizabeth of. Eng land. She used to buy around 400 coupons worth of clothes year from Norman Hartnell alone, apart from gloves and shoes.
 PRICE CEILING
 ON CLOTHES LIKELY
 Utility clothes" are said to be scheduled to make their appear ance in the shops. An idea of the Director of Civilian Clothing, this simply means that the average man or woman will be assured of buying value for their money. Prices will be set for various cate- gories of clothing. Cloth and made up garments will be classed into two groups: Utility and General.
 It is a great scheme, because many people had soon realized that clothes coupons were going to be worse than useless If prices were to be uncontrolled. Now clothes will bear not only a gov- ernment guarantee of quality, put also of price.
 In this way too, the bigger share of raw materials will go into nak- ing clothes for people of moderate incomes. There will always be sufficient luxury fabric and clothes for the wealthy.
 The project covers suits, coats, | skirts and dresses and slacks as we'll as some types of underwear, corsets and blouses. Fashion, it is l averred, will still flourish, as com petition among manufacturers will l be very active to offer good style and fittings in utility" clothes.
 Those that come under the gen eral" heading will be uncontrolled so far as prices go, but both yard- age fabrics and finished goods will be available in smaller quantities l than at present. Utility" clothes, on the other hand will offer a wide 1 range of colors and styles, al- though quantities here too will necessarily be reduced.
 To say that Englishwomen are to look shabby is a mis- statement. Despite the silk stock ing shortage, only the very young office workers appear in ankle socks or without stockings. Even though hats are unrationed as yet, many women go hatless through choice, and the ugly, bulky scarf turban (so suggestive of bandage) is disappearing from the scene. SUITS ARE
 THE DEPENDABLES
 In the West End, women are wearing tailored suits = and here the English cannot go wrong. They are well made and of good fabric, while it is evident a decided at- tempt to follow fashions is being carried out in the more conven- tional coat-and-shirt combination.
 Long hours of black-out are back again. People are being urged to stay at home. Women shoppers must now travel back and forth before or after the rush hours, so as to give tired workers chances of seats in bus, train or trolley.
 But even the black-out has been instrumental in launching 8 fash ion-the light-colored topcoat and hat. White lamb-a British prod- uct-is very popular at the mo- ment, and all fur fabrics, in light shades, which are warm and wear well.
 Last winter knitting and patch work quilts and covers were a craze rleVelODed in the long h0llrS Snent