Evening star., 1942-10-02

:garments was their flexibility
| achieved through a two-way stretch.
And nothing but rubber will stretch
two ways The knitted and woven
fabrics now being used to replace
this elastic are designed to stretch
one Way-but you can see the dis
advantages.
And that's the black side of the
picture.
But there is brighter side as
well. Take, for example, a lengthy
report we recently received from
one OF the better-knoWn manufac-
turers of corsets and such. They
are among the firms going in like
mad Tor redeslgning, for they in
slst that supporting garments are
more important that ever to women
IN wartime, what with relieving
muscle strain and the like They
point With pride, do these firms, to
The fact that Uncle Sam gives two
glrdleS to the WAACS and provides
the WhereWithal for the WAVES to
buy their own!
instead OF using elastic which will
stretch to fit most of the designers
now are creating Victory corsets"
which are designed to fit. ALTHOUGH
many people close to the industry
are shaking their heads sadly. these
master craftsmen go right on mold
ing fabric to body curves, using sew
eral pieces of non stretch fabric
where one elaSticiZed piece did be-
tore. They say that hooks and ewes
feplaclng precious zippers) are
really better because they give a
softer and more comfortable closing,
and point out that fine French
corsetS have always used them.
1hey say that less elastic in parters
will not hurt your stockings be-
cause there always has been needless
eiactlc in them anyway! They vow
that Wrap-around and cross-over
orassleres which use much less
rubber elastic are equally efficient,
ana they give us their sacred word
that we will not go back to the block
and tackle that grandmother used to
wear.
so we'll wait and see what hap
pens. Meantime, if you're in the
market for a good garment, watch
out Tor these signals which will tell
you as clearly as the price tag
whether you're buying quality"
merchandise, Look for fine. close
stitching, reinforcing on every edge
OF the garment. See that plackets
are smoothly closed and extra REIN
forcement supplied where needed
Make sure that garters are sturdilv
attached and that fancy stitching is
really a construction or reinforce
ment feature, not just trimming"
Look at the inside to make certain
it is finished as securely as the ex-
terror.
In buying a garment, have it
fltted so that it will cut down on
fatigue and wear longer and more
comfortably. Make sure it pro-
vides for bending and sitting and
that it is sufficiently long, for with
out elastic panels to stretch, any
extra strain is tough on your prec-
cious hosiery. Remember that four
garters are standard on new gar
ments, so if you insist upon six,
bring along an extra pair.
Most important, keep your founda-
ton garments spotlessly clean. Ask
any corset saleswoman what her
biggest headache is. and she'll tell
you that it is the returns by women
who don't know that body oils and
perSpiration are the cause of a
garment falling to pieces in few
months. The publication Business
Week points out that not young
girls but older women are the worst
offenders. Their deficiency, it is
said, is a hangover from the DAYS
when a corset was regarded as a
piece of harness, no more washable
than horse collar. Today, when
chemises under and covers over
corset are lacking, frequent laun-
dering is the only answer if you
want your garment to last.
It's going to be interesting to see
what happens with rubber disap-
pearing, zippers gone, and corset
bones scarce because they're made
of high priority clock-spring steel!
Still and all, it is fairly safe bet
to say that we'll continue to have
garments which give us long, slim
lines and which ease that tired feel
ing. You can't discourage women
THAT easily!