Evening star., 1943-04-16


century careerist whose shirtwaist
and skirt, high neckline, soaring
pompadour and sailor hat are so
much a part of fashion history, is
back in the style picture again.
It all started, at least as far as
can be discovered, because Designer
Norman Norell chose her as the in
spiration for his new collection. And
although most of us can't afford the
striped silk blouses with matching
umbrellas, the print dresses with
wool topcoats lined in matching
fabric, and the tailored suits which
Mr.. Norell does so beautifully, we
can take our fashion cue this year
from the Gibson girl. Indeed, when
you stop to think about it, the in
f1uence has crept into almost every
phase of the spring wardrobe and
although our figures and our man
ners are different from those of
the belle of the early 1900's, our
clothes will reflect her favorite
modes.
Doing tour of Washington
shops has brought many startling
similarities to mind. First. we are
going in for the shirtwaist and
skirt. Our version of it doesn't
make us look like the typical hour
glass, for the dimensions approved
in 1900 are not those favored in
1943. Yet we have our high-necked,
long -sleeved blouses this year, and
we wear them with skirts intri-
cately draped to give us front full
ness, or done with a slight peg effect.
Our favorite blouses have demure
little standing collars or are tied
firtatiously at the neckline. For
more casual costumes, we 60 in for
tucked shirtwaists, often worn with
neckties to complete their "old
fashioned" look. We have dug out
grandmother's pin watches to wear
on these blouses or have bought
new pin-on types, many OF them
with the enameled f1eur de lis motif.
We have decided that cockades of
grosgrain ribbon are charming lapel
ornaments, and we pin on punches
of flowers or jeweled pins In the
same way that grandmother wore
her diamond "sunburst."
Nor does the comparison stop
there. We wear our hair in pompa-
dours, and the more enterprising
and skillful "rat it" until it towers
above the face. Then we buy
straight sailors, broadbrimmed, and
add yelling under the chin and
brought up on either side Of the
crown. This yelling is attached
with ornate hatpins, sparkling with
gems" or done in enamel, but al
ways conspicuous hatpins and no
foolin' about 1t.
We are learning to be more lady
iike' about our handkerchiefs,
doting on those bearing Victorian
cupids. and French notices, and we
get a real thrill out of fine hand
kerchief with intricately designed
monogram. When we buy real or
artificial flowers to perch on our
shoulders we are likely to spurn gar
denias and orchids in favor of violets
and sweetpeas, not only because we
consider our budgets, but also be-
cause we like their effect with our
costumes.
Sentimentality is again in fash
ion because of the war and because
of this trend to turn-of f-the- century
fashions. A few years ago We would
have been sheepish about wearing
huge silver locket on a chain and
we'd have apologized for picture
inside. Now we boast of both. Our
sophisticated attitude would have
forbidden our going in for friend
ship rings" with tiny hands clasped,
or for wide gold wedding hands, or
for double ring wedding ceremonies.
Nor would we have gotten so excited
about bracelet of enameled or sill
yer hearts or pair of cut-steel
buckles miraculously rescued from
the attic and used to "dress-up" a
pair of pumps. A few years ago we
might not have been so fussy about