Evening star., 1943-03-04
Psychology Needed in Clothes Design,
Mrs. Roosevelt Tells Fashion Group
Attractive Garb
Held Aid in
Building Morale
BY FRANCES LIDE.

A few practical suggestions on
how American women can adapt
their clothing to the requirements
of total war and still have attractive
wearing apparel were made by Mrs.
Roosevelt in an informal talk yes
terday before the Washington
Fashion Group.
The Presidents wife, who spoke
at a luncheon meeting at the Stat
Ter Hotel. also discussed fashion in
another field-that of psychology.
In country which has not known
actual invasion or bomblngs, she
pointed out, imagination is called
for if the people are to be aware
of the needs of a nation in total
war.
YOU" she suggested to the
Fashion Group members, "can make
it fashionable to have a new pSy-
chology We need people who will
help us use our imaginations so
that we may do the things which
will make winning the war quick
process and not long drawn out
affair"
Shares in Program.
Mrs. Roosevelt, who is member
of the New York Fashion Group.
having joined during what she
termed her experiment" in the VAL
Kill furniture enterprise, shared the
program with Richard N. Johnson,
director of the consumers goods
division of the Office of Civilian
Supply of the War Production Board.
Although she stressed that the
needs of the fighting forces Rave
priority over civilians. Mrs. Fcose-
welt refused to concede thai attrac-
tiveness in the matter of clothes
must be Abandoned while it is
necessary to adapt clothing to war
time conditions" she said, design
becomes more important than ever"
To bring out her point Mrs. Roose-
velt gave an amusing description of
the uniforms for women she had
noted during a recent visit to a
certain war plant. They were de-.
signed for pencils" she commented
"Wonderful on girls weighing under
los, but simply terrible-terrible is
the only word for tiff you were
fat"
Her first consideration in planning
clothes would be to think in terms
of the purposes of the apparel. Of
you are having to walk to the
theater or to go by bus, she sug-
gested, it would be silly to trail about
in long dressD
Design for the Wearer.
Her next consideration would be
to make clothes attractive as we'll
as useful and to design them for the
people who will be wearing them.
Americans-particularly women
have been accustomed to having
clothes which are attractive in de-
sign and color, but cheap enough to
afford lots of changes, Mrs. Roose-
velt pointed out.
Now" she said, I'VE will have to
think more of simple lines and better
materials"
Mr.. johnson, who discussed the
functions of the consumer goods
division of the Office of Civilian
Supply, took the occasion to en-
phaslze that clothing will not be
ratloned in the immediate future.
I cannot review the consumer
goods field for you as would like
to-" he said, "and for one reason
only. We, as a people, have not vet
seemed to develop enough discipline
to restrain the impulse of me first
This me first attitude is today the
greatest single handicap to the war
effort. 1 ask you to ponder on this.
1t points to the need of stronger
character. Only when that deyel-
ops, and not until, will our country
approach the full realization of it's
power and potentiality for good"
Hits Unneeded Buying.
MIR. johnson also pointed out that
unnecessary purchases hamper the
war effort by tying up manpower,
materials, transportation, or power
which could better be used in direct
war production. foregoing the
purchase of unnecessary things
speeds and increases the war ef-
fort" he said.
1T is high time" he continued,
that we as Nation come to our
senses and institute that degree
of thrift and harder life with which
our fathers made this country. It
is time our soft habits and desires
were outgrown. 1t is time we exer-
cised more self-discipline and more
national discipline.
In conclusion he quoted a remark
OF Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey. who
commented that our problem is not
"manpower" but soul power" II
thixak y NJ, Ialasas. eaii H. ...A