Evening star., 1944-01-12
Bylines and Skylines

NEW YORK.-Here we are again
In New York as the guest of the
New York Dress Institute for Press
Week, a one-week three-ring circus
arranged so that ye ladies Of the
press may see the advance spring
fashions and pass the good news on
to our dear readers.
Opening gun on our program was
q luncheon to welcome the out-of-
town gals and give them a chance
to meet someeo of New York's star de-
signers. The luncheon was given in
the 41st-story tower Offices of the
New York Dress Institute, where the
panoramic view OF New York and
that well-known skyline never fail
to impress this returning native.
Aside from meeting everybody, it
was fun looking around to see what
the famous designers wear-almost
as exciting as seeing the kind of
home an architect designs for him.
self. AS is usual at any smart
gathering in New York. black is the
rule; in other words, If you're going
to New York, you'll never have to
worry about your clothes If you take
with you simple, well-cut black
dress or suit. At our table was
Nettie Rosenstein, famous for her
little black dresses. In our opinion,
Miss Rosenstein deserves q place in
the hall of fame for what her
dresses do for gals figure. At
the luncheon she wore simple
black suit with matching crepe
blouse and her famous crescent pins
IN rhinestone lighting up one of the
double lapels.
Also wearing black suit was
Claire McCardell, but hers was ac-
cented by a violet blouse trimmed
with black. She Is the gal whose
sense of humor shines through her
fashions; hers were the leotards
with the long drawers look" that
some of you are wearing at home
right now to keep warm and smart
and this summer you may be wear
ing her bathing suit with the diaper
drape. AS far as the clothes she
wears herself, she usually expresses
her whimsy in her coiffure-and to-
day she wore an outsize chignon on
the back of her head to serve as pin
cushion for several great long heart
dangle hat pins.
We also talked with Fox-Brownie,
New York designer known for her
soft little suits. She told us that |
this professional name is a carry
oI,f1lknoI oh
originally given to her because of
her large brown eyes. She was
wearing a slim beige striped suit
with rocco scallops and repeated |
the brown of the stripes in a head
band and net which were very effec-
tive on her taffy -colored hair. She
was the only designer present who
didn't wear black and was overheard
explaining to some eager editor that
she always wore some shade of
brown because it was her most be-
coming color, good fashion idea
for all of us to follow. On her wrist
dangled a charm bracelet made OF
antique wedding rings, earrings and
lockets which she has collected over
many years.
After the luncheon we went to
see Brownies new collection for our
first view of New York spring fash
Ions. The locale and inspiration
Of this showing Is the ole South
the New Orleans of hundred years
ago-interpreted for the women of
today. And the unquestioned stars
Of the collection are, in our opinion,
the little suits called "alert SUITS"
so-named, we suppose, because
they're ready for anything-ready
to be worn right now under furs
and later on into spring. These
are trim little outfits with short
collarless jackets and slim fly
front skirts. Some of the jackets
have what is coyly called an "ex-
posed throat" line, and may be
worn with or without blouses. Others
are cut on waistcoat lines and
dubbed "cake-walk jackets" And
actually they do have the swash-
buckling quality of a minstrel
especially when teamed with a saucy
tilted sailor or one of John Freder-
les miniature fedoras with their
edging of pleated net.