The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-12
IIIILI1IlxU1I
FASHIONS
BY BEN PRICE
AP N~eMsfeatures

APP NeWsfeatures
ALI | know about Women's fash
ions and cosmetics is that when
archaeologists b e k n 2
around in the ruins of the island
OF Crete, they found fashion de-
signs which would p a muster
with the best-dressed of today.
In the first place. the Cretans.
who lived some 1000 years before
Christ, thought it fashionable to
be slim, to have wide shoulders
and a narrow waist.
And whenever a woman deem
ed her waist not quite slim
enough, she resorted to the girdle.
Nor were her foundation gar
ments the sole point of similarity.
Some OF the old paintings found
In the ruins around Cnossos, the
ancient capital, s h o w o e n
wearing wide-brimmed hats close
ly akin to the garden-party hats
OF today and their hai~dos could
have come right out of the beauty
parlor around the corner
BosOms Bare
The Cretan women. however,
Gid have one habit of dress that
days, though nobody is able to
differed considerably from to-
days, though nobody is able to
say how long the difference is
gong to be maintained at the
rate styles are changing.
When the Cretan woman wa
all dressed up and looking for a
night out, she wore a sweepine
"classic" skirt, a tight bodice
which left the bosom b a and
which rose upward to end in s
high, choke collar. She even wore
what we call leg-o-mutton sleeves
had the usual run of jewelry that
can be found in most any ladv's
jewel box today. the only differ
ence being that hers was the real
stuff and not Junk"
An Old Story
Naturally, the history of art in
Women's dress is long. The tombs
of Egypt and Asia Minor are rich
with ancient dress which could be
worn with striking effect today.
There is every indication that
Women's dress was complex and
simple with the rise and fall O.
the husbands fortune.
But perhaps the fanciest dress
ers before Louis XIV and c e r.
tainly the heaviest user of cos.
metics before today were the
women OF Rome around Nero's
day.
A wealthy woman might occupy
four Or five slaves for the major
part of a day just seeing that she
was perfectly attired. They mani.
cured her nails and toes, painted
them, too; smoothed her skin
with d~epilatories, oiled her body,
scented her hair and wove it into
coltfures so fantastic that thew
often a d to be supported with
wire frames.
-. and Milk Baths
They rouged their faces, dyed
their hair and used lipstick. And
they had their fads. One empress
decided h a t donkey's milk was
good for the skin. Just to keer
folk talking, no doubt, she ALWAYS
travelled with a herd of asses.
Then there was the babe who
was out to make a name for her.
self in cafe society. She was
known as Lolita Paulina and had
a dress covered from head to foot
with precious jewels. 1t cost
around So, 600, O00-and she carried
the receipts to prove it.
Silk and linens were common,
wool a bit harder to get. The
women draped themselves with
off the shoulder gowns, scarfs at.
ter the Spanish fashion and wore
wells to heighten their allure
they hoped. If they were too short
for their escort, they wore high
heels.
So old then are women's fash
ions, but if it is any consolation,
women got the idea of decoration
from man. Early man painted his
race and body to attract women
and tighten his foes. Even now
among some primitive peoples.
the man is the one who carries
the makeup. The woman Just ar
ries the children.
POLISH PAREL POST
WARSAW - () The ministry
of posts and telegraphs announc-
ed that parcel post service has
been resumed with Bulgaris, Yu-
goslavia, Holland and Great Brit
ain.