Evening star., 1949-01-18
By EIeni
Fashion Editor.

NEW YORK, N. Y.-Modifying
isn't restricted to grammar. It's
used extensively in the realm Of
fashion. In fact, modification Is Just
what all the collections seen this
week seem to emphasize-and in
large measure at that. That Is, with
the exception Of one important
fashion-the deeply slashed or widely
scooped out neckline. There, moth
ing is left to the imaginationl
The dress proper is back without
two or three extras to make you
want it. Clothes this spring are
filled with variety, color, portrait
like charm, and many possess a
custom-made look. There's lean
ing toward sleevelcssness. In one
coll ction pockets are used as part
of shoulderline treatment, a far
cry from ordinary hipline use. Many
bodices are tight while others are
loosely bloused for great freedom.
Rul n mad it the Empire line
would arrive this season. It's ap-
parent in most collections but GER
tainly not in the large degree many
people expected.
Here are some more notebook
jottings from the individual collec-
tions Of:
CLAIRE McCARDEIL Is credited
with launching the Empire line.
Functionalism in design exists when
Claire McCarden gets behind de-
signing board. She gives to her
clothes the same good, clean lines
that a fine piece Of modern art
possesses. Fashion flrsts are moth
ing new with her. Slashed neck
lines, monastic type coats and
dresses, and conversational fabrics
have been part and parcel of this
house for years. This spring she
again shows the high waistltnlet
which enables you to, spot her
dresses a block away. Also the
slashed necklines and new Scotch
tape" waistline treatment. This Is
a sash going around the waist a
couple of times and then tied in a
bow. Last year her bathing suits
were of the covered up variety.
This year it's quite another fashion
story. One green silk shantung
swim suit is titled "spectacles." The
bra is cupped and wired to duplicate
glasses with earpieces. Pleated
bloomer pants are worn with 1t.
Better take your glasses with you
to the beach for a closeup OF TINS
'whew" bathing beauty. Her surah
dresses deserve special mention, as
do her dresses with Grecian look
to them. Long linen busters with
four big pockets setting them on
are another good fashion from TINS
house. Her machine-made ribbon
knit dresses are one-third or less
cheaper than hand knits and we're
told they'll stand up much better,
too.
CHRISTIAN DIOR: In this, his
first American collection, M. Dior
has gone all out to give the Amerl-
can women the elegance for which
he thinks they were created. HIS
sleeves are short, as are his hemllneS'
thirteen to fourteen inches from
the floor. M. Dior feels he is gain
ing prestige by opening salon IN
America. A great many others oont
seem to feel that way. A few trencn
designers say that he Is taxing
away from his own Partisan prestlge
bv doing so-plus that OF the trench
Couture in general. The clothes IN
this collection are nothing ike the
ones featured in his Paris collections.
This American group has been
tanned down considerably and IS de-
signed primarily to make American
women want a Dior label IN tnelr
wardrobe closet. Hes fond Oh uslnS
unusual fabric combinations. II you
see faille with flannel, don't De
shocked. He wants 1t that way.
We didn't like the low-slung belts on
several Of his coats. PADDED nlps
are seen only in one suit. Inc
names he gives many OF his designs
had US on an around -the-world jun
ket in about an hour and nan.
We went to London, Charleston, the
Cartbbean, Park Avenue and Cni-
caro on our little dress tunket. Evi-
IDENTIFY many women are taking 10
these designs for several leading
stores have already reordered on
many numbers. But personnahy we
tust can't seem to get excited over
And now in really short and what
we hope amount to snappy sen.
tences little of what to expect
from several other designers.
Look for coat dresses to be one
of the outstanding fashions OF the
year. They're particularly mpres-
siye In the showing OF Pattulio
modes of 10 COPELAND. Be sure
to investigate the chiffon and nylon
frocks. Likewise the mensWear
worsteds that get a woman's toucn
added through colorful satin ana
faille ribbon being used for collars,
cuffs, facings or sash girdles: by
all means ask to see the white linen
and white organdy dresses with
PENNSYLVANIA Dutch designs painted
on them by members OF the ART
colony located in Bucks County.
shown at this collection as in many
others were the picturesque" nylon
hose with the framed heels. They
are a new twist to look for in Gtock'
ings come spring and summer.
josef WALKER has reputation
for designing warm weather specials:
These are for young women ana
Just for them Josef has turned all
of her dress designing talents to-
ward making sportswear look soft.
Colors cause quite bit OF COM
ment. There's blueberry, lipstick
red, mauvey pink made UP in silk
shantung, linen and pique. Crease
resistant linens are very much about.
These are trimmed with eyeleted
embroidery in matching colors or
31A "A>~~~'