The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-07-12
BY DOROTHY ROE

international fashion press learned
today with the opening of the New
York wholesale collections of fall
styles.
Comfort also is given a large
play by American designers, who
are introducing the bloused sill
houette after a season in which
the tight midriff and Princess lines
made women suffer for the sake
of fashion.
The newest dresses shown by
leading designers have an easy,
loose look above the belt, retaining
the slim skirt or daytime. How
ever, skillful use of pleats and
flares has been made in some
skirts, allowing room to move
while preserving slender appear
ance.
The bloused-back dress showed
up in the Paris spring collections
but was not generally adopted by
American designers until now. 1t
suggests a return to the casual
way of dressing that most Ameri-
can women love, and also makes
1t possible to hide few extra
bulges around the middle.
The tight-midriff Empire line is
still present in many collections
but choice is now offered, with
the casually comfortable look the
newest and therefore the smartest
in the lineup.
Suits for fall over a wide variety
of jacket styles, with the slim skirt
still decreed for daytime wear and
hemlines about the same or &C.
caSionally a trifle shorter than
those of spring and summer. One
leading suit designer shows the
longer jacket as the highlight of
his collection, but the "BlouSon"
jacket seems favorite. This is a
bloused effect ending in a belt at
the waist, similar to the Eisen-
hover jacket of World War II.
Boxy and barrel-shaped jackets
rounded at the top and snugged in
around the hipline also are prom
inent and popular.
The fur-trimmed suit and even
the suit with reversible Jacket
lined in fur is seen frequently.
often as part of the popular cos.
tune suit, which consists of a
smart dress covered by tailored
jacket.
The costume is the top favorite
in practically every collection,
shown either as dress and Jacket.
ress and matching full-length coat
or suit with coordinated blouse.
This is the highly versatile break.
faSt-to-dinner outfit which permits
a woman to go from office to cock.
tail party or dinner perfectly
dressed for the occasion when she
removed her jacket.
T~--9 cNr-~ fr|ricS nnako no,,,
headlines for fall, with much en-
.-~-o U.I ."l. D Ao4 any nOur.
There are tweed dress-and-jacket
combinations in which the dress
emerges with open neckline and
brief sleeves, ready for any alters
occasion. There are feather.weight
Sllk-and-wool tweeds suitable for
both suits and dresses. The com.
blnation of satin and tweed is a
new note for fall, highly effective
aid apparently slated for wide &C.
ceptance.
Black and charcoal gray remain
tops for basic costumes, but the
combination of a sherry brown and
black is newer, and the fad color of
the season is purple.
The soft black crepe dress, which
most women feel is a necessity in
any wardrobe, gains new stature
this season, and will be seen in
quantity in shops across the coJn.
try. 1t is done in either silk or
rayon, simple, skillfully draped, to
be dressed up or down with Jewel.
ry and accessories.
The top coat silhouette of the
season is the loose, rounded line
which is drawn in slightly at the
hemline, in something resembling
barrel shape. This usually is a
few inches shorter than the skirt
hemline.
There is rounded, smooth look
to both suits and coats this season
shoulders are natural, and the
cropped shoulder line is impor-
tant. Garments are loose above
the waist, drawn in below either
at hipline or hemline.
Necklines take a dramatic NAV
with big collars on coats and SHIFTS
open decolletages on dresses The
sailor collar is shown in manv
versions on coats, suits and occa.
Slonally on dresses.
Biggest news for the colleoa
crowd is the Bermuda skirt a knee
length affair worn over Bermuda
shorts, with long knee-length socks
This is done in plaid pleated kilt
version as well as in circular cut
tweeds, open in front to reveal the
shorts beneath.
Even hats follow the casual line
in the early collections, with the
slouch-brim felt leading the field
and the flapper cloche a close
rumer-up.