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THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAXD, MARCH 26, 1016.
NEW FRENCH STYLES ARE VERY
FLUFFY, IRRESPONSIBLE, COLORFUL
i
Military Cut and Somber Note Expected of War Mood Entirely Absent From Late Creations in Woman's Dress.
Costumes of Miss Anna Held Are Typical of Season's Tendencies.
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BY CORA MOORE.
SINCE the war broke out there has
been a. grreat change in the atti
tude toward fashions. The spirit
that urges the armies on the battle
field seems to have invaded the ranks
of women. They insist upon more in
dependence in the matter of what they
ehall wear and more freedom in the
etyles of clothes they select.
Hence the infinite variety that char
acterizes the mode of the moment, and
hence, also, the voluminousness of
skirts and their abbreviation, the airy
nothingness of materials and the lines
and designs that leave the body free
and unhampered from the top of the
head to the tip of the toes. But if the
spirit of war has instituted this in
clination for freedom of dress, its in
fluence cannot be said to Tiave gone
further.
When we might naturally have ex
pected Paris to send us clothes of mili
tary cut and jib. she surprises us by
dictating the frilliest, most irresponsi
ble things she has turned out since the
days of Louis XIV. When we had
every reason to anticipate s season of
comparative monotony, a few new ideas
that would take color from crushing
conditions over there, lo, she inaugu
rates a campaign that is bewildering in
Its range
Old Ideas Revived.
Every institution of art piust have
fceen ransacked in search of ideas, and
very old print and portrait must "have
furnished inspiration, for there is
scarcely a feature of any period since
style began, that has not been revived
or adapted to figure in, the vogue of
1916.
In this between seasons when it is
too early for Spring apparel and when
we have all become a bit wearied with
our Winter things, there is inspiration
in the ultra frocks that Paris has turn
ed out for some celebrity upon whom
she has deigned to center her interest.
In that connection I have had repro
duced some of the photographs of cos
tumes Miss Anna Held wears in her
first screen play, "Mme. La Presi
dente," which the Morosco Photoplay
Company produced through the Para
mount Pictures Corporation.
It I use the term "ultra" in refer
ence to Miss Held's frocks, it must be
accepted as applying only to the beau
ty, the artistry and, if you please, the
expense, but not in any sense to freak
ishness or exaggeration, for even on
the stage Miss Held's ethics of dress
hold, the ethics that are innate in
every French woman, and which do
not permit her, even in the matter of
extravagance, to go beyond the dic
tates of good taste.
. Models Are Saggcutlve.
So these gowns of Miss Held's are
offered not as models to be adopted but
as affording many suggestions for in
teresting details and particularly as
a peg upon which to hang some gener
al information concerning the trend of
fashions.
One of Poiret's ideas is carried out
In all of Miss Held's gowns. The waist
line should always be marked by the
swell of the chest, otherwise it has
no excuse for being. This suggestion
is most important- Few women know
that they can do more to alter their
figures through the simple medium of
placing the waist-lines than by months
of dieting or endless hours in Turkish
Vaths or at the gymnasium. Verily,
elegance in dress is a science, after
ell. but nevertheless the perfect gown
must produce the impression that the
science was lost in the caprice of the
wearer, not that of the maker.
There is a tremendous vogue for lace
of all kinds, but not all kinds for all
purposes. On the contrary, a nice sense
of discrimination prevails In the mat
ter, quite different from the practice
of the early '70s when lace was tacked
onto a dress just anywhere without the
slightest excuse. Shadow lace, ever
since its introduction, has been a. fa-
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vorite, and with good reason, for it is
far more generally becoming than
many of the handsome laces that are
treble the value. Nor does the fancy
for the metal laces wane. It is the
exception that there is not at least a
hint of it on any frock that pretends
to any degree of formality.
Ciold Lace la Used.
In the "Palais de L'Elysee" dress of
Miss Held's an exquisitely fine gold
lace of what is known as "bouquet"
pattern is applied to each of the three
flounces. The gold is dulled and blends
insinuatingly with the soft pink taf
feta that makes the foundation.
The deeply pointed bodice might
have been inspired by one of Titian's
Venetian ladies, but more likely came
from some Spanish senorita of Velas
quez, since the Spanish influence is as
serting itself for the moment.
At any rate, it is clever as it is ar
tistic, the taffeta, the heavy jeweled
bandings, the fine gold lace and a lat
ticework of gold cord all being deftly
Intermingled.
Nothing among the new fashion fea
tures is more interesting than the
sleeves, especially after the long period
of full-length, close-fitting ones that
permittted of little or no variation.
Worth started the change in sleeves
and now practically all of the Paris
makers have taken up the idea and are
TWO-MATERIAL FROCKS
TO PREVAIL THIS SEASON
Various Shades of Gray Are Used in Majority of Fashion's Creations.
Spring Tailored Suits Have Gaiety and Freshness That Are Pleasing.
IT is an economical frock, indeed,
this season, that does not permit
itself two materials: for two ma
terials used together distinguish every
model that comes out of Paris these
days. The reason is not hard to dis
cover. Paris is at her wits' end to pro
cure enough materials "to go 'round"
and the couturiers have solved the
problem by combining fabrics so that
everybody may have at least part of
the fabric she prefers.
And fabrics are used together with
a fine indifference to consistency; silk
and cloth are mated; chiffon and cloth,
chiffon and silk, serge and satin, and
so on. Gorgette crepe is the most
fashionable material for frocks of a
formal or dressy character and some
times the filmy crepe is almost covered
with bands or ruffles of taffeta.
Lanvin brought out the first model
of this sort and it achieved such in
stant popularity that the style is ap
pearing with modifications in scores of
Spring costumes.
This is the year of grays. Never
have all shdes of gray been so fash
ionable and every gray is worn, from
a pale dove gray to smoke and taupe.
Little gray frocks of enchanting prettl
ness are displayed in the shops which
make a specialty of ready-to-wear cos
tumes, and the paler grays seem to be
the most popular. A widely followed
model just completed for a Spring
trousseau is an afternoon frock of silver
gray Georgette crepe with a full,
gathered skirt almost covered by bands
of pussy willow taffeta 1n the same
silver gray shade. There are six bands
In graduated width, the deepest at the
hem measuring seven inches in width,
while the taffeta band just below the
belt is only two inches wide. Each
band is put on with a cording and is
hemmed by hand at its lower edge.
Jacket la Gray l'ny Willow.
A jacket of the gray pussy willow
falls over the sray crepe bodice and
the long bishop sleeves of crepe have
working it out, each in his own way.
One model is enormously large at
the elbow, but brought abruptly into a
long, deep cuff. Another shows a
dropped shoulder and the sleeve fitted
into it with several evenly laid plaits,
then a shapely cuff built up to meet it.
while a third design is on the order of
the tubular sleeve, or else the accor
dion, the latter exceedingly graceful for
any lightweight material.
KtciiIbb Gowns Vary.
Evening gowns are still sleeveless,
that is, for those who prefer that style
to any other, for there is literally no
rule that applies. One sees many long
sleeves of transparency, and unless
the arms and shoulders are of at least
standard shapeliness, the sleeve is, by
all odds, preferable to none.
Usually the half sleeve or the shoul
der sleeve produces an uninspiring, if
not an ugly line, but there are some
new developments that are both un
usual and attractive.
Bouffancy is the keynote of the
styles, sleeves, panniers, coats, skirts,
all must be made to flare and stiffen
ing is being introduced. A new fabric
of resilient qualities, crushless and wa
terproof, is much favored, and has al
ready been fashioned into a sort of
petticoat or-ready-made lining with
panniers, over which the dress falls
properly flaring according to the new
est of fashion's whimsicalities.
deep cuffs of taffeta also put on with
cording. Sometimes the gray frock of
chiffon or Georgette crepe is mounted
over pale pink or pale lavender silk
with exquisite effect. A model of this
sort, exhibited in a Fifth-avenue win
dow this season, is of pale gray will-o'-the-wisp
a sheer. marquisette
weave of silk threads--over wistaria
satin meteor. The wide skirt has nuns'
tucks run by hand, from hem to belt
and down the center front runs a line
of satin-covered buttons. The same
buttons run up the bodice and down
the outer side of the sleeve and the
belt fastens with a buckle of mother
o'pearl. The feature of the frock,
however, is a shoulder cape of the ma
terial which Tails almost to the waist
line, the edge of-the cape having a
deep hem to match the nuns' tucks on
the skirt.
To be smart, the silhouette of the
Spring frock must be extreme; the more
extreme the flare, the more chic the
effect. Even Summer morning frocks
of ruffled dimity and organdie will be
distended over frilled petticoats run
with light hoops of featherbone the
hoop set in a casing so that it may be
pulled out when the skirt goes to the
laundress. Afternoon frocks of soft
silk. Georgette crepe and indestructible
voile, are worn over hooped petticoats
of taffeta; and sometimes the hoops
are put in the frock itself, at hip, knee
or hem. Many silk frocks have facings
of witchtex, a new resilient material
inside the hem most women of middle
age can remember when a purchase of
buckram always accompanied the buy
ing of "notions" before the dressmaker
came, the stiff facing to be inserted
in the hem of the new costume.
Many 1 1 cms Have Faclaica.
Fashion has not gone quite so far
as buckram, this season. but many
hems have facings of this new resilient
fabric, and there are "aprons" of the
same fabric which, attached under the
skirt at the waistband, distend its full
ness at cither side. The proper width
for an afternoon frock at the hem is
from three to six yards; many models
of ultra style are wider than this; a
dancing dress just turned out. by a
prominent Eastern house for a debu
tante has floTjnces of lace all the way
up the skirt, the lowest flounce being
made of ten yards of lace. Thirty yards
of handsome lace were necessary to
make the" four flounces of this frock
rather a change from two years ago,
when a presentable evening gown could
be gotten out of five yards of satin at
a, dollar and a half the yard.
The silk frock is at its apex of favor
Just now. One can scarcely have too
many "little silk frocks" for Spring and
Summer wear, and the popular silk for
these attractive, useful little frocks
seems to be the soft, lustrous pussy
willow which practically never wears
out. One cannot go far wrong in a
Spring frock of silk, if one has a wide,
short skirt (to show the dainty but
toned boot with high heel and top of
contrasting material) a close-fitting
bodice, and very smart sleeves in leg-o'-mutton
or bell style.
The sleeves are important, for they
will give special style to the frock
or the reverse. Bodices outline the
curve of the bust whether they are
tight or loose in fit and the waistline
is placed at what the dressmakers call
"normal"; a crushed girdle or sash di
viding bodice and skirt.
Spring Tailored Salts Gay.
There is a gaiety and sprightliness
about-the new tailored suits for Spring
that is evidence of fashion's deter
mination to get as far as possible away
from stern and sober effects. Indeed
sprightly is the word that seems to
describe some of the new models better
than anything else. Jaunty little jack
ets, some of them rippling out in godets
below the waistline, very short skirts,
showing the buttoned boot quite to Its
upper edge, groups of piped ruffles set
in panel effect, overlapping flounces,
and many lively little trimming touches
in the way of fancy bu.ttons, buckles,
tasseled cord ties and sashes, and fac
ings in contrasting color, unite to make
the new tailleurs delightfully feminine
and frivolous affairs.
If a tailored model shows indications
of leaning toward the mannish type in
lines or shape of collar, lapel and
sleeve, it is styled a sport (suit a gar
ment for knockabout wear rather than
for formal occasions; and every wom
an now must possess two tailleurs at
the beginning of a season instead of
the one model which used to answer for
general wear. One of these costumes
must be a sport mit, simple and plain
enough for traveling, rough weather
and excursions into the country; and
the other a "dressy" suit for afternoon
wear in town.
This more formal suit becomes still
more dressy when it is accompanied by
an elaborate lace or chiffon blouse,
and it never dares to show itself abroad
without the correct accessories of
dainty white gloves, equally dainty,
high-heeled boots and a very smart hat
and voil. The simple sport suit, on
the contrary, may make itself as utili
tarian as it pleases, with laced tramp
ing boots, a soft felt sport hat and
heavy kid gloves of mannish type.
Equipped with these two tailleurs and
a plentiful supply of appropriate ac
cessories, a woman should be well pre
pared to meet any social contingency
that may come up as far as a daytime
appearance is-concerned.
Sleeves Much Fuller.
The new sleeves, set into the arm
holes with, gathers, give this Spring's
tailored suit an entirely new silhou
ette. Sometimes the sleeves are in
bishop style with deep cuffs to the
elbow; again the cuffs may be mere
bands at the wrist.
Two materials go into the making of
most of the Spring suits, silk and wor
sted stuffs being used together in most
cases, though sometimes the combina
tion is silk and Georgette crepe, silk
and marquisette or silk and mohair.
Most of the Spring coats for motor
ing, coaching and general wear are
as fanciful in style as the tailored
suits. Paris models show widely flar
ing coat-skirts dropped from a deep
yoke that outlines the shoulders close
ly. Sometimes belt motifs define the
edge of the deep yoke portion which
comes well below the armpits. Jersey
silk is a favorite material for coats
anad there Is a new wool velour with
texture like soft kid. Most attractive
Is a Bernard coat of tan cloth with
circular cape to the waistline and col
lar and belt of velvet. A sport coat
from Chanel is of black and white
striped wool Jersey with a pleated cape
bringing the white stripes outside.
Blames Are Comfortable.
There is a ray of comfort in the Sum
mer prospect where, blouses are con
cerned though sleeves will be long,
collars will bo low and cool, if one
chooses to wear them so. Women who
know they look their best in tall,
throat-binding neckwear will cling to
their high stock collars quite with
Fashion's sanction, but the low, open
collar, luckily for most women, is to
have preference the moment when furs
are laid aside.
For some years lace trimming has
been under the ban in connection with
neckwear; but one is glad to see it back
again on the new collars of Spring. All
sorts of laces are used, clunys, filets
and real Irish being most in favor,
and the woman who owns handsome
real Irish collars may bring them out
and attach them to wider collars of
handkerchief linen or net for the
smartest new collars are very large in
size, some of them reaching almost to
the waistline at the back.
With a smart, tailored shirt and
straw or felt walking hat the proper
neckwear is a high pique or linen stock
collar with Ascot tie having bright
colored stripes on a white ground.
AVindsor ties are ready for the collars
of open-necked sport waists; but the
colors this year are daintier and more
in pastel shadings than were the bril
liant and bold Windsors of last Sum
mer. There are special sport gloves, too,
of silk with stiff gauntlet wrists fas
tened with a strap. When the gloves
are white the smart gauntlet wrists
are black with white pipings. White
and bisque silk gloves with pleated
frills of blazer striped silk give smart
style to the long-sleeved - bodice, the
wrist of the glove with its pleated
frill coming up over the edge of the
sleeve. Washable kid gloves are ob
taining more and more favor and one
may now have, washable glace kid
gloves as well as "the heavier, chamois
skin sort. All gloves for street wear
this season are short, since all sleeves
are very long; and with the dancing
frock, sleeveless as it is, gloves are not
considered necessary at all.
Strong color is an unexpected ele
ment in blouse wear. From Paris have
come some brilliant models In cerise,
geranium red, rose, purple and yellow;
but fortunately these high-colored
blouses are of the sheerest possible
fabrics, chiffon. Georgette crepe, will-o'-the-wisp
and the very soft pussy
willow taffeta. One such blouse to a
wardrobe should be rather a pleasing
proportion, but. if all women take to
wearing brilliant-hued waists the ef
fect will be deplorable. It is an inter
esting fact that the long-adored flesh
pink blouse has a rival at last. Pale
blue blouses in the becoming' "baby
blue" shade are becoming the rage in
Paris and already some lovely models
in hemstitched crepe de chine, pussy
willow and filmy Georgette crepe are
displ.-yed by the shops over here.
Milady's Spring handbag is of silk
shirred or corded, with frame of tor
toise shell or carved ivory. Two big
pearl beads often form the clasp and
handbag linings are exquisitely dainty,
of .pastel-colored silk or satin with in
nr pockets edged with tiny silk pleat
lngs and a little change purse to match
the larger bag. Leather bags will be
used, but silk ones are the favorites.
The leather handbag is of softest pin
seal, saffian or glazed kid in fanciful
shape; more like a reticule than a
businesslike shoppies has.
WOMEN IN MANY FIELDS OF EFFORT
ATTRACT ATTENTION OF PUBLIC
Miss Eleanor Sears Adds Ball-Playing to Her List of Outdoor Activities Rosina Galli's Walking Skirt Short,
Even for Fifth Avenue Maude Allan, f Salome Dance Fame, Operated on for Appendicitis.
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MISS ELEANOR SEARS, the New
York society girl noted for her
enthusiasm for outdoor sports,
has been playing ball at Coronado
Beach, Cal., using her riding habit as
an appropriate costume for the sport.
After finishing a cross-country canter,
she started catching ball.
It is reported that Anne Morgan is
writing a book which will command
much attention. One wonders how
Miss Morgan, with her camps for girls
and her dancing rooms for working
girls and her tramping clubs for both
BARREL-LIKE CONTOURS
IN SKIRTS DEMANDED
.
Farthingale Revivals Confined to Afternoon and Evening Frocks, Idea of
Harking Back in Tailor-Made Suits Being Regarded as Incongruous.
TO be sure, most of the farthingale
revivals are concerned with after
noon and evening frocks. Some
how they seem quite incongruous
when applied to the modern tailor
made. The latter was an unknown
quantity in the days of the Second
Empire, or even farther back in sar
torial history, when Velasquez painted
the portraits of the Spanish infantas
from which Empress Eugenie drew in
spiration for the style she particularly
favored.'
Those who do not care for the
bunchy pannier draperies, may make
alternate choice of skirts which are
mounted over reed-run foundations and
which lay no clafm to draped ideas, ex
cepting, perhaps, where the material is
caught up at the very hem to show the
lace flounce of the foundation.
As the weeks progress greater in
sistence is placed on barrel-like con
tours in the skirts and fitted basques
or corsages for their completion. The
French have selected a new word
wherewith to designate the new skirt.
It is now known as "tonneau," which
is sufficiently expansive to permit of
elasticity of meaning, as well as ex
pansion of the skirt lines themselves.
As a matter of fact, there are fash
ion makers who insist that the tail
ored skirts hang in straight lines. This
does not mean that it shall be narrow
or immediately revert to the style dis
carded but two seasons ago. It does
mean, however, that, even though the
skirt of cloth or silk measures from
five to seven yards through the hem, it
must not be stiffened or otherwise
aided in giving the cloche-like contour.
Street Suit Revival Tried.
This seems to be the decree of the
best authorities. But always there are
fashion adapters or imitators who
think they can go the originators one
better. Certain of these are attempt
ing a revival of the street suit, with
skirt stiffened and flaring to a marked
degree and for whose foundation there
is designed a lining light in weight, im
pervious to weather conditions and cal
culated to convert the slimmest sort of
woman into a replica of the 1870 belle.
While many of the style motifs are
unquestionably influenced by Spanish
fashions of the 18th century, there are
not wanting dress models whose source
of inspiration is unquestionably as
modern a it is ancient. .These seem
ingly incompatible qualities are united
because of the fact that it is the
peasant garb of Brittany that has fur
nished ideas for the dress of the Spring
of 1916.
The salient features are the narrow
plaited apron effects,' the crenelated
bodice, the collarless guimpe and wide
alcove. The skirt is short and very full
sexes and her war relief work, finds
time to write books. But she is an
active woman and full of much of the
energy of her father, the late J. P.
Morgan.
A sensational suit has been brought
against her father-in-law, George A.
Carpenter, of the Copley-Plaza Hotel,
Boston, by Mrs. Marguerite Paul Car
and when touched up with contrasting
color the dress, in its revised edition,
retains a picturesque quality of the
original plus a certain indefinable charm
gained, perhaps, because of the beauty
of the fabrics, both in their weaves
and colors.
. For suits there is a fabric known
as Poiret twill, which is hardly any
thing more or less than the familiar
gabardine, rechristened covert gabar
dine is still another name for practical
ly the same weave. Homespuns are in
high favor in the tan and gray tones,
but more particularly in certain of the
high colors, with special emphasis on
jade green. That color is the favored
Luxurious Reticule Hides Ar
ticles of Dance Wear.
Places Are Provided for Slippers,
Kan and Gloves and lias; Is Es
pecially Designed Not to liulge
When Filled.
DANCING slippers are 1 such pretty
things that they deserve to be car
ried in a luxurious reticule. Studying
the elaborate and elegant style of one
design one thinks compassionately of
the humble party bag of last genera
tion, a plain affair of dark silk (not
to be conspicuous) drawn up on a bit
of ribbon, and deep enough to hold
slippers, fan and gloves.
One bag is made of changeable taf-
.
Party Base Grows Still More
SumptaouN.
feta in rose and gray tones and Is
trimmed with pleated frills of the taf
feta and dull gold lace and galloon.
Gold cord forms the handle.
penter, who says that he alienated
from her the affections of his son,
Ralph. Mrs. Carpenter belongs to a
well-known Back Bay family. Her
son, 8 years old, was kidnaped by his
father last September and the husband
brought suit for divorce shortly after,
naming two co-respondents. Mrs. Car
penter now asks $250,000 from the
father-in-law and has attached his
property.
Maude Allan, the famous exponent
of the "Salome" dance, who has danced
before royalty many times, recently
was operated on for appendicitis at
the German Hospital in New York.
Rosina Galli. the chief ballet dancer
of the Metropolitan Opera-House, has
her own ideas of a walking dress. All
things are relative and while the skirt
might be considered short for even tha
prevailing mode on Fifth avenue, it is
rather long for a ballet dancer.
Lucette Valsey, a singer, arrived In
New York recently and because she
had no one to meet her at the pier,
was ordered to Ellis Island. She is
a French woman and has been sing
ing to the soldiers at the front.
one in all. fabrics, and extends even to
the wool and silk jersey cloths, which
occupy a little corner all to themselves
In the field of fashion.
Jersey Cloth Wins Way.
In fact, jersey cloth is associated
with taffeta, with satin and with soft
kid for the fashioning of separate coats
and of sport suits. It bids fair to con
test the popularity of every other
fabric, and is offered in a wide range
of colors.
Sometimes one's hat is also of wool
or silk jersey and it may be that be
fore the season is over we shall have
accessories made of the erstwhile
utilitarian, and not very beautiful.
We are going to use a lot of silks.
Paris says this and America confirms
it. Taffeta is listed as a matter of
course, despite the fact that it had so
tremendous a vogue last year. Then
there are ribbed silks which have been
tentatively used during the past sev
eral months and which are quite ap
propriate for early season appearance.
Crepes, chiffons and other semi
diaphanous materials are being used
in conjunction with satins, taffetas and
silk crepes for day and evening dresses.
There is a special for the combination
of serge and taffeta and of broadcloth
and taffeta. The idea Is not novel to
this season, but there is a fresh note
in the method of combining the two
fabrics and an individuality i3 impart
ed by a discreet use of embroideries,
worsted fringes, colored machine
stitchings and bindings of toile soiree
or glazed kid.
Kid Trimmings Popular.
Kid is one of the most favored of
trimmings. Of course, it must be very
soft and the color must be just right if
the best decorative results are to ba
obtained. There are examples of good
looking tailleurs, which show collars,
cuffs and belt of white kid. hand
painted in color to give an outline or
striped design. One must be very sure
of her own taste before attempting to
go in for anything of this sort. A lack
of discretion in the use of kid or suede
would quite spoil a garment, no matter
how charming its lines or fabric
might be.
There have been rumors off and on
during the last two weeks that skirts
were to be lengthened. The most re
cent models, however, do not substan
tiate such reports. It is quite true that
many women have gone to extremes in
the matter of skirt curtailment, but, on
the whole, the shoe-top length which
generally prevails should be a matter
of congratulation. One is compelled to
keep her footwear in a condition be
yond criticism, and, moreover, the
hygienic benefit of the short skirt
cannot be gainsaid.
Sleeves More Distinctive.
Sleeves are receiving a great deal of
attention, even in the suits. It is
quite fashionable to have them in three
crosswise sections and then simply
put them together with one or two
rows of machine stitching. If one likes,
she may introduce a bit of fullness in
the top of the sleeve; but, generally,
the time does not seem propitious for
a r.-vival of the gigot type of arm cov
ering. .