Evening Star Newspaper, April 27, 1930, Page 49

Mode Has Gone Ultra-Feminine and Creates Striking Article of Smart Apparel in Many Forms—Capes and Variations Are Decid- edly a Part of New Silhouette — Lingerie Touches of Increasing Importance—Suit Skirt for Everyday Wear Must Have Even Hemline. BY HELEN DRYDEN. HE mode has gone “lady,” which. of course, in the best sense o the word, means ultra-fem‘nine No one reviewing the recent Paris openings could fail to se> the fashion details that contribute w«. this ladylike trend. And riowhere ae they more i evidence than in the soft dressmaker suits. It is these soft touches that take the suit out of the tallored class and make of it an article of smart apparel as varied in form as dress may be. The suit has b:come an increasingly important fashion. It is doubly—one ‘With the dressmaker suit pre- cedent, the soft feminine touches, the | new delightful silhouctte, to inspire our famous designers, they are creating suits that are really works of art—and individual in each of their many smait ways. N HAT is the smartest of the new | suits? Well, almost, which one isn't? There are two-piece suits of one | material, plain or printed—a dress and coat, which may be a jacket, a bolerc, or in three-quarter length. in all sorts of small prints and plain colors, as the are being done, are smart. There is a new and interesting t, in which the good old polka dot omes a star literally and in two ways. A suit in this new design uses the star print with a dark background for the the color the blouse = % x *x CAPE or cape variations—peplums— boleros—all are decidedly a part of the new silhouette. Suits use them in and again, to add a necessary bit feminine interest to their tailored lines—that is, as tailored is known now. ‘The suits shown on this page are indi- cative of this trend. In one, particu- larly, the important cape displaces the Jacket completely—and with a great ‘amount of chic and a tea-time sort of Jook to it. ‘Three-piece suits, where the blouses tuck in, hawe generally a scarf treat- ment at the neck or soft reverse on the jacket. The waistiine is well de- fned, in the coat or in the blouse— Upper left: In the Spring 1930 modé the us irt and coat—the reverse of | combination being used for | often as not, in both. The best of the new skirts hang on hip yokes, the bet- | ter to swing freely and gracefully. They may be box-pleated, wrap-around or circular in cut—but whatever it is, the fullness must be manipulated to mar in no way their slender lines. % on K LINGERIE touches, of increasing im- portance in every phase of the mode, have done much to inspire the d:signing of the silk or sheer-wool suit. hat fashion have we had for years as fresh and dainty as the lingeric blouses? Prills, fagotings, handwork, eyelet embroidered batiste and gilets of linen or pique—they bring a truly en- livening touch to suits of all sorts and descriptions. There is_one important thing to re- member. Your suit skirt for everyday wear must be even as to hemline—and hang halfway between knee and ankie. For sports, th> length is four to six inches below the knee. | (Copyright.%1930.) Fans Are Perhaps As Old as History Fans probably antedate history, for since the dawn of history fans for two purposes have been used—for cooling air and for wirmowing grain. Naturally fans are a hertiage from a tropical country. For it would be a for cooling the air. Anyway, they date so far back into antiquity that they antedate any records of northern civili- zation that we have. Fans were used by the women of Rome as they are used today—partly because they are useful, largely because they are ornamental. From Rome the usage naturally came down inte mod- ern_Europe. When trade was opened with China in medieval Europe the beautiful fans of that country, of ivory carved and plerced into lace-like designs, were among treasures much desired by ladies of Europe. ‘The early type of fan was rigid. The folding fan is said to be of Japanese invention, of the seventeenth century— a late date when we remember that the fan goes back to prehistoric times. SIS SO tropical country that would need them |. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, Designers Are Creating Suits Which Appear as W in this three: APRIL 27, 1930—PART THREE. e of the cape theme in all aspects, sizes and shapes is one way of adding great individuality. On this black erepe dressmaker suit from Chanel with its touches of white crepe, the 1 orks of Art Problem of Fashions for Spring and Summer Linked With Ban on More Formal Social Life After First Warm Days of May—Se- lection of Clothes Which May Be Worn in . Late Afternoon as Well as Evening—Gar- | den Party Garments and Colors. BY MARY MARSHALL. O most Americans Summer time is holiday time, whether they take four months’ vacation, the conventional two weeks or only stop work Saturday afternoons, Sunday and the Fourth of July. And more and more American cities, where the great majority of people must stay on and toil, are presenting the ap- pearance of Summer resorts during the warm months. Tennis courts in the city parks and vacant lots, swimming pools in clubs and hotels, golf courses within easy access of office districts, roof gardens, restaurant tables set in open court- yards and reclaimed back yards of old city houses give the city dweller an op- portunity to share in the holiday spirit which seems to belong to warmer weather. ‘To most of us the more formal sort of social life makes very little appeal after the first warm days in May. The conventional sort of dinner party is given up in favor of the less cere- monjous sort of supper party, and the prospect of motoring to the country for dinner pleases us more than a formal dinner in town. It is hard for us to realize that a whole month of formal social activities is still on the program in London at the close of May, when by the first of May we are beginning to lose interest in formal parties of any sort. * ok K ok ALL of this has a very definite rela- tion to the problem of feminine fashions during Spring and Summer. The fact that we no longer dine very formally does not mean that we do not wish to dine fashionably, nor does the fact that the men of our acquaintance are increasingly loathe to don formal evening clothes mean that we are con- tent to neglect the convention of dress- ing for dinner and the evening. It does mean, however, that we wisely choose evening dresses of a less formal sort— very often they are of the sort that may be worn in the late afternoon as well as evening. For dresses of this sort nothing is more attractive or smarter at present than plain pastel-toned chiffon, which is usually handled quite simply, with short, puffed sleeves or a cape collar or bertha of the chiffon to drape the shoulder. More popular than figured ° chiffon is printed chiffon, while pastel- toned lace has a high fashion rating. Light-toned organdie is charming for younger women and there are other sheer cotton fabrics that are as acceptable as silks for the less formal sort of evening dress. * koK i BLACK has less to recommend it for the informal Summer evening than for more formal wear in cooler weather, since black is usually more becoming under artificial light than by daylight. Very simply made black chiffon bas, however, an undeniable air of smart- ness. And some of the French dress- | makers have made informal dinner and dance dresses of black chiffon or net, relieved at the decolletage by facings or pipings of light rose. The picturesque afternoon costume plays & more important role in the Summer wardrobe this season than it has played for many years. The young woman who boasts that she confines herself merely to sports clothes, street clothes and evening clothes is decidedly behind the times. Garden party clothes | are as much in the picture as they were in Victorian days and they are every bit as picturesque. And if skirts don’t exactly trail on the grass they cast long and graceful shadows as they pass. * X ok x AND floppy, wide-brimmed hats, with- out which no garden party dress can be complete, have returned in the most tempting forms. Wide-brimmed and drooping, with brim upturned enough at the front to give a glimpse of the brow, they are hats that Lady Hamilton might have converted—hats that a Romney, rather than a Gains- borough, might have painted. Colors were never more important, and so important are colors generally that there is no danger of the pre- dominance of one particular color or a few definite shades. Fairly dark or neutral tones for street wear in town, if you wish to be con- servative; bright clear tones for the open spaces when the sun shines brightly, and the softer pastel tones for the declining hours of the day. That is 2 good rule to follow in considering ap- - propriate colors for Summer. (Copyrisht. 1930.) Too Late to Teach Manners Children Permitted t Run Wild May Sometimes Shock Guests—Instructions at Last Minute Pro- duce Very Little Im- provement. BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON. “LIS’TEN to me, children,” said the mother of Latimer and Louise, “Mrs. Christy and Mrs. Miller are com- ing to lunch today. I want you to show them that you have some manners. They’ll be here when you come in from school and I'll have to introduce you. ‘What will you do, Louise?” Louise spread her dress and twice | bent a bony knee with a motion tha would have landed her a job as a tap | dencer, Her mother looked on admiringly. “That's right. Curtsy to each of them. How about you, Latimer?” B “Why how ja do!” grinned that gen- | tleman with exaggerated cordiality, crooking his elbow and holding out a grimy paw. “Now look here—ng acting up! Show me! What are you going to do when I introduce you to the ladies?” “Oh, I guess I know how to shake hands!” he scoffed. “Just watch me.” “Huh, if you don't wash 'em they'll think they're shaking hands with Rags," Louise interjected. “‘Oh, yes! Don't forget to pull out the chairs for the ladies when we sit down at the table, Latimer. And we're having bouillon. Don’t gargle it. When your cup’s half empty you may pick it up in one hand and drink the rest. Drink, I said, not gulp.” “Jiminy Crismus, you'd think I never saw any comp'ny before. I guess I got manners. Anyway I got as many as little Upsy Daisy here!” “Well, we'll see. And do try not to upset your water all over the table. Now run along. It's school time.” Mrs. Christy and Mrs. Miller, club guests from a neighboring suburb, where some of the children had gov- ernesses and none of the dogs had fleas, got out of Mrs. Gilbert's coupe and sur- veyed the Gilbert premises. “We're having luncheon a little early,” explained Mrs. Gilbert. ‘“Latimer and Louise have to get back to school.” “You have children?” » “Oh, yes! Two darlings—a boy and a girl. I do want you to see them. ‘We're so proud of them.” By this time the guests’ wraps were removed and they were being ushered to the piano on which lay a Florentine folder containing the latest views of Latimer and Louise. “First impressions last,” thought Mrs. Gilbert with relief. ‘“At least they'll see them clean.” A sudden banging of the front door Summer and Even Small Plots May Be Used and Scheme Worked Out Accord- ing to Definite Plan. Study of Periods in and a whistle like a fire siren announced the coming of Latimer. - “Hello, Mom! Where are you, Mom? Tony’s just gone round to the back door. He says he wants his for diggin’ those flower beds last mont Oh!” His mother in<’ “Come in Latimer.” | troduced him. : “How do!” nodded Latimer awkward- Iy, and “How do you do,” replied the guest ladies. % Another bang announced Lotilse. "Ygs hoo! Yoo hoo!' Where’s every- . "Come in, Louise,” called her mother. “Ladies, this is my daught -] Louise, quicker than her brother, - ‘c:uxhc her cué and curisicd smartly. “Hoh! You'd look better doin’ that if you'd wash your face, Upsy Daisy. The end of your nose is black. Must a been leanin' up against a coal bank.” | “Oh, shut up! .You're not so pure.’ , Mom, ‘lock at his hands—I fold you | h='d come home d'rty. And I'm goin' ' to tell you somrthing else. He 't wash for schcol either this mo; 3 He turn-d on the water and let it run I'd think h2 wes washin’, but T was popin’ through. the bath room door , &0’ ! “Chi'dren! Children!™ begged their: ,me h-r. “Now run up, both of you, and c cl:aned up for lunch. It's just Latimer remembered to pull out the chairs. But his memory ended there. He took his soup in whoops and gulps— he upset his water inside of three min- utes by the clock, tilted his chair back. perilously and let it go down with a bang that shook the house. Louise kept shooting out a thread- like arm toward a siver dish of al- monds. All through luncheon her young teeth kept crunching nuts. She stared when the ladies talked and in- terrupted frequently to relate a per- sonal experience of her own. 4 “Gee, Mom! I wish we had company often,” Latimer blurted out finally. “I'm full enough to bust. We don't have good things like this other days. Well, we gotta be goin’ Lou'se. Better come on. Clock says 10 to.” 5 They put down their napkins and at an intense look from their mother re- membered to mutter, “Excuse us!” A minute later a shattering bang of the front door echoed their departure, The two luncheon guests from the 1high-toned suburb exchanged a signifi- cant glance which was not lost on the perturbed Mrs. Gilbert. That night the lady related the whole dreadful affair to her husband. “I can’t teach them! I can't!” ‘she sobl “You can’t—can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. And that's what they are—little pigs.” “Don’t worry, Laura, forget it.” He patted her encouragingly. “We're about 10 years late to teach them manners, I'm thinking. If the kids and the company don't mix, cut the company.” “You're just right I will, until I can get some sense into them. But it's just about 10 years too late—you're right ; about ‘that, too. | “If I ever have another child I'm ' going to grind up a book of etiquet and feed it to him in his milk bottls Garden Days | tea, to read or to gain a few moments | |or an hour for quiet meditation. * i Just as we im':s"‘ pe{lod.s wln fl:,r’nhh- ngs so we are nning to stu - riods in gardening. We do not fol these periods blindly any more than we should follow periods furnis) blindly, but we let them govern the set- ' ting out of this garden space, whether it is big or little. Thus one may have & garden suggestive of the Italian Renaissance. Another may follow. the Gardening. traditions of English gardens of a - tury ago. Colonial gardens s d many and are not difficult to achieve, short cape sleeve is very smart. Upper right: Shantung, that smart and practical fabric for warm weather wear, is used iece suit. The cutaway jacket has soft revers and collar which give it the chic dress- maker touch, and the blouse of pleated net is charmingly feminine. Extrems left: The most useful garment in the whole wardrobe is the four-piece light wool suit. In this model of brown wool the one-piece brown and white print dress may be used alone or as a tuck-in blouse under the skirt. The coat may be used separately to great advantage, or as of the ensemble. Center: Again the cane appears, in shoulder-fitting form, on this cham flat crepe. s color flat crepe frock. The short sleeves follow the line of the cape and inverted tucks are the only, and entirely adequate, irimming. Right: The soft dressmaker suit is perfectly presented in this model of black The white blouse, with its normal waistline and flaring line on the sleeves being important style details. Social Diversions Help Most Women ‘You will usually find that the house- wife who has no taste for society and | refers to spend her leisure hours at jome as a feeling, either expressed or cherished, that the woman who goes away from home when her housework is done is a “gadder.” She is sure that her work is not properly done and she | is sorry for her husband. ‘Yet the surprising thing is that often | those women whom we see leaving their houses in the early afternoon dressed for social diversion, women who are frequently busied in charity and church activities, are excellent housewives. Fhey seem to be able to work more rapidly, and more directly wagn they are in- l:?l!ed by anticipation of social diver- on. Instead of exhausting them this di them. Sometimes all that a housewife needs by way of tonic to make her find re- | newed strength to go about her house- hold tasks is a little more outside di- | version. Often such diversion is most beneficial when it is shared with other women whose duties at home are much like her own. She has opportunity then to find how other women are solving their problems, and to see that few of her housewifely trials are peculiar to her own lot. Hence it is that membership in a woman’s club with regular social meet- ings to attend, or in a card club, often is ‘the greatest sort of help. If the woman takes her only diversion in at- tending the theater or motion pictures she sometimes feels her discontent. The diversion is good while it lasts, but when it is over she is in the sgme rut and groove so far as her own fork is con- cerned. Silk Suits for Town Wear ONI of the prettiest and most practical fashions of recent years is the silk suit. It strikes just the right note for warm weather. For general wear in town a dress minus a coat always looks a bit fly-away, in other words, incomplete, So the suit solves this problem. It may be of plain or printed crepe with a short, unlined coat. Some- times it is two-piece, a dress and coat, which is practical, as there are times when the dress can be*worn alone. Or, it is a skirt and jacket with a tuck-in blouse. These suits are as cool as they are smart. There are many times when a silk suit is just the thing to wear under a light-weight tweed coat when going for a day’s motor trip to the country and one does not want to Ye in actual sport clothes. The silk suit has really beconie an essential part of the wardrobe for Summer, jusi as the cloth suit is for Spring and Fall. The designs used this yea. are more restrained than those of the past. Tiny dots and stars are in first favor, as also are invisible checks. If a flower motif is used, it is & small, close. repeat design. is an excellent idea for the obvious reason that unless one has a great number of clothes, including several such suits, one does not tire nearly s0 soon of an unobtrusive -design. HELEN BRYDEN. Women Have Long Used Cosmetics Some people seem to think that the |use of powder and rouge is an entirely | modern innovation. They speak of the use of cosmetics in general as a modern tendency. They draw their conclusions in a too personal way. The woman of 50 recalls | that neither her mother nor her grand- mother used face powder—much less | rouge or lipstick. Ergo these aids to beauty were not used in the old days. | The fact of the matter probably is that mother lived in a small town and | grandmother lived in the country—the woman in question lives in a big city, sees something of fashionable life and spends a month or so every year in Parls. She is comparing the unso- phisticated woman of 40 or 50 years ago with the sophisticated woman of today. And she forgets that women of fashion and sophistication have almost always been inclined to the use of cosmetics. Modern living conditions make it pos- sible of course for a far greater pro- portion of the population to follow the lead of fashion. Girls in small towns and villages have opportunities of fol- owing the fashion that were not dreamed of generations ago. But fash- fon has not changed—it has only been spread out more widely. ‘The really noteworthy thing concern- ing the use of cosmetics is that they are so much better than they used to be. “The bright child in the London ele- mentary schools has now all forms of higher ‘education, up to the university, open to hig,” said Sir John Gilbert. chairman of'the London education com- mittee, recently. BY BETSY CALLISTER. FEW years ago few people who did not have large country estates with at least one gardener thought very much about producing distinctive effecis in their gardens. They planted their fa- vorite flowers, had trees that they thought suitable for shade, put in shrubs to conceal too-apparent founda- tions, with lattices or arbors here and there to hide back doors or clothes-dry- ing yards. But that was usually the ex- tent of their efforts. Surely they sel- dom strove to produce distinctive period. effects—these persons of moderate means and moderate property. Now even the owner of a house with a back yard barely 20 feet square is apt to think of this patch of earth as the foundation for an interesing and dis- tinctive garden—not something to be looked at from windows indoors or to show a patch of green with the color of flowers to passersby. but as an outdoor living room, a bit of outdods in which to enjoy the shade or sunlight, to drink Japanese gardens lend themselves well to small spaces. Perhaps the best way to bégin is to | study books on decorative gardening, ! following these up by tions from the nurserymen’s catal Visit garden shows when you can. 3 make a diagram. That is, draw a chart those where there are greal areas. | Indicate also slopes and hollows, with locations of rocks or stony places. Now block in all trees and shrubs already es- hh&fllofl ku‘nd then u::. aside an lli::r or so to making out working for this new garden of yours. . In most -American . wooden garden furniture painied white is most in keeping. If it is taken in late in the =~ Autumn and receives reasonable care it is fairly durable. Some of this furpi- - ture, such as gateways and trellises and little bridges over tiny brooks or ponds, may have (o be left out through wintry . winds and snows, but if it is painted . . frequently it remains intact for many .. . years. (Copyright, 1930.)