X:
What Well Dressed Women Will Wear
By ANNE RITTENHOUSE—Copyright, 1922, All Rights Reserved
Revival of Ancient Venetian Clothes Stimulate Designers
Over in Paris there are two
Italian houses which have been
doing a rushing business with
• Americans. One is Babani. The
other is Fortuny.
S After American tourists had
gone about to the well-known
if dressmaking houses who launch
new ideas and fabrics, they cheer
* fully spent .their money at one or
the other of these Venetian
shops. At such plays as “Ta
Bouche,” where one could hear
the most tuneful melodies in
Paris and gaze at smartly
dressed women, one could spot
these Italian gowns throughout
the audience. Americans wore
the majority of them.
The reason the American
women waxed enthusiastic about
such clothes was the ease with
which they could slip into them
without the exhaustion of fittings,
. the loss of time through appoint
ments. The garments were on
the shelves, they were adjusted
to the figure, and usually fol
‘ lowed the buyer to the hotel
within the hour. Life is very
simple when one can buy color
ful and stimulating clothes at a
minimum expenditure of time.
The Italian houses offered still
another bait. They undersold
the w e 11-known dressmaking
houses. This was due to a natu
ral industrial condition; the gar
ments were made in bulk in Italy
in different sizes and, because of
i their apparent shapelessness,
they could be easily adjusted to
any normal figure.
Over here, Americans acknowl-!
edge these gowns on each other]
wherever social life is whirling.
The trick of recognition has gone
so far that it promotes a kind of
good fellowship. One woman
passes another in the theatre,
looks at her ruby colored crushed
velvet gown embroidered in a
pattern of silver Renaissance lace
with sleeves that come to the
hand, and a neck line that
■reaches to the eollar bone, and
s i says in a half whisper, “Ba
fbani’s.” And the two women
_] smile at each other.
A man thought this was a new
game, something like “Beaver.”
He looked about for beards.
“Did you say ‘Beaver,’ ” he
, .asked of a woman in the theatre.
“Where is he.”
“He? What?” was her puz
zled answer. “I said ‘Babani’
for the woman near me wears
.’one.”
“But, is it a new game for
■ women like ‘Beaver,’ ” he asked.
Then she explained. And he
was disgusted. “Oh, clothes,” he
■' said, and let the subject drop.
Back to the Court of Doges
Because an American woman
could walk into a shop out of the
rush and turmoil of Paris traffic
and buy a gown she could wear
•that night, which cost her 1,100
francs, she took quick advantage
of the chance. The fact that it
was ruby or gray, yellow or
brown velvet, half covered with
the open floriated pattern of
Fourteenth Century*Venice, gave
her the right to believe it would
attract attention. And it did.
If she could buy a wrap for
1,200 francs made of crushed
velvet, warm and protective, with
a deep Italian cape about the
shoulders heavily embroidered,
she snatched at it. In truth, it
was difficult to get Americans
out of these two shops. They
found garments that were higher
and lower in price than this, but
with the franc running above 13
to a dollar, they felt as though
they were getting clothes almost
for nothing.
Women who did not want
frocks and wraps bought blouses,
kimonas, even pajamas. Not that
anyone in Fourteenth Century
Italy wore pajamas, but Venice
borrowed a leaf from the Persian
book and prepared exotic trous
ers with long tunics of velvet and
brocade that would catch the eye
of others than an actress who was
playing in one of the half million
bedroom farces that constitute
America’s chief form of theatri
cal amusement.
Italian Influence Is Widespread
It was not given to every
woman to go over to Paris this
year and be able to buy these
ready-to-wear Italian clothes, but
their influence is spreading
through the talk of tourists who
brought them home.
They are being copied and
women find they are easy to
build. True crushed velvet of
Venice is not easy to buy in this
country and it gives a certain
antique look to the frock that
women like, but the heavy satin
of'other Italian garments, and
thin fine velvet, are used with
good result. The Italian rumpled
velvet looks like a fabric that has
been washed and left to dry with
out ironing. It has its practical
side, for it does not show creas
ing and crushing. The smooth
velvets do.
These particular colors are not
always easy to get in this coun
try, but women who are search
ing for fabrics should remember
that a deep wine red, a soft yel
low beige, a warm light gray and
faded copper are shades that give
such garments the look of old
Italy.
There is not much variety in the
decoration. It is either embroid
ered in several colors in a small
floriated pattern with cross lines
of embroidery or tarnished metal
; thread, or it is the open pattern
of Venetian lace, one that is well
known. Most women are familiar
with it through table linen, large
collars and wide cuffs.
The lace is always in gold or
silver; never of white thread.
Deep borders of it are used on the ■
skirt or around the oblong Italian
decolletage. Rarely is the lace
used on both bodice and skirt, for
it is mediaeval'in weight and ap
pearance of splendor. Too much
of it spoils the effect.
The cut of the gown is straight,
like a chemise, 'and the girdle is a
string of the fabric wound once or
twice around the upper part of
hips. The sleeves are long, tied
at the wrist, wrinkled up to the
! elbows and of excessive width at
the top. They are not set in at the
shoulders; they are cut as part of
the gown. The garment slips over
the head.
The Venetian wraps have de
lighted American women, for they
serve many purposes, from the
bathroom to the opera. They are
usually square with wide sleeves
and a deep decoration of metallic
lace around the neck and down
front. The lining is often the yel
low of gold, the inside fabric is
satin the outside fabric is velvet.
Some of these wraps have em
broidery instead of metal lace, but
they are not so effective.
None of them have fur. None
of the Venetian clothes are found
with fur. They call for pearls,
for strings of jade or coral, or the
bright blue crystals that have the
coloring of Italian lakes. These
blue necklaces came into first
fashion in Paris along with the
Venetian revival. They are a bit
less common than the green
Chinese beads. Women found that
they can- wear any of these bead
necklaces with the Italian gown
better than with the modern
American frocks.
Venetian Tunics Rival the Chinese
When one has to pay in Ameri
ca fifty dollars more or less for a
good-looking overblouse with
striking decoration, it is not to be
wondered at that the Americans
quickly picked up in Paris the Ve
netian blouses of heavy crepe de j
chine or satin, daringly and de- i
lightfully decorated, at' less than
twenty dollars. They are swag
gering about quite proudly in
these garments in their own home
towns. They look rich and ex
pensive and one only whispers the
real price to an intimate friend.
Then one says it is francs.
They are not caught in at the
hips like the average overblouse.
They flare considerably at each
side, they are rather short, and
the decoration is often bright
Italian blue and gold. The sleeves
slope upward from waistline to
elbow, grow tight and wrinkled
at the wrist, where they are fast
ened with a bright band of blue
and gold embroidery that reaches
up the sleeve to elbow. There is
a deep opening in front which is
fastened up with small loops and
buttons edged and decorated with
bright blue and gold.
FURS
FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS
We advise a visit to our Fur Depart
ment. See the Latest Handsome Models
of the Highest Quality Garments at a j
Big Saving. i
FINE FUR GARMENTS
AT A SPECIAL
Select Any of Our
20
DISCOUNT
GIFTS THAT WILL BE
APPRECIATED
Oconto Knit Coats
or Sweaters
of Brushed Wool and Camel’s Hair.
Garments of class and refinement that
will be much worn during the cold
weather. The values are $15 to $20 a
garment.
At *10.50 Each.
FIBRE SILK SWEATERS
A beautiful garment that will give
good service and wear, and a gift
mother, wife, sister or sweetheart will
to | *5i<fhted with' The va,ue* *re $10
At $8.50 Each
Homespun and Tweeds
All pure Wool for snappy, stylish
Suits and separate Sport Skirts. We
offer 600 yards—66 inches wide, real
value $4.50 a yard
Special at $2.50 Per Yd.
SERGE
From 40 to 54 inchee wide. Regular i
$2.50 to $3.60 quality, ALL WOOL
Special at $2.00 Per Yd.
English Silk Corduroy
We have in stock about 500 yards
in all, in colors grey, navy blue, hunt
er's green and purple. The regular
value is $8.50 a" yard. To be closed
out at
$2.00 Per Yard
Men’s Suitings
A Line We Are Discontinuing
Pure Wool & Silk Mixture
58 to 60 Inches in Width
In a choice line of colors. Make
handsome Coat Suits, Separate Sport
Skirts and Wraps.
$4.00 to $6.00 Per Yard
Pure Silk Hose
Silk Hosiery direct from the mill, in
black, white and colors. They are well
and finely made with re-enforeed heels
and fit snugly at the ankle.
Our Price $1.00 Per Pair
Bogatin Bros.
1408 Atlantic Avenue
TELEPHONE 4417
Unquestionably
Safest and Best ||
A. & E. Lustreoil
Permanent Wave!
The only method wherein oils
are used DURING THE PRO
CESS of waving:
'r Adds lustre, beauty, health.
Don’t experiment when the best
is to be so easily obtained.
*v •. Prices Moderate
OTHER OFFICES
Ambassador Hotel, New York City; Spring
Lake, N. J.; Hot Springs, Va.
* WHERE RESULTS EXCEL PROMISES*
Ambassador Hotel—Phone 5800
FBOM FRANCE
As Beautiful as
the Most Priceless
Natural Pearls
IN ALL LENGTHS.
SIZES AND PRICES
YOUR selection can
be made from our
complete assortment—
one of the largest in ;
the United States.
J. SAMUELS
1033 Boardwalk
FLORINE GOWNS
Dressmaking
taught. Classes
Monday and
Thursday eve
nings.
v Call 4856-J
1331 PACIFIC
k AVENUE
Atlantic City
I.
J
STADLER’S
Market
(Exactly What the Exacting Exact)
4101 Atlantic Avempa
Phone 8162-W
Mnata, Grocariaa, Frail*
Fur Coat Sale
Years of Buying Experience Backed by Substantial
Capital, Enable Us to Buy Right and This
Advantage We Pass on to You
Boy Your Fur Coat
NOW
Foxes, $12.50 Each
Belgian Squirrel Chokers
$6.95
Australian Sable Coats
D value,
on sale at..
$100 value. Now ^22 50
Genuine Seal Skin Coats
Full flare models, full length.
Value $200. dMQ CA
Now on sale at..
Genuine Seal Chin-Chin Collar
$75.00
Skunk Collar and Cuff—Genuine
Seal Coats
Value $325
>" Capes,
Value $225
Seal Coat. $95.00
Genuine. Muskrat Coats
$325 Value.
Now
$97.50
Siberian Mink Capes
$600. Now on (O 1 f|
sale at .. ”
A11 our Fur Garments are lined
with very fine brocaded silk
Open Evenings
S. PEKIN & SONS
1024-26 Atlantic Avenue
(Opposite Press-Union Office) Phone 4012
S12 ATLANTIC AVE. Phone 692-J
Expert Repair Work
Shoes Shined and Cleaned
JOHN Z1NGARELLI
We Cell We Deliver
4103 VENTNOR AVE. Phone
VENTNOR ft
DELICATESSEN
HXNBT BBTOHKN. Prop.
The Bright Spot of
Ventnor
■ ‘A ' < '■ f
S203 Ventnor Avenue
Phono T«80-W r>M DolWorp