Screenland (Nov 1929-Apr 1930)

for February 1930 123 What's the Matter with Women's Clothes? Continued from page 33 black or tweed mixture. This costume should depend entirely on its cut for smartness— not on its color. As to style, it must suit the individual figure of the wearer. It should be of the very best material that can possibly be afforded. If women would only realize how much better it is to pay ninety dollars for one dress and wear it every day in the year instead of purchasing six dresses at fifteen dollars each, and never feeling really well dressed, we would see the streets filled with distinguished women. Now as to the length of the dress. While I am a conventionalist, I do not hold with long, sweeping skirts for morning wear. Nearly every woman in these days has a job — a real job which requires her getting around quickly. The period of barouches, dappled gray horses and coachmen and footmen in plum colored livery is past. The majority of women are hurrying on and off trams, street cars, busses, elevated railroads and the underground railroads. And it isn't possible under these conditions to adopt the longer skirt gracefully. But it should be several inches below the knee cap. Nothing gives such a gauche effect as a short .skirt riding over the knee. With the simple morning dress, naturally, is needed a plain, dark hat — with no jewelled pin. Plain shoes, stockings according to individual taste. A fur neckpiece, perhaps, but always good fur. If the weather is warm or the pocket-book light, a scarf can be used instead. Here you can give way to your desire for brilliant coloring. No jewels, absolutely, should be worn in the morning except a small string of real pearls. If the pearls cannot be afforded— then save up and buy a string of seed pearls. They are extremely lovely and not beyond the reach of the average pocket-book. Nor must we forget perfumes! Perfume is permissible at any hour of the day, if the wearer has an understanding of the fitness of things. Naturally, in the morning only the lightest of odors can be used. Never a heavy nor an exotic perfume. Perhaps you'll be thinking now that I am an old fogey. An old man, devoid of all love for life and color. But I assure you I am not. I am still in my thirties and have been a designer in my own name less than ten years. It was eighteen years ago that, as a youth, I crossed over the rough Irish sea from Ireland to England to become, as I supposed, a portrait painter. I was mad — and still am — about color. When my grandfather died, our estate became entailed, and I landed in London as poor as Dick Whittington. The only way I had of making a living was by painting watercolors, which I sold for a .shilling each. That earned my tea, bread and butter and my lodging, with an occasional treat of a sixpence worth of fish and chips. On the side I studied, and had the great fortune to make the acquaintance of Orpen, the painter. Then I secured a post as fashion artist and designer for the house of Lady Duff Gordon, better known as Lucille, in London. With my daily livelihood thus taken care of, it looked as though I might soon have enough money to study painting seriously, when the first bugles of war sounded a farewell to my dreams. I joined up, as a Tommy; later I was made a second lieutenant; still later, a captain. A bullet through the forefinger of my right hand destroyed my nopes of ever becoming a portrait painter. Shrapnel in various portions of my body pushed further away my ambitions for reaching the top of the artistic world. Many months were spent in hospitals behind the front lines. And even the Military Cross didn't seem much of a compensation for what I had lost — my dream of becoming a painter. And still the war went on. As soon as I was patched up enough I went back to the front. And here I noticed something which few seem to have observed. A large majority of the world thought that writers, musicians, artists of all kinds, had no place at the front. That their natures would unfit them to meet things in the rough. I never found this so. In my command, those who made the best soldiers were the sensitive ones whose nervous energy kept them plugging away in spite of all hell when around them many a phlegmatic soldier was down and out. When all the shooting was over I came back to London. Unemployment was terrible. Men of fine professions walked the streets in ragged clothes, broken shoes, and old army overcoats. That was the saddest aspect of English life in the days of 1918 to 1920. I always wanted to get into business for myself. And thanks to the' belief of two friends who advanced the money, and my previous experience with the house of Lucille, I was able to start in business in Paris. That was ten years ago. Today I have my headquarters in Paris, and branch establishments in Biarritz,, Cannes and Monte Carlo — employing in all sixteen hundred people. I design and make cos' tumes and blend and manufacture perfumes. Just six months ago, I opened a New York branch of my perfumery business. To my establishments come women from all over the world. I have dressed queens and princesses, business women, actresses, home women, opera .singers and movie stars. And those who achieve a continued distinction of dress are the ones who understand the absolute necessity of wearing the proper frock at the proper time and who understand the necessity of dressing to suit their own individual style instead of following, sheep-like, the current mode. From my experience with many different kinds of women I have found that their afternoon clothes give them the most trouble. Unless a woman has exquisite taste when she goes into the realm of the afternoon dress, she is apt to select too ornate a model. For such occasions I should suggest a silk, satin, georgette or velvet gown. This time it is not necessary to be so conservative. The dress can be longer. It can be of a more subtle cut. Here you can let your love of color have a little more sway. Not too much, you undersand. But any of the pastel shades can be used. Also a rich red or burgundy or purple. However, you must be most careful to study the psychology of afternoon dress, and wear nothing obvious. You must still depend upon the cut rather than the color alone to make this costume a complete success. The hat may be large or small, to suit the style of the gown; and this time the jewelled pin or some other slight decoration may be used. But this must not be overdone. The shoes, too, may be more decorative. Of satin, with cut steel SHADE your HAIP^ ? 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