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Show HIGHLIGHTS OF SPRING OPENINGS SHOWN Paris Accents Femininity as an Escape From World's Woes Br R08ETTI HARGROVE In a world (ull of threat! of war and a general feelinf of unrest, the spring collections of the Pari couturiers are bright and shining spot Never have clothes bean more exciting, mora youthful or mora flatteringly feminine. One of the outstanding surprises of the openings was Schlaparelll'S abandonment of fashion details which were her special pets. The famous squared shoulders are now definitely sloped. Her once-plain once-plain Jackets bloasom with large pockets. Coattalls , In this collection art exaggerated, and there la a i suggestion f a bustle In many daytime skirt On ' evening gowns, bustles become an actuality, rather than a suggestion. Sh uses fewer gadgets and extreme trimmings. Spectacular is black sheath evening gown with skirt split to reveal one leg swathed in multi-colored chiffon ribbons. , it I . loom w k , If vl t33 '(i Short full skirts are the big newa of the hour. The ballerina silhouette silhou-ette Is prsvslsnt throughout all the collections, with many daytime skirts unbelievably full and equally unbelievably chart Sometimes they barely cover the kneee. Sometimes aa much as a full bolt of material is used ta fashion ens skirt The fuller the skirt ths shorter, af course, with It inches from ths floor an accepted length. For conservatives, there are plenty plen-ty ef daytime skirts that are moderately mod-erately full However, almost nothing noth-ing Is longer than 11 Inehee from the floor. Between II and la, da-pending da-pending on the shape of your legs. Is ths general rule. The desire te forget all talk af war la evidenced In poetic billowing evening gowns. And these contrast strikingly with sophisticated, streamlined, siren-like sheaths. Fluttering chiffons, lacea and sheen In sprtngtims mood rub shoulders with handsome yarn-dyed yarn-dyed stuff silks. Evening gowns are rich and color-ful. color-ful. Many are reminiscent of the gowns worn at the court of Louts XV. MId-Vlcterian and 'turn of the century" Influences are noted, toe. And the colonial Influence la stronger strong-er than waa expected. Crinolines still are featured. The majority are over taffeta petticoats with fullneae below the kneee in the second empire msnnsr. Neweet, however, Is ths psnnisr skirt with tremsndous fullness at hemline. Evening bodices are brief, often lightly boned, with off-shoulder decolleUgea or soft fichu lines and sometimes veiled. Strapless bodices still are headlined. Diagonal decol-letages decol-letages are newe. Brief boleros end amusing, frilly-hooded shoulder cspee are shown with many evening creations There's a prevalent note of femininity femi-ninity In play toga In addition to the full-skirted suits with basque Jackets, there are quantities of simple, moderately full skirts with hip length tailored jackets with center fastenings. Blouses hsve a more important place In the fashion picture than they have had for many a season. Trom strictly tailored linen ehlrt-maker ehlrt-maker types to frilly, frothy varieties va-rieties In lece-trlmmed chiffons and sheer organdie, they are Interesting Interest-ing in themselves. In topcoats for town jrou have a choice between flared redingoea with fitted tope and ful) hemlines or straight, unfitted types. Malnboch-efs Malnboch-efs full peasant skirted coat Is Important There are a few dropped waistlines waist-lines but in the main, they are normal nor-mal The smaller the better la ths ruls. Shoulders are square but not exaggeratedly ex-aggeratedly so. The formal afternoon dress Is revived. re-vived. And It lends Itself especially well to the full-eklrted. sllm-walsted silhouette. Plguet makes an aftsr-nooner aftsr-nooner with flared, gored skirt over a hooped petticoat. Petticoats In rustling taffeta are shown with everything. Some ehow below hemlines when skirts are in motion. , L Necklines remain high, although softsr, with scarfa, bows, collarettes, fichu effects snd Jabote Introducing Introduc-ing notee of flattery. Suite and coat and dress ensembles ensem-bles for afternoon make wide use of tie alike, failles, delicate pastel wools aa well as interesting silks In exotic weavae. Malnbocher Introdueea the French peaaant silhouette with full, straight skirt gathered at the waiatline to a fitted bodice, and featurea It In coats and evening gowna as well aa day dresses In this collection, filmy, black net dresses are completed with gayly embroidered bib aprons Lanvln's evening gowna are masterpieces. mas-terpieces. A swssping. pannlared gown of gunmetal faille baa a strapless, strap-less, corset bodice. Afternoon tall-leura tall-leura have short baaque Jeckete and flared eklrta. The models carry tall ebony canes. Typical of tha moil 1m portent suits in the Paris spring celtso irons Is tha short, full-tiirted modal at loft with pointed, hip-length hip-length jacket. Edges aro scalloped, slaavss ere plain. Notice tha bow neckline and ths mannish sailor with vailing tied in a huge bow at tha back. An eiemple of tha new wide, swing- Ing skirts, Is tha triple-tiered one shown at right on an afternoon after-noon dross of dotted silk. Tha dress has a fitted bodies with draped fichu neckline. Long, full sleeves accentuate the slim waistline. . . Footle billowing evening gowns ere prominent in the now Paris showings. This organdy, panniered evening gown has a deep band of moire ribbon around the hemline undar the garland of reembroldered chintt rotes. Notice the pointed bodict and ths draped decollete which dremeliies tha shoulder line. It's shown with tiny gauntlets and a "Dauphin" coiffure high In front, low in back with ribbon bow. |