1918 Fashions

From the Illustrated London News, 9th March 1918. 

LADIES’ PAGE.

THIS is the time of year when, in the happy days before the war, we all began to think about new spring fashions, as naturally as the buds begin to open and the birds to sing.  Now, we are thinking chiefly of sterner, sadder things.  Nevertheless, we must be clothed, and when we really need new things it is worth while to have them as pretty and suitable as possible.  Many girls who had but few and cheap clothes while they depended on a dress allowance from their fathers are now earning their own money at some form of war work, and it is quite natural that they should spend some of it on pretty and becoming dress.  On the other hand, richer women feel that it is "bad form" to be extravagant or to adopt any outré styles.  Both these facts are reflected in the spring displays of designs.  There is a general simplicity, straight and loose cut, restraint in trimming, no great alteration from last year's best styles, and everything shown is comparatively inexpensive.  The prices are, however, affected by the scarcity of some materials.  Woollen goods are doubled in price by the manufacturers because the raw material is scarce, and even at raised prices goods are not abundant.  This fact has been officially recognised in France; the Government has actually requested the great Paris dress-designing houses to construct women's new dresses so as to use up as little material as possible.  The spring models, therefore, have all moderately narrow skirts; but no "hobble" widths are seen—just a comfortable fulness.  Rumour says that the width will presently become still less, and that the fashion of yesteryear of slitting up the sides of skirts will be revived.  It is also certain that there will be a slightly increased length worn, for very short skirts require considerable fulness to move gracefully in, but still sensible shortness prevails.  It is usually just well above the ankle that the skirt of the moment ends—not as it was erstwhile, near the middle of the calf.

When we know that pure wool fabrics (needed in our climate for a large part of the year) are difficult to obtain, a cloth that is guaranteed to be genuine hand-woven wool and that at the same time is entirely produced in Scottish homesteads by wounded or disabled sailors and soldiers, must strongly appeal to us all.  Messrs. Burberrys, the well-known Haymarket firm, have undertaken to dispose of the whole output of this material, so that it can only be obtained from that house or its authorised agents, under the distinctive name of "Blighty Tweeds."  These cloths are woven on hand-looms from the finest Scotch sheep's wool, and are ideal for men's and women's over-coats, suits, and gowns.  The colourings and designs are good, and the tweeds are lasting in wear as well as soft and fine.  They are sold at the lowest possible economic price, and every member of the public who purchases them experiences the satisfaction of feeling that he is making some practical return for the self-devotion of our sailors and soldiers.  Every piece of "Blighty Tweed" is marked with the name of the wounded man who has woven it, who is thus brought into sympathetic contact with the purchaser.