Style Specter

In U.S. newspapers last week, big bold advertisements for mammoth summer clearance sales fought for space with the chichi ads of the new fall fashion collections. Big & little stores everywhere were trying desperately to unload their wartime inventories. They were also trying to prove to their somewhat skeptical customers that current fashions according to the L85 fabric-conservation order are really haute couture.

Meanwhile the two major fashion magazines described the new fashions. Said Vogue: "New York fashion houses . . . have staged a sort of bloodless silhouette revolution . . . and no L85 rules broken. . . ." Said Harper's Bazaar: "Hide your flat stomach. . . . Unsquare your shoulders . . . shoulders are curves on sleeves blown out like blown glass. . . ."

Both Vogue and Harper's Bazaar were stoutly blowing a horn for retailers, manufacturers and designers. Since war began, designers have proudly advertised their ability to do much with little cloth--and each year have managed to come up with something new.

This year, with a neat banishment of old pencil-slim lines, they did it again. Skirts were longer; waists were laced in; sleeves were rounded at the shoulders. Some ensembles hugged, some billowed and sagged. Hats flared, swirled, ran or circled monotonously (counseled Harper's Bazaar: "Be round-headed").

As millions of well-heeled U.S. women bought whatever they could get, as they always do, the garment makers and sellers felt safe and sure that all fall lines could be safely moved before Christmas. Then a frightening specter arose. Without warning, WPB announced that it was set to repeal the L85 order. OPA, which feared for its price ceilings, at once wagged a warning finger. In Manhattan's teeming garment center, there was great consternation.

To Washington trooped the innumerable advisory committees of the industry. They protested that even the mere prospect of more fabric now would mean chaos for the manufacturers, and even worse for retailers who would be stuck with millions of dollars worth of war goods. Said they: if customers thought basic style changes were in the offing or that quality would soon improve they might wait until winter, or longer if necessary.

WPB was unmoved. The Army had cut back 174,000,000 square yards of cotton, rayon and nylon fabric--a move that in itself made almost immediate reconversion of the garment industry possible. And if reconversion was possible in any line, WPB meant to start it rolling.

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