The boutique is to haute couture almost what the bargain basement is to U.S. department stores. Small shops set up to make use of expensive salons' ground-floor space, they originally sold perfume, jewelry and accessories. Then they began to carry casual clothes which, by salon standards, are inexpensive - as low as $58 a dress - with one fitting instead of the usual four. This year (1950 - my annotation) U. S. women's-wear buyers came back from Paris as steamed up by what they found in the boutiques as by what they found upstairs in the salons.
The boutiques specialize in original gadgets like the handle-bar collar (image above), made by Marcel Rochas to promote a perfume called Moustache. They also cater to the american taste for "separates" with ideas like Balmain's nine-layer skirt, most widely copied of the season's boutique imports.
Schiaparelli boutique was Paris first, displays sportswear and accessories amidst weird decor.
Nine-layer dress by Balmain has seven net skirts in different colors, one of lace and a basic white pique (on model) over which the others are worn.
All layers at once make a big skirt. They can be worn this way or in any combination. In Macy copies, pique skirt is $12.50; lace, $16; net, two for $9.
Semiexposed shoulders are laid bare by these sweaters from Schiaparelli boutique. They are Hattie Carnegie imports, left to right cost $35, $25, $15.
Modest midriffs, bared by the short sweaters, are covered for street wear by pique jerkins. Also a Schiaparelli ideea, Macy's copies are: left, V-neck jerkin ($6) over middy ($8); right, shoulder strap halter ($8) over cardigan ($9).
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