ALWAYS IN VOGUE

Notwithstanding the dual credit, this is the autobiography of the mother, Edna Woolman Chase, who spent more than a half-century on Vogue most of that time as Editor-in Chief. Her tale begins with her life as a career woman, a minority role, in the early 1900's. Her first editor on Vogue had a courage and candor towards fashion wonderful to behold. This remarkable lady wrote, ""Humps. Women today are all covered with humps. Big humpy sleeves, humps on their hips, humps on their behinds, it's nonsense."" Mrs. Chase took a more conventional view towards fashion as she moved into the managerial post. Before that big day a bright young publisher came out of the middle west, Conde Nast, and he and Mrs. Chase formed a life-long partnership. The book carries the story of fashions and the Vogues of New York, Paris and London through the century and reports the changing attitudes of the magazine towards the classes that wear fashions. It includes interesting glimpses of talented members of the Vogue family like Frank Crowninshield, Edward Steichen, etc. Mrs. Chase ends her book with advice to aspirant young fashion editors and tells the girls to lunch occasionally at a fashionable restaurant even if they can afford no more than a poached egg. There are many interesting moments but surprisingly enough this is a rather pedestrian recital of a working woman's career. More Edna than Ilka.