The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-03-21
Worth, the Man Milliner.

Kate Field gossips about Worth, the
celebrated man milliner, of Paris, as fol-
lows: Worth is q tallish man, with a
big clever head aud very prominent
forehead, His brown eyes are singular
ly shrewd in expression, and their seiz-
ure of detail is surprising-that is for q
man. AS rule, men have no more eye
for detail than owls have for the sun.
Worth takes you in at q glance, and
knows what your style ought to be,
which is such comfort. When I go to
dress-maker, 1 don't care to I" work my
passage" 1 went to order my harmony
in one OF two colors, and to encounter
brains aqual to the occasion. Worth's
taste, when allowed full play, is ire
proachable. I prefer simplicity to
anything else," he says, but there are
women who don't believe in the value of
dress unless it is loaded with trim
ming. They drive me mad, for they
can't take advice. Now, what is becom.
ing to one person, is hideous when worn
by another. 1 study to make the best
out of subject given me, as, unfortun-
ately, we can't have people made to
order, can we? If L had my own way
all women should be slight, graceful and
pretty. Then, dressing would be an ar
tistic pleasure. A dress should never
overpower the wearer. 1t should merely
be an appropriate frame for charming
picture, bringing out the beauties of the
picture but never detracting attention
from it. So few women understand this.
Why, when I find can make costume
for less money than had been agreed
upon, actually annoyed clients by tell
ing them so. They think it cannot be as
handsome as it ought to be, and the
would rather have more material added,
however much the design might be
marred, than pay less. 1 assure you
this is a fact. Consequently, when 1
meet ladies who know that dressing is
an art, L take very great satisfaction in
them as patrons. 1t isn't every woman
who knows how to wear dress. When
L have done my best, I try to make my
client do her best by seeing her walk
and sit down. TO walk with style is rare
enough; but when it comes to being
able to sit down in dress properly
we'll, there is not many equal to that I
can tell you. Then, women think they
ought to have number of dresses, and
would rather be seen every day in q new
toilet, however hideous, than wear one
dress however becoming. There never
appropriate, stick to it. Don't be getting
out of it, and trying experiments. 1
have just made dress for Madame Mill
son, in which she appears better than I
ever saw her before, and 1 have begged
her to wear that dress constantly in
Russia, if she wants to produce a most
charming effect. AS she is sensible, I
think she will take my advice, which,
you perceive is against my interests, but,
gracious me, money is not my only OBJ
iect. Art is intended to beautify nature,
not TO deform it."
You'd appreciate how fine an artist
Worth is, by going to his villa at Sur
esne. 1t is one of the marvels of Paris
ian suburbs. [ never saw such harmony
of ensemble, every bit fitting into every
other bit as though it were mosaic
Worth has been his own architect, gar
dener, designer, upholsterer. There's
not carpet nor a curtain that he did
not invent. Stuffs and chairs have been
made for him. and for him only. The
hangings in his library are works of art
in the way of embroidery. The rare old
china, which is Worth's particular
frenzy, and with which many of the
walls are inlaid, would drive Mr.. Glad
stone mad with delight. The eye is per-
petually gratified, and when you step
into the garden, the view of Paris, the
Bois de Boulogne, and the country for
miles around, is dream of beauty.
This villa lies directly beneath Mont
Valerin, the finest sight in the neighbor-
hood OF Paris. Then there are ruins in
the garden, made out of stones, pillars
and statuary, brought from the Tuilleries,
and bought by Worth after the Com
mune had done its worst Seated on
lovely terrace made out of the imperial
wreck, listening to an Eolian harp,
gazing at the city Of splendor at my feet,
and breathing air stepped in glorious
sunshine. 1 passed one of the most
charming afternoons of my life. Worth,
in quaint, flowing gown and skull cap,
that made him look tremendously like
Hogarth, entertained the Duchesse de
and ourselves with stories OF the
Commune, and when we left We were
firmly convinced that one of the cleverest
men England has produced in this cen
turv ig Worth the 6rescmakar