Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-11-04

API.a.la sa;s On Dress.

II nature has blessed woman with
graceful form, she employs the conceits
of dress to enhance her charms If she be
lowered with q hoaely figure. she uses
fbe same means to conceal defects and
supply artificial adornmenfs. While.
therefore, dress is not a thing Of intrinsic
value, 1t is so important matter that no
lady can afford to neglect it. By this it IS
not meant to assert that it is woman's
duty to follow all the mandates OF fashion,
however absurd She may not be fash
iopable, according TO the latest mode, and
vet be well dressed she may also be the
very s.glass Of fashion," even to the last
extreme, and never be well dressed, To
dress well Is to wear what becomes one
IN style and color.
Ofwhat is suitable for her TO wear every
woman must determine for herself. and
the more intelIigently she decides this
important question the more satisfying
wifi be the result Nor should she for
get two important considerations in max
up her mind, First, it is not becoming
to dress more extensively ana showiiy
. than ones means and social station re-
quire American women are too prone
TO ape a styIe and costliness which those
only who have wealth and position require
or can afford. Second, 1t is right to dress
according to ones own taste and sense OF
propriety, and at the same time to pay
due Difference to the opinions Of others
whom il is desirable to please
A sarcastic French critic is accused Of
saying that "women dress to excite the
envy of their own sex; and everybody
understands that they dress. or ought to
dress, TO please the eyes Of the other sex.
Il Ia fitting that "beauty should go beau,i-
fully arrayed," and it is also right for one
who boasts no special charms or grace Of
figure 10 80 arrange her costume as to con-
ceal or modify blemIshes and accent her
good points. Again it is both innocent
and natural for woman to like pretty
things, and who shall deny her the privi-
lege OF 50 adapting them as to make their
beauty count to her own advantage. "A
consciousness OF being thoroughly well
dressed produces satisfaction that relig-
ion never affords"
But this point should not be dropped
without being fairly answered. Briefly
then. a woman should dress to please her.
self first, then to please the eyes of men,
and, lastly, to gain the praise of such of
her own sisterhood as will give her the
benefit OF their honest criticism without
being jealous of her. And all this wo-
man may do consistently with economy
and the demands of slender purse.
The special purpose of this article is to
offer some general hints about what is and
what is not appropriate in dress. 1t is
not true that If one lady looks well in a
certain style of costume, another lady
may adopt it with equal advantage.
VVnrfh Of n~nol1ant al
as the most fashionable designer of femi-
nine costumes in Paris. perhaps in the
world, once said: because | invent a
beautiful costume for a young and grace
iul woman. it should not be worn by fat
dowager. But the dowager will have it
in spite of all entreaty. Nowadays there
are no old women and very few middle
aged ones. As for fat women they don't
exist" This is a good text for every
woman to ponder who would dress well,
and it contains the secret of this little
homily.
II is unfortunate in some respects that
the fashion plates on consulting which so
many ladies, especially in the country,
depend for their ideas, represent only
young and slender forms to wear their
model dresses. He or she. who would get
up fashion book illustrating what is
most appropriate for elderly and stout
women. would do an inestimable service
to TIE race, whether the female sex appre-
ciated the effort or not. But as this article
seeks to help rather than to fiatter read
ers, tire writer will not hesitate from any
motives of false delicacy to admit that the
slender. graceful aud youthful lady is the
exception, while the rule is that the art a
dressmaker has most need of is that which
covers those defects of person that the
pride of woman forbids her to magnify or
dwell upon. Consequently it is to the
majority Of readers that these hints will
apply.
There are certain popular errors about
the means of increasing the apparent
height Of fat women which need correct
ing. A short woman is apt TO think she
looks taller for wearing a very long waist.
But Mrs. Oakley says: The shorter the
woman the shorter should be her dress
waist and the longer her skirt" Women
are often deceived concerning this matter,
by Inspecting the effect of long waists in
their mirrors. But the glass does not tell
the whole truth, because it fails to con-
vince her of the fact th.s what is appar-
entity added to the height above must be
subtracted from the apparent height be-
low the waist so that the practice of wear
ing very long waists produces an appear
ance OF natural deformity which no wo-
man covets. Height depends not on the
measurement of the trunk alone but also
of the lower limbs. and it is the combined
length of the two portions of the BODY
that distinguishes the tall from the short
person. Nothing is more fatal to the car
riage of short woman than to dress s's
as to give her the appearance of being
''duck-legged "
Another point may be added in this
communication. All ladies with ten
dency to stoutness use every known arti-
flee to make them look slim. and it is very
important to them to understand what
devices will be successful in this direction
and what will only magnify the defect.
To reduce the appearance of stoutness,
begin with the neck. Avoid wearing the
hair falling from the head or any pendant
head ornaments. Standing ruffies shorten
the throat. therefore avoid them. Remem-