The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-08-17
Styles for Stout Women.


funny column, upon the fact that all the
fashion plates represent slender women,
and asks why it is that "the makers of
the fashions do not give the fat girls a
show" The matter is, however, by no
means joke to "the fat girls" Slen-
der, willowy figures are the correct
thing, and to be stout is to be altogether
out of fashion. Therefore, most of the
styles of the day are such as suit only
slight figures. Paris sets the fashions
for the world, and the theater has much
to do with setting the fashions for Paris.
Sara Bernhardt is an acknowledged
leader therein, and no woman living bet
ter understands the art of dress. But
Sara is thin to proverb, and she does
not dress, she Grapes and swathes herself
artistically, making of her meager figure
marvel of slender grace. But that
which is the perfection OF style on her
becomes ridiculous on stout woman.
Shirrings exaggerate her "embonpoint;"
pulled sleeves add breath to shoulders
already too broad for the standard of
fashion, and the suit designed for sylph
degenerates into caricature when worn
by some one who turns the scale at a
hundred and fifty pounds.
Unfortunately many Of the stout women
do not realize this. They array them
selves in many founces, which take
from their height: they don Mother
Hubbard capes, which give them round
shouldered appearance; they puff their
draperies into full paniers, and go on
making mistakes of the like nature with
an utter Inconsistencies, often extreme
ly amusing to their thin friends.
So many styles are in vogue, however,
and such latitude, within certain limits,
is allowed in dress that it is perfectly
possible for every woman to make the
best of her looks. Large plaids, for in
stance, increase the apparent breadth OF
the figure, but stripes, which are equally
fashionable, on the other hand give the
effect of added height. Perpendicular
trimmings have the same effect, and
plated skirts with scarf draperies and
closely fitting jersey basques are admir-
ably suited to stout figures. So, also,
some of the tablier (apron) styles,
punched rather fiat below the waist, and
with full, soft, but narrow drapery be-
hind, and bodice with short, pointed
basque, are extremely lady-like for large
women, since they give longer outline
to the tout ensemble.
A style of dress we'll adopted to stout
figures consists of plain black silk skirt
trimmed with two founces of striped
Louisine, tunic and a waist. The
hounces are plaided. and are about six
inches deep. The redingote tunic is OF
wo breadths of Lousine, lined with
silk crinoline to give it body, It opens
is trimmed with black Spanish lace put
on full. The waist of Louisine has long
points back and front. The back Of the
tunic consists of square piece of Louis
inc trimmed with lace. 1t is fastened to
the skirt by one corner, and draped
hawlwise. The coat sleeves have lace
and Plating at the hand. The same idea
may be carried out in any color, but
nothing is so becoming to stout people
as black
Next 10 black in the scale of the be-
coming comes white, and then all very
dark shades and soft neutral tints. Gay
colors are to be avoided, since they take
too large q space in the field Of vision,
and so make the carer seem still larger
THAI her natural size. Trains are be-
coming, for their soft, flowing outlines
give added height to the figure. Circu-
lars are becoming, wraps for the same
reason. and next to these come dolmans.
If woman be we'll proportional and
is tall in accordance with her size, she
may, If able to dress handsomely, be
magnificent, an object of admirati on, and
will always throw smaller women into
the shade. Such a one should choose
rich velvets, heavy brocades, thick silks,
and the handsomer her garments the
better, since she may carry any amount
of dress with success. But she must re-
member that her role is to be stately and
eschew whatever sayors Of business.
Still materials also are inappropriate, and
the soft. clinging fabrics OF the dey suit
her to perfection.
The best model for o cashmere or cloth
dress for stout woman is, az already
said, the kilt dress. For this the skirt Is
cut with yoke, extending over the hips
and cut perfectly smooth. To this yoke
the plated skirt is sewed on the edge.
and over the join is laid fat plated
scarf, kept in place by stitches under the
folds. The back drapery is in straight.
loose puffs, and the waist is either .
Louis XIV. coat, with long tails at the
back, or skirted jacket with flaps ON the
hips.
The most disastrous mistake stout
woman can make is to Laos tightly in the
hope Of making herself smaller. She
| may perhaps reduce her waist meaaure