The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-07
LANGTRY'S CRITICISMS.
The Jersey Lily Talks Like an Expert About
American Women aud Their Dress.

women?'
mo, have not met great many, for my
theatrical duties have been so heavy that l
have received but few visitors and have real
ly refused nearly all mathematician [
have had many friendly offers of hospitality
wherever l have been. But the American
women l have met have been charmed
with, and of course 1 have seen thousands
and thousands of the American fair sex, for
my matinee audiences are almost entirely
composed of women"
And what impression has the American
woman made upon you, Mrs. Langtry? What
do you think of her?''
What question to ask one" and Mrs.
Langtry threw up her hands in astonishs
ment, 81 really don't think l can answer
! that. don't think it would be delicate for
me to discuss the matter l think it cannot
be expected that should pass judgment on
| the American women"
| But you must have some impressions of
their manners, appearance, dress etc 1t
would undoubtedly interest American
women to learn what the English beauty
thinks of them.'
Really this question has so surprised me
that don't know what to say, but if you
think it will really be of interest, | will try
and tell you what think. In the first place,
| think American women have very pretty
faces, so bright and winning. One sees many
more pretty faces here than in England.
Then think they have beautiful hair and
very pretty hands and teet'
And their figuresH'
'Well, l must take the liberty to say that
| think their figures are generally bad. The
American standard of figure is altogether too
plump to please me; but again, l do not see
why my opinion should be of any interest in
the matter. have been called 'scraggy' in
one town l visited"
And where was that?"
"Well, [ think it must have been in Pitts
burg. | think the most disagreeable things
were said of me there"
Whom do you consider the most beauti-
full American woman you have seen?'
MARY Anderson, decidedly"
'But Mary Anderson is not over plump"
''She is not | should have said that the
rplumpness | spoke of refers principally
| to the married beauties have seen. Itstruck
me as very funny" Mrs. Langtry continued,
that in every town | visited the local papers
in noticing my first appearance, led off with
the remark that their own town was exclu-
sively noted for its beauties, and with such
an array of native beauty it was not surpris-
ing that the famous English beautv's face
made but little impression on the audience.
| Then they would begin to notice the per-
| Torrance, As far as Mrs, Langtry's ability as
! an actress is concerned etc, etc"
I'm which town did you see the prettieSt
| women"
in Baltimore. 1t struck me that every
woman there was a beauty. And 1 think
that Baltimore was the only town that did
not boast of its native beauties"
do you admire the dress of American
women?'
Il cannot say candidly that I do; on the
| whole think they dress to smartly for the
street and too simply for the theater. 1
think they mix their colors badly and have
| too many bows and ends on their dresses.
10 my taste woman cannot be too simply
dressed for the street. A dress of simple
neutral tints pleases me best. l saw a woman
| in the street the other day, wearing gray
ulster, blue dress and scarlet kid gloves.
Just think of that" and Mrs. Langtry
almost shuddered with horror at the thought
of scarlet gloves, land she also had a
bouquet de corsage OF daffodls. That was
rather gay mixture of colors. was it not?'
The reporter syInpathized with Mrs. Lang
try, for on his way to the Albemarle he had
met a woman wearing mauve velvet dress
with blue satin skirt, and bonnet of blue
straw, trimmed with crimson velvet, out of
which appeared to be growing pink ears of
barley.
The reporter, by way of contrast, somewhat
reservedly remarked on the richness of Mrs
| Langtrys costume.
You may call it handsome, and perhaps
it is, and it might look rather too fine on the
street. but I am going out driving. But it is
really very simple dress. peacock vel
vet overdress over a petticoat of turquoise
blue yelled with moonlight jet. D."
you want to know what | think of the
manners Of the American women? l think
them charming; so free and open. The
American women are so Independent and
there is such delightful lack of self-con-
seriousness about them. They are, too, very
bright in conversation, and the freedom and
frankness of their manner impresses one in
"a IL Al p
the general run of English women"
You said that they did not dress we'll
enough for the theater"
We'll, what l meant to say was that like
to see ladies in full dress at the theater or
they might, if they come in bonnets wear
| the charming little theater bonnets one sees
| in the French theaters. These big hats that
women wear in American theaters | think
| are abominable."
Mrs. Langtry's maid entered at this point
| in the interview and brought n spray of for
get-me-nots and ferns. They were to be at
tached to her parasol. They were tied up
with blue bow. Mrs. Langtry caught sight
of it and said laughingly: Now see that bow
| fly" and she tore it away and threw it down.
| II won't have any bows about me-" she said
mot even on my parasol. Yes you can
safely say that | am making war against bows
| and ends.p
"Well, to sum up on the American wo-
man." Mrs. Langtry said, returning to the
| subject Il think her very beautiful and
| charming and | think she has very strong
national characteristics. l would know an
American,woman anywhere. In what way?
| Well, principally from her frank and open
manner and her independence"
what do you think of the fashions in
America? Are they behind the European
fashions?'
"Well, should say that the American
| style in dress, in cut and all that, is about
year behind that of Paris. At least / find
the American dressmakers | have visited of
fer me the styles l saw year ago in Paris.
Talking of American dress" Mrs. Langtry
| added, al think American women think we
| dress very badly in England, and / have
! la..l aa;l ~, lrn.. Col rl.r ...ll f1a.