Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-04-30


destroyed. For fold in dress is not a
fact, an item TO be entered in a bill. but a
certain effect of light and shade which is
only exquisite because it is e,anescent. In
deed one ght Just as well paint a shadow
on dress as sew fold down on one. And
the chief reason that a modern dress wears
such short time is that il cannot he
snoothed out, dress should be, when it
is laid aside IN the wardrobe. In fact in
fashionable dress there is far too much
shaping; the very wealthy of course will
not care, but il is worth while 10 reminc
those who are not millionaires that the more
seams the more shabhIness. \ well made
dress should last almost as long rs shawl,
and if it is we'll made ii does And what |
mean b, we'll made dress is a simple dress
that hangs from the shoulders, that takes its
shape from the figure and its folds from the
movements Of the girl who wears il. and
what ! mean by a badly made dress an
elaborate structure of heterogeneous materi
ais, which having been first Gu, to pieces
with the shears, and then sewn together by
the machine. are ultimately so covered with
trils aud bows aud hounces as 10 become
execrabe TO look at, expensive 10 pay for.
and absolutely useless to wear.
Well, these are the principles Of dress
And . .Tobably it will be said that all these
principles might be carried out to perf.c-
ton. ana vet no definite style be the result
Quite so. With definite s:,le, In the
sense Of historical style. We have nothing
Whatsoever to do. There must he no at
tempt TO revive an ancient mode OF apparel
simply because It Is ancient. or to turn life
into that chaos of costume. the Fancy Dfe->
BAH. We start, not from history. hu, from
the proportions Of the human form Ouf
aim i, II / archaeological accuracy. but the
highest possible amount OF freedom with
the most equsblc distribution Of warmth.
Aud the question Of warmth brings me to
M, last point Il has sometimes been SAID
ia me, not by The Phili>tinr merely hut BY
artistic people y ho are really interested IN the
possibility Of beautiful dress. that the cold
climate Of Northern countries neoessiIates
oar wearing 50 many garments, one ostr
the other, that /, il quite impossible FOX
dress to follow out or express the line, Of
jhr figure at all. This objection, however.
which Al first sight may seem 10 be rea-
>1uablc one, is m reality founded On wrong
Itea, on the idea IN fact. that the warmth %!
apparr, depends ~ the number Of garments
"otn. Now the weigh Of apparel depends
very much on The number 81 garments worn,
bat TIE "a'mih or appatet Grprnds entirely
on ihc maieUa! Of ~h'ch those garments
are made. And one Of the chief errors Ia
modern costume comes from the particular
material which j. aisa,, selected As The hl-
-, for dress. We have always used linen.
whereas 'he proper material i ~oo.-
ooi. 10 begin With. - a non-o"udueior
Of beat. hat mean. thst sn The snmmsr
thr violent heat OF tie sun does not enter
and >cofch the body. aod that The body ln
winter remains al l's normal natural tenn
pera'ure, and doc- not waste is 'itai warmth
o" 'he ar. Those # my realtrN "to p.t,
avn tennis ana Ike outdoor sports know
,hlt. II they wear comnl~'r flannel sax.
I,I,n,,fct,,,n s,'' ,h,',tn .,,,. ,a,,. nh'',
are clearly recognized on RE tennis ground.