Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
THE ART OF DRESSING.

THE AkT UF UkESSlNG,
Instructions TO Women of Taste on Beconius
Summer Fashions Mrs. Frank Leslie
and Other Writers Offer Timely Sugges-
tiOns-The Garments That Are Neat and
Beautiful
rvRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.l
The subject of woman's dress is at present
attracting thought which has never been be.
slowed upon it before. This statement may
seem at first glance to be an e1aggeration,
and it will be argued that women are now SC
far advanced intellectually that they have
less time for, and inclination toward the
vanities of life than formerly when shut Out
from so many avenues of pleasure and oc.
cupation now freely conceded them; but ii
must be remembered that dress is now regard.
ed as more than a necessity or conceit, it is re.
ceiving intelligent thought directed toward
harmonious adaptation to men and conditions.
Formerly a woman obeyed fashions behest,
though il made her fright to look upon, and
compelled the sacrifice Of all bodily comfort,
while now women stop to ask the question, us
this thing consistent with health, comfort and
artistic beautyf" and nothing is more certain
than that the leaders of fashion. the women
who have the time and money to devote to the
study and patronage of art, are now directing
attention toward securing genuine effects in
dress Not day passes but ] am visited by
some well-knovn lady of the beau monde who
assures me that my efforts in behalf OF con-
sistent dress are warmly endorsed by the
women who give prestige to styles of clothing
impossible for others of less social prominence
than themselves.
Recently received this interesting request
from stately dame of marked social influence:
IF possible show in your next number of Dress
style of outft complete for women between
the ages of IS and IS, which shall 'embody the
absolute principles of health and beauty, a
thousand women of good sense and independ-
ent position are ready to adopt such an outfit
and make it fashionable"
COMMON SENSE IN DRESS.
Is this not significant To me it seems the
precursor of reign of common sense and ar
tistic grace which will completely revolutionize
essential clothing, lifting it above the mere
dead level of the commonplace on the one
hand, or the novel and grotesque on the other.
The first steps have been taken which must
lead naturally to consistent dress. The idea
that dress is unimportant (which people of
brain force once affected to believe) has been
disposed of; and we are getting rid of the be-
lief also that exaggeration and disproportion
are essential to style. Women are coming TO
admit the possession of their different essential
members which to do; it was formerly con-
sidered a Tulgarity and the demand for room
in which to breathe and exercise is no longer
regarded as absolutely unreasonable.
The tea-gown has come to stay and encour-
age other flowing styles of robes. Look at the
spring walking bodices; at least two-thirds of
the different styles admit full fronts Of one
sort or a lother, calculated to more or less dis
guise the sharp line of the bosom which was a
few years since the essential feature of a street
costume strictly en- regle.
And now that women are beginning to realize
that flesh must 60 somewhere, and to admit
that the general distribution to waist and hips,
and shoulders is more pleasing by far than the
exaggeration of either the hip or shoulders for
the mere effect of a reduced waist line the out
look for a reign of healthful and graceful dress
was never better than at present And Paris,
too, arrays herself on our side by pronouncing
against the hustle, that monstrosity which has
converted woman into an upright drcmedary
for several years. There can be no doubt
whatever but disproportion and discord in
dress are about e. be relegated to obscurity,
and grace and individuality will be the order
of the day.
There is an immense field for young and as
pir1ng artists, for the future dressmaker must
be more than journeyman and seamstress;
ton.
ELEGANT AND BECOMING ATTIRE.
Believing, as do that beauty is of supreme
importance, I should advise every woman who
has the leisure for it to devote at least hour
daily to the study of anatomical proportion. of
harmonious development, and finally to under-
standing the relation between the personal
qualities of shape and style and their further
relation to cut, form and coloring.
In short, no question can be of much more
Importance to women of leisure, at least, than
the question Of how TO put themselves en- rap
port with the harmonies of universal nature.
ANNE JENNEss MILLER,
Editor of Dress.
The most becoming dress is that ION general
prineiples) which shows the woman to the best
advantage-not that which makes the woman
the lay figure for the dress. The ''prettyh
dress is not therefore, and necessarily, the be-
coming dress. JENNY JUNE.
In a letter the late Mary Louise Booth, for
many years editor of RdrpeT's Bdzdr, touched
on the art of dress in the following lines which
have not been printed:
''The fine art Of dress in my opinion. is to
give the impression of an elegant and har-
monious tout ensemble. not one of the details
of which is so conspicuous as to dwell in the
memory of the beholder. To do this, one must
carefully study his or her individual physiog-
nomy, and perfectly adapt the dress thereto,
as well as to the occasion on which it is worn.
A single snowy bit will mar the otherwise
faultless morning attire, as any negligee ap-
pearance Will spoil the most beautiful evening
toilet. How to dress becomingly is an art
which cannot be taught in a lesson; am in
ly acquired by study, but must be in parts In
structive."
The notifications in ladies' dress, as exem-
plihed in the spring and summer styles, are
somewhat more marked this season than usual.
Heretofore. the new fashions have specially
coming in are less bouffant, and will afford to
ladies tending to embonpont a better oppor-
tunity for the display of costumes at once ele-
giant anc becoming. Slight womsn can, of
course, select plaids and large figures; while
stouter ones appear to better advantage
in plain or striped materials, which give grace
and compactness to the lines Of the form.
MRS FRANK LESLIE