Wichita eagle., 1889-08-20
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Daily eagle
WOMAN AND HOME.
SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ON
ARTISTIC DRESSING.

An 10 IL OnCOCiiNI.
How One Woman Made Money-The Bene-
fits from Keeping Lists-Some Hints Oh
Keeping the House CooI-Items About
Women of the Past and Present
The days of what was miscalled aesthetic
dressing have passed away for the present.
At the private views of the Grosvenor, or Of
its younger rival, the New Gallery, people
appear more or less in the same kind of gar
ments as other folk-Philistines they would
have been called a few years ago-and,
though now and then one still comes upon
the limp, trailing garments and the dispro-
portionate puffs and humps of some lady
who believes herself to be dressed artistically,
she is decidedly the exception, and no one adj
mires her very much. There is a curious and
deep seated affection in the female mind
which has never yet been scientifically ex-
plained-for something which drags behind.
A little girl Of years old will make herself
perfectly happy if she can put on her mothers
shawl and drag it after her about the nursery
floor. She feels, no doubt, just the same SUI
preme satisfaction when she is grown to
woman estate and goes to court with three
or four yards Of silk or velvet train behind
her Nay, is not the court train but the
acknowledgment of the dignity and happiness
to be obtained from this curious amusement
of dragging something after one-the realiza-
ton and giorifcation of the instinct of the
baby girll
Another curiosity of dress is the wearing
of humps. Asthetic people, as they called
themselves while ago, or artistic people, as
they call themselves now, like them on their
shoulders, and Philistines elsewhere.
To the uninitiated it is impossible to con-
ceive what artistic virtue is supposed to lie
in exaggerations, which have the effect Of
destroying al the natural proportions, and
celebrating the beautiful natural lines of a
woman's figure. Yet thefew who still adhere
to the style Of dress which has gone by the
name of artistic nre never so well pleased as
when they have hit on some costume which
heightens or widens the shoulders out Of all
proportion to the restof the figure and waist.
Dress which is perfectly adapted to the
needs of tho wearer can be none Of these
things, nor can that which heaps ornament
df gigantic puffs can be considered orna-
ment) In places where it runs counter to all
the lines Of construction, be artistic.
Yet there surely is such a thing as artistic
dressing, and it is a subject which is really
worthy of wop1an's attention and study,
for every woman may be supposed to wish to
look her best; to dress so as to bring out all
her good points, and, as far as possible, con-
ceal those which are defective III grace So
much. too, may be done by clever dressing
the arms may be apparently heightened or
shortened, made to look fuller or slighter,
according as the rest of the figure may need
il. Too sloping or too narrow shoulders
may be raised or broadeped, too high ones
lowered by the cut and style of the bodice.
Either height or width may be given to the
figure by the material chosen, or by its ar
rungement. Stout people may be made to
look comparatively slight, and very thin
people may be given more generous proper
tons, not by pinchiDg in the one case or
padding in the other, but by the mere study
of form and Of proportions, and careful
attention to each individual. The fatal
habit of choosing a dress because it is
'.new," OF because some one else looks well
in it, must, however, be got rid Of before any
possibility of artistic dressing can come in.
Then comes in the all important question Of
color, extremely difficult to theoTize about,
but much less difficult TO settle satisfactorily
In practice, because one can always try the
effects practically. Here are whole possibili-
ties of making the most of natures gifts, and
the least Of her unkindness, which women do
well to study. Art Ia dress comes in also no.
where more than in the use of draping, that
ii shall have a meaning, that it shall fall in
natural folds, not artificial and impossible
ones; and lastly, that it shall follow the lines
of the figure, not conceal them, nor yet be
prolonged until ali grace is lost and it be-
comes mere trailing wisps of material hang
ing about just where they are least wanted.
A woman who dresses artistically is never
in the extreme of any fashion, her own indi-
viduality is always preserved, her own figure
and complexion studied, and the result gem
orally is that it is impossible to say what
makes her look so well dressed while every
one Acknowledges that she is so.-London
Queen.