, 1889-08-29
WOMAN AND HOME.
some PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ON
ARTISTIC DRESSING.

How One Woman Made Moncy-rhe Bene-
fits from Keeping Lists-somo Hints on
Keeping the House CooI-Items About
Women of the Past and Present.
The days OF what was miscaIled aesthetic
dressing nave passed away for the present
Al the private views Of the Grosyenor, 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 Indy
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
4 little girl Of 5 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
womanS 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 r~ealizn-
ton and Qualification OF the instinct Of the
baby grill
Another curiosity Of dress Is the wearing
OF humps. Esthetic people, as they called
themselves a while ago, or artistic people, as
they call themselves now, like them on their
shoulders, and Philistincs 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 all the natural proportions, and
obliterating the beautiful natural lines Of a
woman's figure. Yet the few who still adhere
to the style of dress which has gone by the
name OF artistic are never 50 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 the wearer can be mono OF these
things, nor can that which heaps ornament
Of gigantic puffs can be considered orna-
menp in places where it runs counter to all
the lines OF construction, be artistic.
Yet there surely is such n thing as artistic
dressing, and 1t is "A subject which is really
worthy Of a woman'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 in grace. So
much. too, may be done by clever dressing;
tue III AhN hihS ~ hBlhhA 'AAAt ~ icilt VI
shortened, made to look fuller or slighter,
according as the rest of the figure may need
it Too sloping or too narrow shoulders
may be raised or ~broadened, 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
rangement. Stout people may be made to
look comparatively slight, aud very thin
people may be given more generous proper
tons, not by pinching in the one case or
padding in the other, but by the mere study
OF form and of proportions, and a careful
attention TO each Individual The fatal
habit of choosing IA dress because 1t is
''now, - or 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 theorize 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 in dress comes in also no.
where more than in the use OF draping, that
It shall have a meaning, that 1t shall fall in
natural folds, not artificial and impossible
ones; and lastly, that IL shall follow the lines
of the figure, not conceal them, nor yet be
prolonged until all 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
I'm 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 IL is impossible to say what
makes her look so well dressed while every
one acknowledges thnt she is so.-London
Queen.