The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-03-27
The Points of Effect and Defect.

I'D a olIdH SiioNo " htth way
the wind blows, so are we prone
to draw deductions fr1m trifles,
md jump to Lig conclusions.
fhe trifies are small and the
are sometimes right
and sometimes wrong.
There is no case in which we
do this more than in judging a
lady by her dress. We see
woman occasionally for 4 few
minutes or an hour at church,
on the street, or elsewhere and
we instinctively, almost uncon-
sciously, pass judgment of
good breeding and refine ment
or the contrary according as her
impressess.
Since a woman is judged by
her dress, let her be careful
as to details, for these will tell
far more OF her breeding than
the dress itself. \ really re-
fined woman will show her
refinement and breeding in her
dress by always wearing neat
gloves, neat shoes, clean linen
at throat and wrists, and fine
linen handkerchief. She will
have in mind the French saying
that to be well gloved and we'll
shod is to be we'll dressed, and
she cannot help having a fond
ness for dainty bits of lace and
fine sheer handkerc hiefs. No
matter how large the hand or
foot if they are neatly covered;
the most perfect hands aud
feet are repulsive to the eye if
covered with soiled or torn
gloves and shabby shoes. If
the glove must be shabby it
need not be torn. Even if ones
means are small, there is no
excuse for carelessness.
The plain linen collar and
cuffs are cheap and produce a
stylish effect when becoming.
Fancy fragile ruching suits
more faces than the linen collar,
but is more expensive, and can
at most be worn only few times
Rumpled or sOiled ruchings
give the whole toileta dishevel-
ed appearance, and no well-bred
woman should ever permit
herself to wear them.
Fine linen handkerchief is ~
despensablo. Never mind lace
or embroidery, they are Of small
consequence; but the handker-
chief itself must be OF fine
material. To see a hands omely
dressed woman take out of her
pocket coarse, Or soiled hand
kerchief, ia to stamp her at
once in the eyes of many as a
vulgar person, and it kills the
effect Of her dress. To complete
a handsome and perfect cos
tune the details must be as
perfect as the costume itself. A
woman must understand this
herself She cannot depend
upon her dressmaker. She must
herself regulate there details.
A really plain woman may be
attractive, even in a six-penny
calico, if it be finished with
dainty ruchings at the neck and
wrists, if she wear neat gloves
and boots, and if her l,andker-
chief be of fine linen. A vulgar
woman will content her soul
with a gorgeous gown and think
that she is making a fine i'm.
preston, even although she
wear coarse lace, uncouth shoes
and shabby gloves. 1t is easy
enough to buy handsome mate
rial, if one has the money, but
it requires something more
than money to furnish the de
tails.
When | see a silk dress and {
coarse i'll fitting pair of shoe!
on the same woman at the same
time, I always shiver and pre-
rare myself to hear boistrou
laugh or Billiagsgate slams
emanate from the mouth of tn,
aforesaid woman.
Many women think that mel
do not notice details in a wo
mans dress, but it really is tn
details that make or mar til
whole, and if men take in tn
whole effect, they unconsciousl,
take in the details. And wha
man does not notice a. prett,
foot or a tiny hand? They ar
not cup in materials perhaps
, and cannot tell imitation lac
from real, but they know a It'd
dress from a slovenly one, an
a clean collar from a soiled one
, It is better to have a dress O
J some simple and inexpens1v
. material, and have the boots
gloves. laces and handkerchief
just what they should he tina
: to have a dress of expeHsiy
: material and shabby or tawdr
details. 1t is never economy
; buy cheap shoes or gloves, {
evarv woman knows.