The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-28
SILKS or CHM AND J.lPAN
Tho Decorations Are Prinied In France to
suit American Women.

| sui american " omen.
The fabric that Is called indfrercntly Jap.
| anese Chinese and India silk will form an
important part Of the warm weather textures
It has the advantage of being thin yet OF sui.
ncient substance for common wenr: soft,
Yielding and beautiful in quality. yet at the
| same Il :na durable.
The bulk Of tho importations como from
China and Japan. and India silk is almost n
myth 40 little Of it is made and so little sold
Choice in tho market lies practically between
the products Of China and japan. about nino-
tenths being from China The difference be-
tween these two is not seen by tho casual ob.
server. Tho weave OF japan is smoother.
softer In quality. and much more beautiful
They wear about equally well. and there is no
perceivabe difference in tho price. the range
In both being from so cents to SO. tho .ttcr
price being for an extraordinary quality, n
yard wide Tho qualities recommended cost
between IS cents and S150. Tho usual width
is % inches India silk is the finest Of all. In
an American imitation the texture has not the
soft quality Of the Eastern fabrics. but Is why.
1t is three inches narrower. and Of about the
same price.
These Japanese silks-as all may be called.
since they arc classod under one head-are
figured. The character of the figures is m i'm
portant matter for consideration. The figures
on dress fabrics Shout not he limitations with
perspective effect and natural color. but they
should be fiat and conventional, or OF natural
forms analysed and their decorative elements
alone retained. 4 decoration should not be a
picture. Moreover. repetition OF the same
picture Mt intervals over u surface is absurd
the, figures on silks offered for salo are pictures
OF flowers, with shading. colorinGs. and details
aimed at mutations Of nature.
A good decoration modnstly embellishes tho
texture and does not seek to hide it. Tho
first al-over pattern probably had its origin
In the unevenness OF texture in hand weaving.
The accidental It rn,Ghness or changes in color.
tcrvals. To good decorations belong arrange
ments Of broken lines. dots. and all patterns
also plaids and stripes. which are but a varia-
ton OF warp and wool
silk p be boas Gs nHi /. a sGoa
right side Tho reason is that on ' the Oh rish t
thrusts itself forward. while on tho wrong side
one gets !ncrely the contrasts Of color without
tweon tho mind and enjoyment Of the. fabric.
Japanese and Chinese designs teach how far
nature can be SUGGESTED IN II ,lccorat ion, and
what kinds of figures may be chosen. In them
nuture is Interpreted bur not initiated. A
good illustration is found in Japanese draw
behind flowing lines that may suggest at
moSPhcrn or water ,.
covered with tho natural flower forms con-
densedT Tho explanation Is full OF siGnih-
canoe. Here 1t is. ms made by leading import
ers- American women will not buy japanese
or any other cool design. They do not IN !cr-
stand what good decoration i: and make the
mistake Of valuing it in proportion as it looks
like picture. And thu renson they can find
these ahominat IONS on Eastern silks is because
the silk are not printed in Chna and in pan. but
are sent out from those countries plain and arc
printed In France. This is q device of the
dealers. who cannot afford to carry goods that
do not sell. The silks are printed to the order
Of all markets. It's not the dealers fault il
g large part q tho importations are Of bad
designs designs or that In general the worst d.
tic patterns cost no m ore than ugly ones. IT is
the fault OF the American women who ask for
them. A New, York importer brought here
some pieces OF China crane. magni;irently
lowered, They cost him $3.50 yard. lie
thought they would be bought for house robes.
But after t%o years no sold them to country
why the Oriental silks in tho Japanese anil
other stores 90 not look in tho least Oriental
Not all OF the designs in the markc. are bad.
There are very beautiful silks in the, spring
importations. but y woman must know how to
select. She must look az the contrast of color
TO see whether that is agreeable, consider the
the surface agreeably without obtrudng itself
as likeness Of ANYTHING. and avoid the small
flower sprigs showing several colors.