St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-23
A STORE FREQUENTER
Though Shabby, She Is the
Fashion Writer and Hunt
ing Ideas.
But After All Man Is the Best
Judge Of How Woman
Looks Best.
They Say "True Beauty Needs
Not the Foreign Aid Of
Opnam ent."
There Is Often a Strange FaS-
cination About the Unat-
tractive.
Special Letter to the Globe.

LFdCClVOs
Special Letter to the Globe.
New YORK. April 22.-Surely all
women ought to be well dressed, just
now. considering the dozens and dozens
of fashion writers and artists that are
always in search of material for them.
always searching. inventing and cir
culating new ideas for them. Wherever
| go | see the fashion writer prowling
about on the watch for ideas. She is
about the only woman who has any
right to be badly dressed. Poor thingi
she must get so tired OF talking about
''leg-of-mutton Sleeves" 'step col lars"
''funnel Skirts" matinee hats" and
the other technicalitleS of her profess
sion, that it must be a positive relief to
her to wear a gown that dates back two
or three months and is little passe in
cut. | can't quite understand her fond
ness for that somewhat obsolete style of
hat which | often catch sight of in the
stores, like a somewhat faded blossom
among a crowd of blooming, parti-cOl-
ored flowers.
a woman writer knows the most about
all your finery and gee-gaws. but you're
wrong. A man is the best Judge of how
a woman looks best. Oh, you may take
my word for it. have studied the sub
ject. A woman's aim in dressing an
other is. the first of all, to make her
look fashionable. A mans first aim is
to make her look nice. That is where
the artist feeling comes in. Men are
more thoroughly artists than what
women are.
Now, | want it understood that in all
my researches into fashion, my inter-
views with Redfern and other modisteS
to find out what the latest falling star is
in the Way Of new revere or skirt
lining. L rhave one thing in view, but
that thing is not what you suppose. for
it is not the decoration of pretty women.
No, | partially agree with the gentle
man whom we see so often quoted in
quotation books, who says:
True beauty needs not the foreign
aid of ornament. | SayI partially agree
with him because / do frankly think
that it needs a little foreign aid. and
personally prefer it direct from Paris.
But the thing which | have IN view is
the decoration of ugly women, because
you know they do really need good
deal sometimes only it requires to be
judiciOusly applied. You Will observe
that | have given the decoration OF
ugly women a line to itself. Perhaps
YOU don't know that in good style of
literature that isn't considered quite the
thing. Facts ought to speak for them
selves. Points ought to be led up so
thew should have no need to drop out
upon the public in this abrupt manner.
There should be no necessity for big
type. But that line may catch the eye
of some woman who isn't quite satisfied
with her appearance, and wants to i'm
prove it.
[ take great deal of intereft in these
foils. | call them "foIlS." because they
are always used to show off something
prettier. l have noticed ''fOil' max
ing third at dinner or studying photo
graphs at party, or holding on to
strap in street car, or the only one OF a
theater party who looks at play. And
some of them are charming. fascinat-
ing. sweet, and all kinds of other uice
thlngs-onlyl no one, or very few, take
the trouble to know them.
Rarely, very rarely, an enterprlSlng
man goes into that UNEMPLOYED region;
now and then a thoughtful character
reader or cynic tired Of color and dim
pies, cuts those unread pages, but not
very often.
The pretty one by the divine right of
beauty (Which right [ am quite ready to
acknowledge absOrbS the attention, and
the other one-well she remains 1.-THE
other one"
But don't you think. now. that there's
a kind of fascination about getting at
what all the rest Of the world doesn't
know. That diamond in Titfany'S VIII
dow is very lovely, but every hotel
loafer, every woman out shopping, every
errand girl and messenger boy knows 1T
Just as well as you do. But If you were
to find some bright, varying moODstone
in a little back street, and 1t gllStened
subtIy and unexpectedly for you alone,
don't you think it would give you all
unusual pleasure?
There isn't any moral TO all this.
Fashion articles don't have morals. But
| must saw | admire the women who,
through Dame Nature being bit
clumsy in the fashouing of, have to
suffer. and yet don't seem to want to
kick the pretty little peacocks, who
draw us all. as Byron says, with a
single hair" 1t wouldn't be any good.
of course. but it must be rather hard
always to suffer and be still.
Now, these "foilS''-they must dress
well. They mustn't be too clever; it
frightens average people. They mustn't |
be too good-there isn't time for it, if |
they are fashionable people. No one i'll !
fashionable life has time for excessive !
goodness. But they must look as well !
as they can. Tie man who made two |
blades of grass grow instead OF one was
accounted wise. The same is true of !
the woman who makes good deal of |
very little.
Redfern's principal work just now is |
on gowns for the naval eview-jaunty, |
breezy looking yachting suits. of which !
| will speak more at length next week !
and travelling gowns for the Chicago !
fair.
In this last instance the tailor gown |
holds its own. Made in light weight |
tweed, with moderately full skirt, UNI |
lined, simply stitched five or six times !
at the foot, and with neat, smart little |
bodice with big revers and sleeves large |
at the top, it is about the most useful /
travelling costume that one can pre- |
scribe. The vest of brown holland must !
not be forgotten. as it is this that gives |
the costume that cool finish which is SO !
much to be advocated. With this vest |
is worn little white shirt front and |
narrow black satin tie. The blazer and !
skirt is also being made i'll large guam !
titles for tue worlds fair, for with these |
can be worn the ever popular blouse, |
but il must be admitted this style is not |
so smart looking. There are people |
WHO should never wear blOuses. Suits |
of this kind lately made by Rpdfern are |
matte of navy pine hop sacking. ana arr |
i.uisil al oil with black satin trimmings |
Accnr,i.un plealing is being utilized /
q I. Il II