The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14

hand, it may be that this conduces
not little to its popularity. There is
a deadly fear in the hearts of some OF
US that amateur poetry may also be-
come fashionable, and that would be
unspeakably dreadful.
All these things are true about the
turquoise and there are ever so many
other pleasant remarks to make about
this new candidate for fashionable ia
vor. In the fairest flower, however.
one may find a worm. and, therefore,
if you intend to purchase a turquoise,
ii is well TO bear in mind the follow
ing facts: There are two distinct va
rieties of the gem-Egyptian and Per-
sian-and there is as much difference
between them as separates a London
fog and a Colorado spring day. when
ii comes to a question of value. The
Egyptian turquoise is so much like
unto the blossom of a day. 1t is of
great beauty and instantly charms the
eye, but it cannot hold its color. In,
fact, to give the original color three
months life is exceedingly liberal. The
stone either becomes entirely colcrless
or else is transformed to disagree
able green, and its value becomes nil
Furthermore, it cannot be washed at
any time without running it.
The Persian turquoise is as reliable
as the sun. It is hard and light will
not penetrate it. Water does not in
jure it, and as the merchants say of
all their goods of color, the color is
fast and will not change for years.
Naturally they are far more expensive
than the Egyptian stones, and this fact
is what makes it necessary for the
buyer to see that she does not suffer
from the greediness of the jeweler. 1t
takes an expert to distinguish the
difference between the stones, and I'M
fortunately the most of US are not eX-
perts. What we want is to be fashion
able. We might just as well confess
il, as it is the absolute truth, and
there is no denying it. Let us by all
means obey the dictates of our COM
mon mistress, Dame Fashion, ana
wear the turquoise, but incidentally
don't forget to keep an eye on the
jeweler.
Several of the large dressmaking es-
Establishments in New York are dis
cussing the idea of having an artist
to design costumes to those who are
willing to pay for the genius thus de-
voted to their personal adornment.
This is in reality but an improvement
upon the idea of Worth, the greatest
of all milliners, whose unWearied eff
fort was to make a picture of each
costume. something different-entirely
different-from any costume that was
full thing it would be to go to a dress
maker and have a young man, who, in
every detail. showed himself to be a
true artist, look us over in that pen
sive manner SO dear to the heart and
so gratifying to the vanity. 1t is just
as well 10 tell the truth. All of US are
a little bit vain. though we try our
best to conceal it. Then, how pleasant
when the artist has thoroughly ac-
fTFrf r-ea6 lao Of ar.fo
charms and, alasl our defects as we'll,
to feel that we will have a costume
that will at least, largely conceal the
latter, while it is sure to enhance the
former.
Worth used to say that the lay fig
ure was his greatest aid, because with
his best customers he would have for
each figure that would be, so far as
the dressmaker considered an exact
reproduction of the customer Every
one has popularity of form. for though
compliments may fly thick and fast.
the absolute truth is that the perfect
form is as rare as a diamond in coal
mine. Forms are like faces. They
often seem to resemble one another
very greatly. and yet there is always a
difference. Tt will be seen that Worth's
lay figure, resembling in every point
the customers own form. is but the
forerunner of the artist designer We
have been led to consider the designer
as one who, bred in the
realm of fashion, sits down
at his desk with all sorts of
fashion plates in front of him, and SIM
ply forms new combinations or makes
history repeat itself. The new idea will
change all this. The designer that is
talked of is quite likely to have gained
his taste and method from the study
of Murillo or COrregio. Perhaps he
may have gained a few ideas in the
Louvre, and mayhap an occasional
memory of that very wicked but ex-
ceedingly charming locality in the
Latin quarter of always gay Paris.
may help him out bit An odd com
bination for one who is to design
dresses you say? Not so odd. after an. |
At least it gives those ever bIase fash |