Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-09-09
TO PLEASE a MAN.
How TIC Sterner Sex judges Wo-
men's DrcsJ-AdTi cs simplicity.


one another We may admit that a
good many OF us desire TO Please the |
/ taste Of the sterncr sex. The cherished |
Wife the beloved mother the comrade-
like sister. the young woman entering |
life. and the girl who has many pleas
! ant friendships with men are all justi-
| fed in wishing to be pronounced good
to look rpon by these important crit
| les. Praise from sir hubert Is praise
! indeed" but il can only be won by /
| studying his idi0sync. .asies, These valy'
Ut ,oursc. with the individual; never
| t,leitsS, certain characteristics OF taste
and prejudice may be noted as COM
m0n 10 the entire sex.
\ man never allows his judgement
! OF his womankinds attire to be LED
captive at the heel of fashion. If you
| tel him that something he dlsiikeS Is
the very latest "cri." he merely says,
Then is a very ugly one 1t will be
| remembered that His Majesty Man
was strongly and sarcastically opposed
to the big sleeves that made us all 50
fondly fancy ourselves so important a
few seasons back: and it will be noted
that any mCde which tends to distoit
the female form divine displeases
il is that outre styl,s of hail dressing
| large fringes coils OF hair standing out
arctesouely from the lead or any eX-
cess in the use of "frizettes''-me
with his condemnation. as does tie
| high collar. when agScr2ted so as II
spoil the contour of the neck. Hut il
he objects to the confusing of feminine
outlines. he deprecates equally undue
| ...l. -
milr the excessively tight skirt now in
vogue: pinched waist is his abom-
nation. deemed worthy OF scathins ad-
jeCtives: and Il too decCllete gown
never fails to be described by him
With a shrug and lift of the eyebrow
more eloquent than words Another OF
his pet bugbears is display of jew
t!ry in the daytime. On. Mrs. So
ard-So was bedizened, as usual" lie
Will say: but the girl booked very
nica: quite simple. don't YOU know.
but everything put on right and look
ing as though it belonged to her
1t is I mistake to suppose that. be
cause a man can hardly even describe
the dress OF u woman he does not no
tice small details. The very reverse is
the case IL. has the eye Of an officer
on parade: tiny defects escape him
not \ badiy-fitting shoe tight
glove. an untidy veil. tumbed chiffon
or soiled lace. stamp a girl for him as
| bad form" For a like rea son he ad-
| mireS small beauties that members OF
our sex overlook. | remember being
much impressed at n very smart as
| sembiy where much beauty was pres
ert, by the remark OF a man whose
| opinion is supposed to be a criterion oI
| feminine. excellence. Two sisters en-
tered the room and passed us. ladylike.
but as it seemed to me. rather instg-
| nifcant looking girls. The man eye
followed ITEM regardless Of several
nCted bellies in their vicinity. and he
said. in tone of satisfaction: An,
what Wel-set little heads.
| Every woman will bear me out in
saving that men. a rule, like black
dresses and black hats. have known
d few exceptions, in the case OF lovers
Of very bright hues, whose prediction
FOR blue. red and brilliant rose was a
trifle trying to their devoted belong
ingS; but the average man will disdp-
point his wife by refusing to her smart
dinner gown the kudos bestowed On
; he~ old black dress. Gray is another
: masculine favorite: perhaps the iea-
son for it's frequent selection for bridal
travelling gowns is that the fiantee mas
| found out this fact during the engage
ment. As Il rule a girl in a trim gray
: tailor or-made" is certain of appreciation
: | if only she carry herself we'll for SIM
picitv of make is mans ideal for her
on ordinary occasions. For very smart
wear. he will Permit her something
\ fluffy and frilly:" and silk meets vita
favor White muslin pleaseS him, too.
especially if relieved with pale blue
I or soft pink: Yellow he hardly ever
: | admres: green very seldom. In cold
q or duh weather a good splash of vivid
| red appeals to his temperament: and
roses in hat. provided the shape of
. the coatoctiun be not eccentric. are
, always commended. | have never to
+ MY recollection net man who cared
. for mauve or heliotrope as Il color; but
4 toQuc with violets will be successful
: il winning his suffrageS.
Blurred patterns on fabr.cs-such az
: chine designs in vogue net long sine
amuse men. Your gown looks as
tough somebody had thrown u paint
. brush at it," or What are those
I streaks Of creased lightning meander-
in2 al Over YOU? Why couldn't you
| nave pretty pattern ne mas oeel
. | heard to eXclaim.
y on the whole. it may be said that
man seeks in woman's dress not novel
tE, but appropriateness not Ccc n
tricitY but charm. We're we oniy i
consult his taste, we should, | think.
: be l"ss extrayaSant than we arc now.
| He likes lis to have pretty things: but
: once he takes a fancy to gown or
i, hat he is constant. and he regrets to
sec it discarded before it is worn out.
! IN many matters connected with our
costume-alwayS excepting the shape
:. Of hats and bonnets, regarding which
he is a dangerous guide,-we should
! do we'll to be guided by his advice
rather than by the caprice of the mo-