Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-07
PORTALS new YORK LETTER.

matter with her this afternoon,
PortiaY"
This from the Cynic who was toying
with club sandwich before my open
fire. "She looks all hitohed up, and
-" carefully picking an egg off
particularly nice piece of toast" that
gown looks moneyed enough to bring
gray hairs to any suffering better half
who has to pay the bill.
"My dear stupid | wonder il men
recognize the underlying current OF
affection woman puts in that phrase
here is where a true daughter of Eve
can play the superior. Don't you know
it is not so much what a woman wears
but how she wears it and how she
takes care Of it. Suppose one has a
beautiful gown, stunning tailor made
affair with rustling shimmeripg Innings
and seams 10 accurate that not Que
stitch is out Of step. Suppose one wears
with this tailor made a waist with
soiled cuffs, a hat that has dust under
its ewes, ard belt that refuses to
cover up retiring waistband.
Now how much does the tailor-made
gown countg Mighty little. To some
women it is first nature to get into
| clothes with some rational idea az to
whether they are straight or not. To
other women il is as impossible as the
understanding of railway time-t table
or the sharpening Of lead penoil,
| When one of this latter class is dressed
she looks as though the ting end of
cyclone had picked her up. No matter
how hard she tries her skirt and waist
will become divorced, cuffs unlocked
| and her shoelacing will float behind
1 hes II In ha ,aro on fha Fnnrfh nj nj
Now ii is undeniable that pair OF
shabby looking shoes that look as
though a nutmeg CRATER had sharpened
its teeth on them will make the
prettiest foot hi1eous. There is no ex-
cuse for such things and everyday
women spend too much money on false
finery, gaudy unsuitable gew gaws and
strong perfumery. 1t would be muuh
better to spend ones pin money for
whisk brooms, skirt bindings. shoe
polish and trim little fixings-Now are
you listening are you looking at?
go on, Portia | like to hear you
talk and you know Pm looking at your
hair, I've weakness for it. - | never
know whether the Cynic is making fun
of me or not SO l find it the best policy
to assume u marvellous indifference,
and, so / go on-"Now Mrs. West
chester County Is not q well-groomed
woman fou see many such even
among class of women who don |
have to count the cost Of things. Some
time when you are at the theatre, and
nothing else to interest you between
the scenes, just size up the hub dubby
collars of the women ahead of you.
One woman will have her throat
swathed in scarf-like bandage and
look as though her tonsils are SWOLLEN.
Another will have wound a ribbon
! about her neck, the junction in the
back causing an unbeautiful vacancy.
A third will wear one of those hideously
ready made collars that fit not neither
do they stay. The effect is net pretty.
Next to the collar affection comes the
ragged Eetticoat epidemic. This last |:
really too fearful to dwell upon. How
many OF us have walked behind soms
gorgeously plumed woman with velyet
gown and half yard of pettiooat
ruffie dragging behind like towline o.
r boat. Soiled skirts are even wors,
: than ragged ones although HEAVIER
! knows that neither of them are de
{ sirable adiuncts. To see weil-cu
I tailored gown, raised three or foul
! inches to display frumpy bragg,
VI ohttp shNs otopPn UP pho hihb 40 w I'VE
: faith in the daintiest Of women
7 Another thing, my dear Cynic. tina
. makes Mrs. Westchester- County appea
all hitched up, you put 1t, is that sh,
: doesn't know how to stand. A womaI
o should hold her shoulders back, he
9 chin up, her chest up full and fine, ant
y her hips back. 1t is this matter o
8 carriage that gives most women tina
swing and air that stamps them a
stunning. The time of year is JUS
coming on when all those little thing
!. We most notice for its almost time TO
7 coats off, and then the shirt wais
girl is open to cruel masculine scrutin,
. and criticism. [ saw an article tn
J. other day headed The Shirt. wais
q Girl is With Us Again Why the dea
u creature has never left us, she ha
e been with US all winter. So much ha
" been said about the shirt waist tina
u there is hardly anything left to tai
i about on the subject. There is llttl
Q change in the spring etyles. TIL
70 shirts are as scant as ever with grea
breadth across the shoulders, the seam
J, of many are strapped and buttons ar
% much in evidence The summer silk
" have now superseded the fancy fiannt
! waists. They are often built upon
:. light lining that can be easily laur
70 dered. But better still is it to have
3 high-neca corset cover of India silk I
" wear underneath the shirt waist An
ie this is appropriate for both stout an
80 thin women, for it improves the iigur
in both instances. Among the noveltie
% Is a waist made of raw silk in th
pastel shades and that, my dear Cynit
gives some women chance to del
al cstely fiatter you by assuming th
o. colors you most like, pastel violet an
y =. pink. A style which will be much
a. vogue this summer, are shirtSais
he made of the fancy Swiss muslins, {
~ embroidered Swisses. These, of cours
"a are made without lining and will |
% worn over the India silk corset cove
us Yokes have entirely disappeared. b,
Is far most important is the style of tt
girl who wears the shirt. She mu
~ pull the shirt we'll down in the from
~ make it smooth in the back and gi,
- it that graceful dip SO essential to ii
"a 1901 figure
y, "Portia, my dear, you're a maj We
- he was trying to be facetious, so to q
even said "well | notice this, n
dear Cynic, that you don't come
In near the mark of the well dressed ms
nd aH you used to. remember how W.
tv. you Looked in a suit Orwell. don
-. let's talk clothes.
n. I'm tired of doing the entertainin
,ts You men Just sit back in an easy att
nd tude and take 1T as your due mat
me- woman should play the part of vaud
al vile artist for your lordship's anus
ment. Dear me! / don't see why
can't be with human heinos an MI