The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-16
WOMEN AND EARRINGS.

London Mail.

London Mail.
Women AVE for some time past bestowed
favor upon the long earring, and inquiries
among fashionable jewelers. on the expert
ence of the season shows that wealthy per-
sons are now seeking for leage pear-shaped
pearls, diamonds, rubies and emeralds, for
earrings the more valuable they are for
the purpose required. A large diamond for
the stud part, followed by a long pearl, en-
erald or pigeons blood ruby. and COM
pleted by a round, trembling diamond like
a dewdrop crystallized, makes the newest
composition. .
A subtle reason underlies the suddenly
bestowed favor women are according to
the long earring. 1t Is decreed by fashion
that somehow, by hook or by crook. the
shoulder line of smart femininity shall
droop; in point of fact, the bottle neck fig
ure is again being cultivated. Pendant ear
rings undoubtedly accentuate the apparent
length of the throat and draw attention to
the silhouette of the shoulders. They also
cause the round face to look artistically
oval, and that again aids the obedient girl
in her endeayOrs to fall in with fashions
mandates.
But the ears must be pierced in order that
the new ornament may be worn with COM
fort. The stud gem can be fixed on by
means OF a spring, which often hurts the
tender flesh and causes swelling, but, on
the principle that pride must abide, is en-
dured by its martyred possessor with noble
resignation. For the long earring the jew
elers are not prepared to recommend
SDFlUSS, because TO insure the SAFETY OF the
gems they would have to be fixed very te-
naciously to the ears. and even then the
chances Of loss would be great.
The newest pattern in earrings is an elon-
gated edition of the stud shape so long SUI
preme ~favorite. The stud remains. but now
has added to il a pendant, not the long,
stiff, steeple-Shaped drop made of flexible
gold that was the vogue sixty years ago,
but q wonderfully lightly set shower of
gems that show like trembling points of
b~rilliancy and translucent color against the
satin-like texture OF the throat.
Parti-colored pairs are solo TO customers
who desire uncommon effects. and in this
way groups OF historic stones are some
times utilized. One ear is embellished with
a long pink pearl for a center piece, while
a black one shows w well dangling from
the other ear against the marble throat.
Precisely the pattern To choose to-day is
the one of the EliZabethan and Stuart pc
RODS. though the modern adaptation need
not be quite so long In the famous and
ell-know portrait of Charles /, by Sir
Peter Lely, in the Dresden gallery. the
original of which by Van Dyck was burnt
at Whitehall, that monarch is seen wear
ing an exqnsite specimen.
1t is expected that some daringly artistic
woman will set the fashion for single ear
rings such as men wore when dress was
made a fine art among them and caprlcious
effects were not deemed merely effeminate.
Ii is idle 10 rake up the question as TO
whether earrings are barbaric or not. II
5 absurd to tell the twentieth century
woman hat she places herself an "A par
with the savage black by piercing the lObes
of her ears and stringing therein gewgaws
of gold and jewels. For the only answer
the sex yOuchsafes is that earrings are in
fashion and are becoming. The inference
is clear.