New-York tribune., 1903-01-16
.4RT OF DESIGN IN DRESS.
II That Colors TO Hear IN W1nter and
Summer.
Summer

Wear orange. yellow and red n winter They
give warmth and life not only TO the wearer. but
1lso seem to radiate into the very atmosphere
Reserve cold blues. greens and violets for summer
Don't wear a short skirt if you are stout woman
Don't wear more than brilliant color at
time. unless YOU & raving beauty want to
be stared at"
These were some Of the axiorns for good dressing
lad down last evening by Frank Alvah Parsons. OF
The Horace Mann School, in the course of a lecture
IT the art school Of the Young Women's Christian
Association.
Afr Parsons took for his theme The Art Of De-
sign in Dress and he not only spoke in dis
tinctly interesting and suggestive way of the prn-
rjples that underle artistic dressing for women
h71t illustrated his points by means of charts and
pictures and answered questions put 10 him by the
audience.
In teaching any art" said Afr- Parsons. "the
aim is the appreciation and love of beauty. In
teaching music for example, it is not alone to play
sing well that teach but also TO make others
able. through music to express strong emotions OF
beauty. That's what we're after in dress-beauty.
But dress has a utilitarian well as aesthetic
side. Il is like vase. A vase exists for utlli-
tartan purposes. but al the time it may be
beautiful or ugly. according as its form and deco
ration are pleasing not And so with dress
Considering dress from. the standpoint of the
decoration OF utilitarian object the problem that
oonfronts a woman is twofold What is practically
the best thing for me to wear2 What costume
produces the most pleasing effect?
UTILITY BEFORE BEAUTY.
IN dress the practical must be considered first
because beauty without utility loses half its value
What are our premises in solving the problem
IF artistic dress? Why, money. the figure and
The station In life These elements that every
woman must consider IN dressing herself The
matter Of cost IS not the point Coed things-good
materials that is-are cheapest in the end Good
things in design should be cheap as poor ones.
ones station in life naturally exerts an influence
on cress-
1t is proportion that makes thing pleasing or
dispeasing beautiful ugly, bearable or unbeara-
rle We have to consider form size and color, and
il is the relation maintained by the three that
raads to The pleasing effect after Given a
certain figure, complexion and color Of hair. the
Individual has TO determine what she can best
wear Fer example, the principle of consistent
varietv is one of the first to be considered When
stripes Of color. or pleats and tUcks are used,
there is 2 law governing their number and their
direction. The mass formed by skirt or waist or
coat is considered one spot. Lines breaking
This spot are most effective when they extend In
the same direction as or in sympathy with the
longest lines Of the ideal figure.
To De more explicit, a stout woman. If she
wears striped effects at all. should always have
them TN vertically. It is true, her horizontal lines
are apt TO be as long or longer than. the YER
r5cal lines but the vertical lines in the direc-
'ion Of the long lines Of the ideal figure. To have
the stripes follow the direction Of the lines IN the
deal figure emphasizes the vertical, and has the
horizontal lines would cut the figure into various
masses. and SO shorten the effect of the trunk
From the utiIitarlsn standpoint. the very short
skirt has its place However, only slight. tall hg-
urss can afford to wear il, except in rare cases.
The length Of the skirt Of the ideal figure bears
certain relation TO the length Of the waist To
shorten the skirt destroys the proper proportion
and establishes an unpleasant relation between the
mass rerresertsd by the waist and that represent
By the skirt. In short the stout woman LOOKS
had irfS q a.
The eject OF employing great contrasts IN color
10 call attention to the greatest point OF con
rrsst 10 catch the eye at once and produce pleas
ant unpleasant eftects, accotolne As tIie SS1
nrincire IN design Not only are there consistency
10 emphasize certain beautiful or ugly things py
heir right or wrong use % or d Tite The m
broad black and white stripe Challenges attentl0n
reaTIv a. dark as the other, attract the eye much
TO EMPHASIZE A GOOD POINT
What fs the application? This: II the entire
iellre Is 10 be enphasized-that is, ST we wish 10
stand crt in hold relief against a crowd-'lse the
greatest contrast in tone color II any part OF
the body should have greater interest than any
other part the attention OF the InutlLade can pe
,.ven ereen suit dull and inonensiye in tone.
It's complement in color is red II used IN proper &
quantities and values they go ~elt Ga to caI
where shall the red goE II Lhe oDJeCt 70 49,
nlace il there: if the waist. then tie red ribbon
Foufo IL II e lhe 65fIast comes 10 the face the
nearer il the supposed centre OF lnteresI III
ne Individual This accounts for the whte coIlaI.
fhe bright ribbon. the black on wnlte foaaa at
he throat but II does not account Tor ls ne abo bS
,ious coored ribbons around the waist . tne d pa
shaped bad colored chateaine bag, out OF tone ana
-eIaffon with the dress over which IL is worn nor
the bright Innings to the skirts or duii colofeu
dresses.
The time Of year be considere1 IN oecldlng
what wear. also the function at which the @ aTu.
Ie Of apparel is 70 be worn. The ballroom opera
ana social functions are held within the house,
where artificial heating makes II possibie 10 vary
be color scheme of the wearer-
II is possible for some people. under some condi-
than one color. Dut 10 wear
more than one brilliant color OF an intense snaue
-eouires z genius specially made for that purpose
very beautiful woman with ideal bgure al an
deal function may brilliant red gown Will
most pleasing effect but picture a sa!low hsII
1lond very stout and awkward woman wearing tle
~ame gown ane place her IN room with iorlg
ataer women plainy but well dressed. What
woman IN that room viii everybody see hrst ano
ialk most of? And what Will be the character or
he criHcisns2 -
Beauty is what we seek Nature has not en-
lowed al with this but by the careful consideTa-
non Of consistent variety emphasis only wherxe
emphasis is consistent, and unity OF eneeqsi SLI
nav arrive al a ombination In dress Whcn Is
suited 10 the peculiaTfties with which nature has
furnished them