The Washington times., 1905-02-25
IT REQUIRES REAL ART TO
PROPERLY DRESS THE NECK
Frenehy Fancies in Collars and Cuffs Popular-Ihe
EIizabethan Ruff Again in Vogue.

This is the day of the ruehe- Never.
since the time of Queen Elizabeth, have
women decorated their threats more
elaborateiy. TulIes, chfffons, 1aces, rib
bons spangles embroideries. ruffs,
tucks. and plaitings all take part In the
grand march of the triumphal collar
that swathes the neck of the girl OF 1905.
Dog collars, fancy beads, Oriental chains
weighing half a pound. and even wreaths
Of artificial flowers are used to add TO
the general confusion of loveiiness
tucked under the modern woman's chin.
The dressing of the neck Is a real art
There are women who, from gfTfhood
up. have suffered more tortures over the
choosing OF their collars than over any
other thing. not excluding love and
matrimony. There are women TO Whom
hangman's rope or an executioners s
knife would be pleasanter than an or
binary collar I have not the slightest
doubt that the scrawny-necked Queen
Elizabeth felt doubly joyful when the
lovely Mary Queen Of Scots laid her
head upon the block to know that the
catchet would descend upon her rivals
perfectly modelled nape and go straight
through to her graceful throat The
doughty old Queen cut the Gordia n knot
of the collar proposition by wearing her
famous ruff and thus dispensing with
sinews.
Neck Should Conform to Gown.
But nowadays it is Queen Fashion who
decides these weighty problems. All a
woman can do is to modify things SO
that she can give to her throat some
semblance of the human form divine
The secret of doing this-in fact, the
whole secret of dressing the neck prop
eriy-lies in studying the lines Of the
fashionable gown and in making the
neck blend into them, so that it appears
to curve without a break from shoulders
to chin instead OF appearing thing
apart from the costume. If sleeves are
wide and puffy, then the. collar must be
big and fluffy. When sleeves are mar
row and skimpy and shoulders are mar
low and small. collars should lie tight
and fat. When waists are long and
slender, collars may be tall and tight
but when waists are short and bound
with broad girdles. collars must conform
with them.
The woman with a tiny face and small
head has all sorts of difficulties to meet
If she swathes her neck tightly IN Il
band Of ribbon or a linen cofar, 1t re-
qhires ma gnifytng glass to see II; yet
II she wears broadening ruche and
Trough it had somehow gotten on the
wrong shoulders by mistake. The stout
lady with the double chin, who wears
her collars low and comfortable. dis
plays rolls of flesh; yet If she gets them
just an eighth OF an inch too high the
her cheeks and chin. and she suffers the
toTtureS OF strangulauon-
Study of Contour of Face.
Every Y-eman should discover. by the
most careful investigation and many .ee-
pcriments the exact height of collar
which is most becoming to her and
which hides her throat and sets OF her
face She should write this down on
piece Of paper, and vary 1t only IN the
slightest degree to suit the changing
style and her changing bulk. She should
find ont at once what shades sets OIL
her cornpIexjcn, and stick TO that one
y color through thick and thin. There Is
10 reason why a woman should change
color, any more than the skies or the
flowers or the stars. Her color snouin
be as nxed a matter as the color ol the the
red rose which would completely iost
its charm and Individuality il 1t ceased
10 pe scarlet. Every woman siiouio
raake np her mind finally and forever
wbefher she is best suited to wear schif,
foras and tuIles. or looks clearer ant
cleaner-eut in plain white linens linens am {
stiff bands. Once having come 10
definite conclusion on these three thihs
she has solved the real ,,I pr9selem fsoa morh Fl
of it remains to be done
REQUIRES Constant Attention.
But keeping plenty of fresh collars AM
planning collars fer each new gown ant
Nothing is more unkecoming TO an
woman than a half -so;led ruching u1s
der her chin or a dingy linen tie al ne
ghroatss Freshness of neekwear is TN
essential mark Of refined woman
Cheap laces ard Iawdry ribbons sse al
aborrination. Badly fitting stocks. ugi,
nins at the back tarnished brooches
common beads and torn tu!ie arc crime
against good dressing dns woltial ian. , M
sos. rs If he would pay for the .aeces
sories knew that he was getIihe tii
worst Of the bargain, for half one
dress money NAV be spent on collars
ruchings veils, gloves. shoes. ana petti
coats, and no one VIII guess, wIers 'si,e. -
apz,earance, that perfect line ana f't.afHi
ing daintiness, tell of the woman Q
taste and produce an impression tJ1ai
INIT. worth the money and, bettnia if1t1
aIl the Paris frocks that 1t NIGH buy
Especially Becoming Style.
There are certain styles in neckwea
ut,trl1 are becoming 10 nearly all wcmeT
wear or two ago the tuiie bow was on
of these; now the tiny chiffon rucht
which comes in all the delicate shade
and which Is seen tucked in the throa
OF almost every smart wornans froc}
has taken its place. Care must be ex
ercIsad In wearing ruches. however, nc
to get them too broad and full. else one
face may look like an oldfashioned bot
oslet protruding from a fancy pape
cover. Just the slightest suggestion Q
q soft, delicate edgfng. usually creaf
Or flesh color, is very becoming 10 tn
average woman and gives a fnishin
touch. to almost any gown.
A ready-nade collar Is seldom SO SUE
cessfal as the made to order or nom
made collar A clever woman who III
derstands her ewn limitations can dre'
her own neck better than can an
manufacturer. Besides, her own coneei
and Inventions have the virtue OF n
yer looking "shoppy.
Teneriffe Everywhere.
This year women are making teneri
fe cellars and cuffs to be worn wit
olat-e