Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-31
WHY WOMEN SHOULD
DRESS BECOMINGLY
By Nine. Simone,
Rest Dressed French Actress

Best Dressed French Actress.
A woman once came to me asking ad-
vice as to her domestic difficulties.
"Ah, ma cherie,'' she cried, with tears
in her eyes, my husband loves me no
longer. He is not unkind, nor yet is he
brutal. But alas, he is something that Is
worse! He Is Indifferent! 1t was not SO
when first we were married. What shall
I do?
Dress BETTER" l answered, abruptly
'Dress?" she repeated, increduiously
What has that to do with the situa-
tion?"
Everything" 1 answered. decidedly
and proceeded to explain. The woman
was not pretty, nor yet was she so un-
attractive as to be beyond all hope OF
redemption. She belonged to that type SC
prevalent in this world which needs
clothes of just the right kind to set of
its backward beauty These things told
her frankly as only friend can do, and
advised change Of costume to produce
the desired change Of heart.
From that day the woman began tc
take an interest in the way she dressed
She studied cut and color line and effect
much the same as an artist, with the re-
suit that the ugly duckling was trans
formed into such a respondent swan that
even the recreant husband was forced tc
notice the change. Tears and frumpi-
fine clothes, and love. which was dying
of an overdose of dowdiness, came tC
life under the fashion cure
Perhaps you think the husband was not
worth the winning If his affections could
be killed or klndled by such a superficial
thing as clothes. And that is just where
you are wrong Every man has a right
to expect his wife to look well; 1t is q
reflection upon his judgment and taste il
she doesn't. Besides, every man-and
woman, tools affected more or less by
externals, and If a woman cares so little
about herself that she Is willing to look
her worst instead of her best she cannot
expect to produce very good effect
upon those who must see her constantly
Nature has not been kind to good
many of us in the way of good looks, but
this is no reason why those who are thus
sighted should succumb to their misfor-
tune and dress as If they didn't care tc
make any overtures to beauty. The plain
woman should face the fact that she is
plain squarely and then look about 70,
some way in which to remedy this plain
ness.
Her greatest help will be found in he,
clothes.
When the plain woman has studied col
or and decided for herself, as every one
| must do, what suits her best and what is
to be rejected. she must consider next
TIE stylc VI Dcduty "lliSI HdtuTc OIISiii'
ally denied her.
There are a few points which she must
remember. First among them is that
| upon the color of her costumes depends q
good deal of its success. The plain WON
an, unlike her pretty sister. must re-
| nounce brilliant and vivid shades in favor
of subdued tones. for bright colors only
attract attention to her lack Of charms.
But because brillance of raiment is
denied her she need not suppose that her
wardrobe is to be an unlovely thing
There are beautiful tones in delft blue
dove gray, old rose. wistaria and scores
Of other shades which in themselves
would add beauty to any woman, no mat
ter how unattractve.
Conspicuous styles. as We'll as conspicu-
Gus colors. are not for the girl who must
aid beauty by artificial means. But let
her take heart. for conSpicuity OF style
does not always spell smartness. whereas
real elegance is comprised largely of un-
obtrusiveness.
A woman's clothes should never efface
the woman herself: they should never at
tract attention to themselves as clothes.
but should be. rather, as a frame is to a
picture And incidentally II is well to re-
member that poor painting does not
disguise Is mediocrity by gaudy frame:
II only advertises the fact 1t had hoped
to conceal A plain woman CARRIED in
conspicuous gowns produces much the
same effect. She must remember that
subdued tones and subdued styles are her
hest aids to belated beauty. How she
NAV further enhance her looks by the
correct use of clothes l shall tell her an
other time.