Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-25
HOW A WOMAN CAN
DRESS BECOMINGLY
BY NINE. SIMONE,
French Actress Now in This Country.

French Actress. Now in This Country.
A few weeks ago I was coming from
a rehearsal Just at the hour when the
shops We're closing. 1t was IA cold, damp,
rainy day--one of those days when women
neglect their appearance on the plea or
bad weather. The stream of disheveled
femininity which poured forth from the
stores gave evidence of this dismal fact.
Every one who passed was dressed with
greater or less degree of carelessness.
Just as / stepped into my motor
young girl passed. She was incredibly
pretty and incredibly gowned. One would
hardly call it a gown. The garment she
had on was a faded blue serge, shabby
and ill fitting, without semblance OF
style to the whole thing. But the lovely
| wind blown color in her cheeks, the soft
damp curls falling around ner face and
| the wide, lustrous eyes made me forset
| everything else in the contemplation OF
| her beauty All the carelessness of her
attire would have furnished a thousand
| texts to moralist, and yet she defeated
| their theories by her undeniable pretti-
ness
| the girl the thought crossed my mind
| how few women there are in the world
who can disregard their heels and hosiery
| and forget to mend their gloces without
| have 1t is only the very young-and the
very pretty-who can do this
Every woman-and there are few ex-
ceptions to this rule-needs to study the
question of clothes as seriously as she
would any other vital subject. For clothes
are vital to her from girlhood to the
grave. even though she may not know
or admit this face. She is pitifully de-
pendent upon them for the impression
she creates, and out of respect for her
fallo hafv, nj
should strive at all times to make the
best appearance possible
A witty Frenchman once SAID TO me
that only the very rich can afford to dress
badly Perhaps this is true, perhaps 1t is
not; but whichever the case may be, II
has always seemed to me that in these
democratic days we are taken very
much at our own valuation, and 1t rests
entirely with us whether the impression
made is q prepossessing one or not. Every
woman of course, wants to be valued
highly, and every woman has 1t WITHIN
her power to crafty this desire if she will
but look to her clothes for help.
Dress. then, being taken as an express
sion of the woman herself, must be
chosen with the best OF taste.
But what is good taste in clothes? Its
ideal is an elegance that is unobtrusiveness
best expressed by an irreproachable cut
and distinction in style that is almost in
describable. 1t is an elegance which leaves
the onlooker with an impression OF charm
and yet with an utter inability to give the
details which went TO make up this gen.
eral effect OF course, anything even
slightly suggesting display in clothes Is
considered vulgar by many women, which
may account for the quiet tone OF dress
have observed while here in America
And ii is their general preference for
the darker colors in clothes which / have
seen evinced on all sides of me that en-
courages me to ask you once more, my
readers, to choose a subdued tone when
+
ernoon gown of the average woman must
serve many purposes: 1t must be worn 10
teas. luncheons, matinees and bridge par
ties, and be appropriate for each occa-
sion Therefore. let it be of blue, green,
gray or purple, no matter what the shade
so long as the tone of the gown Is sub
dued.
Bright colors are all very well in them
selves and in the right places. but they
do not belong in the wardrobe OF the
woman of limited means. Why? you ask
plaintively, if you love the bizarre Things
in life. Because, my readers, bright
colors become deadly monotonous when
it is necessary to see them continuously.
gown in cerise, for instance, may be
vastly pretty and becoming. but after 1t
| is worn few times its very ViVloness
| becomes tiresome To be sure. it creates
a greater impression than a dark tone at
| first but the impression does not last as
1 long as the one made by a darker gown.
| You. we'll as Your friends, become SO
tired of the cerise frock before 1t has been
| worn dozen times that you wish you
| had decided i'm favor of Il less vivid tone.
| A subdued color. on the other hand. is
always restful and in good taste. Its SOM
| berness may be frightened by clever
| ARRANGEMENT of trimming, and there is
| no reason in the world why it should not
| be as smart and even more so than a
/ gown which attracts considerable atteh-
| ton because of its brilliant color.
| .rhe choice of a suseful gown for after
| noon wear is very often most difficult
| matter \ coat and skirt is not dressy
| enough for the purpose, while too e-ap.
| crate frock is out of place unless, OF
| course one has the services of closed
| ear at ones immediate convenience.
! great many have not this luxury at their
| command. and for them ii Is best TO
i L. L. ..-iAi 4,