The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-16
The Imitation Period

we have had the renaissance period.
the directoire period. tho imperial
period-why not the Imitation" period
as well?
The colonial houses are initiated: so
Is old furniture. As for dress. imita
ton is the dominating note OF the
whole fashionable world Beauty Is
not even skin deep nowadays; 1t is COP
! led with the same facility and ease
| with which a mediocre arts. can re-
| produce the likeness of a famous pic
/ ture. Why, the painting OF a portrait
I pales into insignificance beside the
| work OF the geniuses who create tho
styles.
| 1t may not be possible TO make silk
| purse out of n sow's ear. but who wants
silk purse. at any rate. with such
| splendid silver limitations on the mar
! ket, all glttering with Initial ton lew
/ els?
| Give Dame Fashion kiplings founda-
! ton of n rag. a bone and hank OF
! hair" to work upon. and she will trans
| form snub- nosed. pasty faced bit OF
| femininity into an alluring. Fascinating
/ siren. SO admirably exact replica of
| natural beauty that only some unpleas-
ant expert can detect the subterfuge
| Rouge Is more natural than the real
| thing nowadays-almost. and powder
/ y
tinzing gazo.
! Having recovered from the spell OF
| the eighteenth century painters, high
heels. satin brocades. milady next
adopted tho costumes of her Oriental
/ sister
These necessitated many alterations
In the face: the lily white complexion
was abandoned in favor of creamy
yellow Chinese skin; eyes were com
PEELED to a harmoniHing upward slant.
! blonde locks became mysteriously
! dark. But no sooner are these changes
perfected than. with the true lncon-
! sistency OF the artistic temperament,
! the whimsical dame who sets the styles
announces her preference for beauty
unadorned The ultra fashionable at
once resort to artificial means to imi-
tate the misunderstanding women.
| Poor unfortunates! How can they
! do otherwise2
| Tho fashion books inform us '.the
| hair Is drawn straight back from tho
! face and coiled simply in low knot
at the back" Imagine tho result !f
this were literally taken! The aver
age woman would resemble comic
| valentine Just arising from a long
| nights sleep!
For the consolation of any unso-
phisticated innocents who have been
| conscientiously struggling with this
decree. the information is rendered that
| ii merely means the hair is drawn
back after the curling irons have
transformed it into the appearance of
natural water waves, and the simple
| knot. which, through long usage. has
! been reduced to n few lifeless wisps
| has been reimbursed by the more luxu-
rious locks OF some unenlightened
peasant who remains in blissful igno-
rance of the existence of vogue.
| However, the ends of the hair arc
| carefully concealed, and the result is
| admirably effective.
The last decree. which emanated
from Washington. is for women to go
| corsetless; this has been an Inter
mittent fervor for the last fow years.
and IL seems at last to be taken seri-
!iously-not 80 seriously that women
Intend 10 discard the corset Bless
your heart, the mere suggestion is
preposterous. after all these centuries
OF cultivating body guard of out
SIDE bones: But decree is n decree.
Milndy will have corset made which
/ VIII effect the lack of one.
AS for the imitation flowers. they
are considered vastly superior to ma
lures efforts in that Inca sort OF
| improved patent on the original make
| they don't droop and grow detected
on a ball gown; they are so economi-
cal; even the perfume (slightly exaE-
gerated) is reproduced.
only the old-fashioned lovers cling
| TO the florist shop nowadays; and every
\ bunch OF dewy roses she deplores the
stupidity of mon. Now how sensible.
how eminently practical. IL instead OF
eApending ten-spot on such useless
loveliness as the genuine article, he
had INDUCED in those delightful imi-
tation ones. But men, and particular
/ ~ men in love- are always slow in
adapting themselves to the changes in
the fashion.
| ButtonhoIe Helps.
Many sewers find 1t difficult to make
buttonholes In thin material, but if
this precaution Is taken you will find
II an easy matter:
| before cutting the buttonholes, baste
strip OF muslin or lawn beneath the
portion where the buttonholes are to
DO. Cut the buttonholes through both
th1cknesses and buttonhole stitch the
edges. When they are completed, cut
away the material underneath close
10 me buttonhole. and the result Will
De hrm. perfect buttonhole
Rompers for children require great
many buttonholes. If loops OF sou
/ e1...