The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-22
HOW TO MAKE THE
MOST OF YOURSELF
White Suits Every Type of Middle
aged Woman. Whether She Be Stout
or Thin, Fair or Dark.
BY ELIZABETH LEE.

| Copyright. lsI)
One usually associates middle age
with an accumulation Of nlesh. but
this is not always the case. There
are elderly women who have been grace
fully slender in youth, but are now only
painfully scrawny, as well as plump
maidens developed into uncomfortable,
rather than comfortable. looking mat
rons. as they are some times termed
Then there is the highly-colored. dark.
| middle-aged woman who has not quite
lost her figure or the opulent tints of her
youth. but the pink OF the cheeks has
given place to a duller, deeper red-beefy.
we sometimes hear II termed. The large
| dark eyes, though still retaining some OF
| their brilliance, have shrunken and now
give the impression of Readiness. The
beautiful black hair, once SO glossy, is
/ now dull and black, hue much more
trying than sprinkling OF gray. Indeed.
gray hair Is often the salvation of the
| woman Of vivid coloring, because IL fur
nishes just the soft. refining influence
that this type usually needs
| Her very best choice will lie in a black
and white toilet. Well chosen, there is
| nothing SO well suited to her as an en-
tire costume of black and white. Her
own coloring will provide sufficient ac-
4 cent Sne VIII look Striking, but neither
| conspicuous nor startling.
| Navy blue comes next on the list. Very
\ dark red will be more becoming than may
| be imagined. a red-faced woman in a
| red dress, Horrible, some may say. In
fact. know women who have good col
Oring declare they never touch red be-
cause they have so much of their own
They want something to tone it down, not
accentuate it. they say. But this the
correct shade of red viii do. The red
must be darker than the tint II desires to
modify. To test this, take any medium
color and look at it alone. Then place by
the side of ii the same color many shades
darker. and the medium tone will seem
| to change to one much lighter. When
one has too much color a crimson frock
will apparently reduce IT,
Gray May BE Worn.
Gray. also golden brown. may be worn,
provided the wearer is only OF average
stoutness. Gray and brown are both
known as large colors"-that is, they
apparently increase the size of the wear
er. Women Of this class are however,
as a rule, OF full figure or inclined 10
embonpoint at least. Therefore the toilet
should be chosen with a view to dIniin-
ishing the figure. Thus II VIII be seen
that gray and brown should be approach
ed with caution.
The popular toupe shades will not be
bad II chosen in dull. rich tints, though
taupe is combination OF the two I'M
kind colors. Very dark green is often be-
coming to this type even though IL may
not have been included in the list OF col
ors worn I'm youth
= A costume entirely white will suit every
type Of middle-aged woman, whether she
be stout or thin. tall or short fair or
dark. Those OF slight build may add a
touch of color by way of accessory bur
the average or the stout figure will do
well to avoid even this relief. Black is
OF course. the very best choice for the I'M
duly stout. White may always be intro
duced upon a black gown, also a touch
OF color, II desired.
Black. unreiieved, should not be worn
from choice. vet many elderly women
also some OF those who have only reached
middle age-seem to think they should
only wear black
This is entirely a mistake for black il
only becoming to fresh. youthful faces.
rosy checks, and golden hair. Colors ar.
far kinder. Of course, not bright, vivid
shades-becauSe the contrast would be
even more cruel than black-but. given
the tones that will harmonic with skin
no longer daintily pink and eyes that
have lost much OF their lUster, the trans
formation will be astonishing.
Take the plump. fair, and forid woman.
Nothing will become her so well as a
gown OF dull. soft black, relieved about
the face with ivory lace. Bright. glossy
surfaces should be strictly avoided. Will.
satin is positively fatal to the stout
woman.
Colors. too. must be carefully studied.
The baby blues, so becoming in her youth.
must now give place TO the more har-
monious faded. pastel shades. Mauve she
may wear; also. dark grayish blues. as
military or dull Copenhagen. as colors for
whole gowns. Dark wistaria is not a
bad choice, but when a very bright. vivid
shade is preferred it should only be used
as piping or. say, lining. 1t must be
remembered that a little will go quite
long way. Fortunately. the styles OF tn.
day call for little trimming. In fact.
very often there is no contrasting color
at all upon gown. Any trimmings will
be of the material while the relief NAV
DC a dainty collar Of lingerie or lace and
cuffs to match. This is an excellent mod
ell for the stout woman whether she be
fair or dark.
Now while the plump woman should
avoid glossy surfaces. there is another
type. notably the thin woman, inclined
to SCraEgincSS. also to salIowness, to
whom a certain amount of lustcr is a ne
cessity. She needs something to bright
en- her up. and the FABRICS she should
choose should have a deep as well as a
glossy surface. as, for instance. velvet.
broadcloth, and the satiny weaves OF soft
silks and crepes. Genuine satin and stiff
silks. while rejecting the lights and con-
sequently increasing the size Of the wear
er (which is good. Of COurse) will also be
found cold. and so only becoming to those
in youth who have plenty Of their own
warm coloring.
A suit of warm gray velvet or broad
cloth trimmed with velvet will be be-
coming to this type. also rich wistaria,
long-haired furs, and soft, fluffy, ivory
jabots. As accessories, the little punches
of artificial flowers worn so much now
Will be correct, or even a single large
flower i'm rich, deep coloring: anything.
in fact. which will tend to warm her up
tAny question suggested by this article
will be answered by Mrs. Lee personally
II stamped and self-addressed envelope
be inclosed in the inquirer's letter.