The New York herald., 1922-06-04
Mourning Clothes
Lightened in All Ways

This is a period of change in all
things. Even mourning has not escaped!
generation ago there were absolutely
strict rules for mourning. and in this
respect no one who believed in the pro-
priety of the conventions would have
broken them. To-day everything is il
lumined by the light of individual opin-
ion, SO that even mourning is largely
a question of personal feeling and the
ultimate decision rests with the indi-
vidual. However, there are rules for
what is correct; and If one is going to
break rules successfully one must know
them first.
All black should be worn at the
funeral and at least the first few weeks:
then black with small distribution of
white, such as organdie collars and
cuffs. or slight white facing for the
hat or turban. All white is as strict
mourning as the entirely black costume,
but a more or less equal division of
black and white. or gray or violet is
second mourning.
The widow twenty years ago wore
the deepest mourning for two years.
and half mourning for life If she did
not remarry. To-day the widow wears
her Grape veil a year; some young
widows or even a few of the older
matrons now consider six months suffi-
cient but this is a very modern inter-
probation and is not the convention.
The widow never goes into half-mourn-
ing for two years. For the immediate
family, meaning a parent, a sister or
brother or child, year of deep and a
year of second mourning Is correct. AT
this time the period of wearing the crepe
veil is point where personal opinion
seems to give itself a free hand-six
months is right. One must mention the
ladies who do not wear Grape ven at
all and the young people who consider
the complete lack of all color sufficient.
simply to say that this not In any cir
cumstances. proper mourning.
AS whole, we follow the far more
conservative ideas of the English. How
ever, we curtail the periods of mourn
ing, and mourning itself has been light
ened in all ways, even as to weight
The latter change is a most excellent
one, for often the widow or the woman
who has just lost a parent finds herself
engulfed in business affairs .and has,
therefore, to wear her veil for long
hours at time. So 1t is lucky that
the veil back and front is a thing of
the past. The poor lady who used TO
carry about with her this terrible weight
added fatigue to her sorrow. and, in
some cases. it even affected her health.
ClotheS must invariably De made OF
lusterless fabrics, such as chiffon, crepe
de chine, crepe gomain, or any of the
dull crepe materials and serge and
wooden cloths that have no brilliancy.
Jet is proper for trimming but it should
be the dull not the glttering jet, and il
embroidery is> employed it should not
create luminous effect. No shiny ma
terials ought to be used. The day
dress. except for sports or some excep
tional occasion. should have long
sleeves. A dignified type of evening
dress ought to be chosen. Eccentric
dressing can never be happily combined
with mourning.
There was time when only small
hats were considered proper; however,
when the veil is no longer worn there is
no reason why a large hat is not in per
feet taste, if it is appropriate 10 the
costume as q whole.