Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06

possible. Normal-siSed women always
seem to have so much better ideas on
the subject" y y
THE graduates mother laughed q
little, because she knew that the
graduates father considered her still
normal sized, though she wasn't, and
she knew he had high regard for her
ideas on the subject of dress. She
thought at first that she would explain
and then she decided that she
wouldn't-that the fat women who knew
how to dress failed to register with him
as fat women, and that the minority
who wore the clothes that made them
look mountainous were the only ones he
thought OF as not being normally sized
There was the important lady in the
large yellow-f1gured chiffon dress who
hattered herself that because she was
nearly feet tall it didn't matter if she
old weigh 200 odd. When she was 81
the man she later married had told her
IN rash moment that she reminded
MIN OF daffodil, and she had worn
yellow ever since on important occa-
slons. Realizing, in the years that had
elapsed since the tender compliment was
paid, that the girth of her waist had in
creased little, she had decided to re-
tain the lowered waistline no matter
where fashionable dressmakers decided
to place 1t. And there she was with a
oraped girdle around her ample hips,
WIN tne bodice OF her dress looking pro-
o1glously large in a season when our
eyes have become accustomed to higher
waists
And there was the hirtatious lady In
req georgette, as gay and striking as a
scarlet tanager, who had convinced
herself that even If she was 80 pounds
o. erweight she could never look large"
because she was less than 5 feet tall.
Her first husband had told her 20 years
ago that black was depressing color.
1t seems too obvious to bear repeating
that large figures and striking colors
are . poor selection for women Of too
ample proportions and yet obviously
these truths bear repeating. There are
shades Of purple and a bright nag blue
that should be avoided quite as much
as red by women of this group. White
and light pastel tones have a larger
effect than darker tones, but can often
be worn advantageously by the shorter
stout woman. This is especially true Of
the grayed light tones of blue and pink,
which are les expansive than the
clearer, flower-petal pastel tones. Oyster
white is better choice than pure white
or cream white.
For outdoor wear, especially on the
golf course, certain shades Of leaf
green are wisely chosen-shades that
might be striking in verdureless city
streets, but that sink into the green
tones Of the background when worn in
the country.
HPLEASE give me some specific sug-
= gestions about choosing my
Clothes" writes reader who admits to
40 pounds overweight at 40. what
sort of shoes. stockings, gloves and hats
would you suggeSt?"
Opera pumps by all means-so far
as shoes are concerned-becauSe the
line of the vamp unbroken by straps
or lacings makes for slenderness Of
outline. Fairly high heels give slen
der effect to the ankles, but should
never be so high as to give an unstable
effect. Black faille, with very little
trimming if any. is good choice for
evening shoes, with dull black kid for
daytime. Plain beige pumps are also
well chosen. because when worn with
matching stockings they give an I'M
broken line from the hem of the skirt
to the toe of the shoe. With black
shoes sheer gun metal stockings should
be selected when they go with the rest
OF the costume, and gun metal does go
with navy blue or black With brown
or beige, beige stockings are a better
choice.
Rose tones of beige are not so favor
able as grayish or brownish beige, and
the new crepe silk stockings with a
dull surface are better choice than
those of a glossy surface. A neat clock
at the side of the stocking contributes
to the slenderness of the ankle.
Gloves of the pull-on sort should be
chosen in preference to short gloves or
those finished with a cuff. If worn
drawn up over the sleeves of the dress
they give a slender appearance to the
wrist and hands. And, of course, suede
gloves are preferable to those of glace
kid-black suede, light beige or white
suede, but never the yellowish tones
Of natural chamois gloves.
The choice of hat depends so much
on the proportions of the face that it
Is hard to give any specific rules that
will apply to all women who call them
selves stout. Generally speaking, the
very large cartwheel hat, the hat that
droops well down to the shoulder, and
the small hat that makes the face look
wide should be avoided, and usually
black hats are best. II light effect Is
wanted to go with q thin Summer
dress, there are lightweight black lace
straws that are amazingly dattering.