Evening star., 1931-12-27


to herself and her friends that she was
a person of more than usual will power
and strength of purpose.
Clara Ann locked into the pier glass
and realized that she looked a good Is
pounds too broad. In an indefinite way
she intended to start reducing, but she
was going next day to the Joneses'
week end house party, and there was
hardly time to lose a single pound by
dieting But Clara Ann realized that
you can count calorieS in raiment as
well as in food, and there was still time
to do some astute clothes hunting. So
she ate leiSurely luncheon. with cream
and sugar in her coffee and whipped
cream on her dessert to give her cour
age for the shopping bout, and TAXED
to her faVorite shopping center There
she bought new evening dress of the
semi-demi sort that will do for any
emergency after S o'clock She bought
new shoes and stockings, a new hat and
new Winter sports outfit, not to men,
ton necklace or two of the sort that
makes the neck look slender, and new
handbag of simple lines and generous
proportions that is SO much more fiat
tering than small, fussy bag.
THAT evening Clara Ann found time
for necessary alterations and ad-
JustmentS OF her new dress and sports
suit. and at the JoneSeS' house party
next day every one remarked on her
slender appearance. So-good for Clara
Ann! We hope that some day before
long she will have the courage and
persistence to do little honest dieting,
but IN the meantime We are glad she is
buying her clothes with wisdom, re-
slstlng any possible temptation to in
dulge in fashions that only the really
slender girl should attempt.
In soTe ways fashions this season
are favorable to the larger woman. In
other ways they present unusual diff
culties.
Say what YOU will somewhat longer
skirts do help solve the problem To
be sure, when very short skirts were in
fashion there were plenty of stout girls
who liked them, because very often
women of this type have we'll proper
toned calves and ankles, and often a
very short skirt is more flattering than
one that ends off Just where the leg is
broadest. That's true enough, and vet
the shortened skirt line shortens the
lines of the entire figure and gives an
effect OF unnecessary breadth to the
silhouette.
HERE is our friend Clara AIMS ad-
vice: If you are in the stout class,
unless your legs are strikingly broad,
have your street and sports costumes
made with skirts not too long Choose
stockings of a fairly dark tone to har-
monte with the skirt Because,
whether you are short and stout or tall
and stout, an unusually long skirt on
a daytime dress will give you a pom
derous appearance.
But for afternoon and evening dresses
really long skirts are desirable, espe-
c1aIly II they are made of silk crepe,
chiffon velvet or some other material
of clinging, slinky sort.
Remember that if your waist line is
substantial it is better to choose a dress
without a definite belt Materials
through the hips should be carefully
adjusted but not drawn too tight. The
dress that Is made with slight blous-
ing above the waist line is wise selec-
tlon, because this tenGs to give slen-
DER effect to waist and hips.
Full sleeves, cape collars and other
devices to give breaGth to the shoulders
undoubtedly do accent the Slcndernass
CT waist and hips, but they should be
considered with care by the woman who
has pounds to hide
Surpllce cloSings and deep VS. are
usually wisely chosen. However, thev
are not always the best selection for the
plump girl of short proportions. Very
often her best bet is one of the new
higher, simpler necklineS which gives a
smooth, unbroken line of material at
the front of the blouse A modified
cowl neckline is sometimes decidedly
good
WHEN it comes to colors the stout
woman usually has an advantage
because Interestingly enough she usual
ly VIII have a wider variety of becoming
colors TO choose from than the very
slender girl. This is doubtless because
the girl who is not slender usually, by
way OF compensation, has a clear, Vi
brant sort of complexion She can
wear black without looking wan and
forlorn, and she can wear brighter
colorS without looking insignificant in
contrast. Contrary to usual opinion,
pure white is usually good choice for
the girl who weighs too much. The
only colors that she need avoid are
those that are so shrill as to attract un-
due notice. Soft, dull surfaced ma
terials such as chiffon velvet, chiffon.
fiat crepe are better selections than
satins, taffeta or stiff velvets.
Simplicity Of design and color combi-
nation is essential, and here the stout
NOlllo1l lColy lIdS all advantage over
the girl who is too thin because she can
wear dresses and hats and wraps of the
extremely simple sort with distinction.
without looking insignificant or too de-
mure.
The girl who has always been able
to tip the scales above the average for
her height may not even consider her
blessings. But if she has ever been
really underweight she knows that there
are as many problems for the thin as
Tor the stout and that it is often easier
for the stout girl to find clothes that
are genuinely becoming than for the
girl of too slender proportions.
A CTUALLY there is no set of rules
4 that would do for all stout women
because all stout women are not pro-
portioned in the same way. The girl
who has short neck and high shoul-
ders, for instance, should avoid the deep
wide sweeping fur coat collar that is so
generally seen on Winter coats this sea-
long neck will find this type of collar
becoming, be she ever so stout.
Extreme fashions are usually avoided
by the stout woman. The fact is that
she usually does not need them, because
she will be able to look DISTINGUISHED
with simpler clothes if they are well
made and of good material.
Remember, too, that heavy women
usually are harder on" their clothes
than very light women. There is more
likely to be a strain at the seams. For
this reason it is especially important to
choose dresses of really good material,
made generously.
Jewelry should be very carefully
chosen and worn by the woman who
boasts few extra pounds. Anything
garish or too startling-which might