THE SMART LINE OF DIGNITY
There comes a time with all of us when we have to admit that we are no
longer youthful, but we never need admit nor should we ever feel that we
are no longer young. Young hearts, young eyes, and young interests can
always keep within us the fountain of youth, and that is our right in
life—to enjoy to the last day our heritage, which means interest in
living, expressing beauty, tenderness, and true womanliness.
When you have reached this stage of development you should be just as
proud and happy about it as when you made your debut thirty years ago.
Your vision can behold much more now than it could then, for you can now
look both forward and backward, and then you could only look forward.
A wise educator says that every woman should have three careers: The
first, of youth and education; the second, of marriage and motherhood;
the third, of activity in business, or in advanced motherhood, or in
social or civic life. So it is for the third career that I want to write
these pages—to you who have a real incentive to be attractive yet have a
definite problem of too much weight.
DRESS SMARTLY, NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE
There is nothing more discouraging than to see a woman become careless
of her appearance as she grows older. Indeed, nowadays no woman with
proper self-respect would be guilty of such a crime, for although
dignity and womanliness are much to be admired in the mature woman,
there is certainly no excuse for a woman to allow herself to look old or
dowdy, no matter what her age may be. On the contrary, the older you
grow, the more urgent is your need for clothes that will make you look
smart and attractive, especially if you are even one pound overweight.
Let your watchword be to dress more smartly each year and to pay more
attention with each succeeding season to the demands of fashion. Dress
to suit your circumstances and needs, of course, but never forget to
dress appropriately to the occasion as well as to your figure and always
with a keen appreciation of youth.
[Illustration:
When dignity is the aim, rich lace is often desirable. The dress above
has a circular flare apron in the front only, and a lengthwise panel
in the back, the lace band giving the desired length line in the
front. Some older women prefer a short sleeve. A lace sleeve cap is
shown for evening wear. Full length, close-fitting sleeves are
required for this model for day-time wear.
In considering these designs, take up a current fashion book, study
closely the effective length lines, remembering that obtrusive
breaks in the line are to be avoided. The neckline of the above
dress is a good example of correctness, also the waistline
decoration.
The side line of the suit coat connecting, as it does, with the
pocket, is another example of subtle harmonious line giving the
desired length.
]
Don’t allow salespeople and the family to squelch your desire to look
attractive. I remember a dear mother woman of 55, round and happy
looking, who made her husband’s heart go “pit-pat” as much as it had 30
or 40 years before. She went into a millinery shop one day and was shown
to the case of bonnets for old ladies. Tears came—sincere, tragic tears.
She turned to her daughter and said with a definiteness never to be
forgotten, “If you ever let anybody put one of those hats on me I will
leave home.” And the daughter knew that she meant what she said.
Such a woman is a delight to dress. She is interested, has a
responsibility, and wants to look 45 instead of 55, and so every
available aid should be at hand to help in so worthy a cause.
For her, soft silk dresses are best. They are more nearly in harmony
with kindly good humor than stiff firm fabrics. Blue that is cool and
soft is better for such a type than purple or lavender. Lovely grays are
better than black. Navy blue is best of all.
Every woman should study her temperament and mood along with her type of
figure and work to dress both as perfectly as possible, remembering that
a little frosting is good on any cake, and even the plainest bread is
improved with butter and jam. Don’t be afraid of the smart hat, the new
trimming, or a trim new collar that is fashionable. It may help somebody
to fall in love with you all over again. Keep on the alert for whatever
will add youthful charm, womanly dignity, and lovely smartness, as well
as slenderness.
All the precautions, suggestions, and instructions throughout this book
are even more important for you than they are for younger women. Here
are a few, however, that apply _especially_ to you.
IF YOU ARE SHORT AND STOUT
If you are short and stout, select lines definitely lengthwise to aid
height. Lines that extend the full length of the figure are best. Neck
lines, panels, etc., will improve the general effect if they are made to
terminate in a point. Crosswise lines and trimmings on skirts are not
for the short woman, as they emphasize breadth and tend to shorten the
figure. It is particularly important that you give careful study to
those optical illusions which seem to add height and detract width. You
cannot be too particular about applying these rules to every garment
that you either make or buy.
[Illustration:
House or home dresses are as important as those for dress up wear.
Plain foundation patterns lend themselves to development of good taste
dresses such as are shown here.
A—Fine stripes of smart coloring are often effective, especially when
definitely tailored.
B—Broken yoke and belt lines are frequently used in sports clothes,
are youthful, and if right in proportions can be as effective as
definitely straight lines.
C—A shirtwaist dress often achieves the slender line by the
continuance of the double line panel in both blouse and skirt. Note
that the sleeve is slashed to break the width.
D—Small figured all-over design materials are allowable if both design
and coloring are inconspicuous. Note here that the sleeve is short,
an appropriate length with an untrimmed skirt.
]
FOR THE TALL STOUT FIGURE
The tall mature stout figure should watch her lines so that they will
not overemphasize height. Draped, as well as tunic skirts may be used to
advantage. The possibilities of applying trimming features to garments
for the tall woman are more allowable than for the short woman, but
great care must be used to avoid an upholstered effect that detracts
from her essential dignity.
If the length of the waist is short in proportion to the skirt length,
design and color combinations that do not tend to accentuate this
irregularity should be selected. A very common mistake in such cases is
to wear a skirt with a high waist line or a dark belt with a white or a
light-colored blouse. A short-waisted woman should choose skirts with
regulation waist lines or long-waisted blouse effects.
SKIRTS FOR DIGNITY
Skirts, whether full or narrow, that are cut as long as possible without
attracting undue attention to their length or causing discomfort, long
tunic skirts, and plain, straight-plaited skirts are desirable for the
stout woman. She should consistently avoid tiered skirts or skirts with
ruffles, shirring, and excessive or crosswise trimming.
[Illustration:
Straight lines in skirts are always advantageous, especially so if the
figure is short below the waist. These suggestions are given as aids
to variety.
]
The older you are, the more generous you can be in skirt length and
fullness, though in no case should your skirts be noticeably far from
fashion’s dictates.
SLEEVES FOR GRACE
The sleeves for the mature stout should be plain and soft in appearance
and have a tendency to cling to the arm. If the forearm is large and
heavy, a sleeve that comes just below the elbow or to a point 3 or 4
inches above the wrist is suitable. Long, bulky sleeves, however, should
never be worn on a heavy forearm. If long sleeves are worn, they should
be made to fit very close below the elbow, and should be finished at the
lower edge with a fold of net or lace or fabric or with a moderately
small, light-weight, flaring cuff. Such finishes will make the hand
appear smaller when a glove is not worn.
The mature stout woman should never expose her shoulders and upper arms
when in evening attire; rather, she should cover the flesh with filmy
lace or chiffon, or she should wear a scarf of tulle, preferably of
black or a silent tone, across the shoulders and the arms. White will
make the arms appear larger than they really are, and black will give
the opposite effect.
[Illustration:
When dignity is the aim, one must always seek to give interest in
line. Youth can manage severity in line and can wear satisfactorily
garments that are untrimmed, but with advancing years, there comes a
greater necessity for variety in detail.
A coat, for instance, might be boyishly plain for a 20–year-old girl
weighing 160, but for the same weight at 50 one needs to slip in a
friendly line or cozy bit of fur to modify the severely tailored.
The examples shown on the opposite page are worthy of close study, and
a smart Fashion Book at your right hand will allow you a modish use
of these correct lines in any current fashion.
]
TRIMMINGS TO AVOID
In choosing the trimmings for your garments, remember that buttons or
trimmings placed in flat patch effect, as in squares, triangles, or
diamonds, will tend to add thickness and destroy dignity, while if they
are arranged in single rows or broken lines they will add dignity and at
the same time give the appearance of length. Harmonizing, rather than
contrasting colors should be selected for trimmings, so that they will
not stand out boldly from the garment. Never should the collar, the
belt, or the finish at the bottom of the skirt be permitted to attract
the eye before the garment itself does, but they should be arranged so
as to be as inconspicuous as possible. Tucks, plaits, and seams should
be made to extend up and down the garment instead of around it. Nowhere
else can the laws of optical illusion be so effectively applied, with
such noticeable results, as in the matter of trimmings. A single
ornament, wrongly placed, can mar an entire costume for the woman who
wants to achieve slenderness.
HOW THE MATURE WOMAN CAN APPEAR SMART, ATTRACTIVE, AND CHARMING
The mature woman—the woman past her first youth—owes it to herself, her
family, and the world at large to be as becomingly and appropriately
dressed as intelligent effort, skill, and available money will permit.
On her rests the responsibility, example, standard of right living, and
the function of leadership. Also it is her duty not only to attract and
please, but to hold the admiration of those who believe in her, and by
her charming appearance, poise, and dignity to make her particular
sphere, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant it may be, radiate
joy, peace, and progress.
Nearly everybody agrees with the adage that “a woman is as old as she
looks and a man as old as he feels;” at least, there is no doubt that
the mature woman has a big advantage over the mature man. By her dress,
the woman of today can prolong her youth and at the same time she can
take on that poise and dignity which the accumulation of years and
experience generously bestows upon her, provided, of course, she accepts
these years and experiences in the right spirit. Deep down in every
normal woman lies the girl nature, and becoming, appropriate clothes
make possible the return of the girl spirit in a dignified way that
imparts real charm.
[Illustration:
Would you believe that the pattern of these two dresses is exactly the
same? This illustrates how you can vary a dress once you find the
foundation lines that are becoming to you. One pattern can suffice
for both a tailored and an afternoon dress, as you see both effects
are pleasing in their slenderness.
]
There is no definite or set period when certain styles of clothes are to
be worn by women of different ages. The age limit for certain styles is
within the control of every woman herself, and, naturally, the woman who
has the most intelligent knowledge and appreciation of herself and her
clothes will generally be the best dressed and will convey that
undeniable pleasure to observers—a well-dressed and dignified
appearance.
Frequently, a woman does not become noticeably stout until she has
reached the neighborhood of 45 or 46 years. This time of life is usually
the most trying for any woman, for when youth has taken flight it makes
necessary three things if a woman wishes to continue to appear
attractive and pleasing: dignity, careful grooming, and correct
selection of color, lines, and fabric. Correct corseting is, of course,
absolutely essential in order that the entire costume may be in perfect
harmony with her individuality and that she may have the appearance of
absolute comfort and ease.
But there is no reason why a woman of fifty cannot look smartly dressed,
and so she should. It is not only desirable but necessary for her to
keep active and progressive both in mind and in body, and as women’s
clubs and good reading matter help to develop her intelligence in other
respects, so they are aiming also to help her in selecting the best
materials, colors, and styles for her clothes.
Fashion folks need money from all of us to keep their lovely shops
going, so hunt around, find the shop that has things becoming to you,
then buy or copy them as your purse dictates, and study fashion
magazines and shop windows as you would a speller at a “spelling bee.”
Dress up—be gracious and charming! Everybody will love you for doing it
and you will look ten years younger as a result.