WOMAN DECORATIVE IN HER SUN-ROOM
A sun-room as the name implies, is a room planned to admit as much sun
as is possible. An easy way to get the greatest amount of light and sun
is to enclose a steam heated porch with glass which may be removed at
will. Sometimes part of a conservatory is turned into a sun-room,
awnings, rugs, chairs, tables, couches, making it a fascinating lounge
or breakfast room, useful, too, at the tea hour. Often when building a
house a room on the sunny side is given one, two, or three glass sides.
To trick the senses, ferns and flowering plants, birds and fountains are
used as decorations, suggesting out-of-doors.
PLATE XIII
Portrait by Gilbert Stuart of Doña Matilda, Stoughton de
Jaudenes. (Metropolitan Museum.)
We use this portrait to illustrate the period when woman's
line was obliterated by the excessive decoration of her
costume.
The interest attached to this charming example of her time
lies in colour and detail. It is as if the bewitching Doña
Matilda were holding up her clothes with her person. Her
outline is that of a ruffled canary. How difficult for her
to forget her material trappings, when they are so many, and
yet she looks light of heart.
For sharp contrast we suggest that our reader turn at once
to the portrait by Sargent (Plate XV) which is distinguished
for its clean-cut outline and also the distinction arrived
at through elimination of detail in the way of trimming. The
costume hangs on the woman, suspended by jewelled chains
from her shoulders.
The Sargent has the simplicity of the Classic Greek; the
Gilbert Stuart portrait, the amusing fascination of Marie
Antoinette detail.
The gown is white satin, with small gold flowers scattered
over its surface. The head-dress surmounting the powdered
hair is of white satin with seed-pearl ornaments.
The background is a dead-rose velvet curtain, draped to show
blue sky, veiled by clouds. The same dead-rose on table and
chair covering. The book on table has a softly toned calf
cover. Gilbert Stuart was fond of working in this particular
colour note.
[Illustration: _Metropolitan Museum of Art_
_Eighteenth Century Costume Portrait by Gilbert Stewart_]
The woman who would add to the charm of her sun-room in Winter by
keeping up the illusion of Summer, will wear Summer clothes when in it,
that is, the same gowns, hats and footwear which she would select for a
warm climate. To be exquisite, if you are young or youngish, well and
active, you would naturally appear in the sun-room after eleven, in some
sheer material of a delicate tint, made walking length, with any
graceful Summer hat which is becoming, and either harmonises with colour
of gown or is an agreeable contrast to it. By graceful hat we mean a hat
suggesting repose, not the close, tailored hat of action. One woman we
know always uses her last Summer's muslins and wash silks, shoes,
slippers and hats in her sun-room during the Winter. In her wardrobe
there are invariably a lot of sheer muslins, voiles and wash silks in
white, mauve, greys, pinks, or delicate stripes, the outline following
the fashion, voluminous, straight or clinging, the bodice tight with
trimmings inset or full, beruffled, or kerchiefed. Her hats are always
entirely black or entirely white, in type the variety we know as
_picturesque_, made very light in weight and with no thought of
withstanding the elements. The woman who knows how, can get the effect
of a picture hat with very little outlay of money. It is a matter of
line when on the head, that look of lightness and general airiness which
gives one the feeling that the wearer has just blown in from the lawn!
The artist's hand can place a few simple loops of ribbon on a hat, and
have success, while a stupid arrangement of costly feathers or flowers
may result in failure. The effect of movement got by certain line
manipulation, suggesting arrested motion, is of inestimable value,
especially when your hat is one with any considerable width of brim. The
hat with movement is like a free-hand sketch, a hat without movement
like a decalcomania.
If the owner of the sun-room is resting or invalided then away with
out-of-door costume. For her a tea-gown and satin slippers are in order,
as they would be under similar conditions on her furnished porch.
If the mistress of the sun-room is young and athletic, one who never
goes in for frou-frous, but wears linen skirts and blouses when pouring
tea for her friends, let her be true to her type in the sun-room, but
always emphasising immaculate daintiness, rather than the
ready-for-sport note. A sheer blouse and French heels on white pumps
will transpose the plain linen skirt into the key of picturesque
relaxation, the hall-mark of sun-rooms. More than any other room in the
house, the sun-room is for drifting. One cannot imagine writing a cheque
there, or going over one's monthly accounts.
We assume that the colour scheme in the sun-room was dictated by the
owner and is therefore sympathetic to her. If this be true, we can go
farther and assume that the delicate tones of her porch gowns and tea
gowns will harmonise. If her sun-room is done in yellows and orange and
greens, nothing will look better than cream-white as a costume. If the
walls, woodwork and furniture have been kept very light in tone, relying
on the rugs and cushions and dark foliage of plants to give character,
then a costume of sheer material in any one of the decided colours in
the chintz cushions, will be a welcome contribution to the decoration of
the sun-room. Additional effect can be given a costume by the clever
choice of colour and line in a work-bag.