LINES THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND CONSIDERED IN MAKING COSTUMES.
Mme. La Mode, much misrepresented as are all who are embarrassed with
world-wide popularity always considers when designing fashions that
women vary in form, as in mood. She suits all needs, although this fact
has never been cast to her credit. With a beautiful sense of
adjustment--as obvious as that in Nature, that projects the huge
watermelon to ripen on a slender vine on the ground and swings a
greengage plum on the stout stem of a tree to mature in storm or
shine--Mme. La Mode, arbiter of styles, balances her fashions.
Never came the big hat without the small bonnet. Accompanying the long
cloak is the never-failing short cape. Side by side may be found the
long coat and the short, natty jacket. This equilibrium in wearing
apparel may be traced through all the vagaries of fashion.
Everybody's need has been considered, but everybody has not considered
her need.
The short, stout woman passes by the long coat better adapted to her
and seizes a short jacket--a homeopathic tendency of like suiting like,
sometimes efficacious in medicine, but fatal in style.
Style for Tall Slender Woman.
The very tall, slender woman frequently ignores a jaunty jacket and
takes a long coat like that shown in No. 36.
To even the sluggish fancy of an unimaginative observer she suggests a
champagne bottle, and to the ready wit she hints of no end of amusing
possibilities for caricature.
The very tall woman should know that long lines from shoulder to foot
give height, and she must discerningly strive to avoid length of line
in her garments until she dons the raiment of the angels.
[Illustration: NOS. 36 AND 37]
Horizontal lines crossing the figure seem to decrease height, and should
be used as much as possible in the arranging and trimming of the tall
woman's garments.
By selecting a shorter coat equally modish, as shown by No. 37, the too
tall woman shortens her figure perceptibly.
The belt cuts off from her height in a felicitous way, and the collar,
also horizontal, materially improves the size of her throat. The high
collar, such as finishes the coat, in No. 36, adds to the length. Those
who have too long arms can use horizontal bands on sleeves most
advantageously.
The Coat the Short Stout Woman should Wear.
The short jacket that so graciously improved the appearance of the
slender specimen of femininity is sinister in its effect on the short,
stout woman, in sketch No. 38. It should be the study of her life to
avoid horizontal lines. Length of limb is to be desired because it adds
distinction. Her belt, the horizontal effect of the skirt of the jacket,
the horizontal trimming of the bottom of the skirt, all apparently
shortening her height, tend to make her ordinary and commonplace in
appearance.
[Illustration: NOS. 38 AND 39]
If her hips are not too pronounced she can wear the long coat, shown in
picture No. 39. The V-shaped vesture gives her a longer waist, and the
long lines of the revers add to the length of her skirt. If her hips are
too prominent, she should avoid having any tight-fitting garments that
bring the fact into relief. She should not wear the long coat, but she
can effectively modify it to suit her needs, by only having a skirt, or
tabs, or finishing straps in the back. If her jacket or basque is
finished off with a skirt effect, it is best to have the little skirt
swerve away just at the hip-line, half revealing and half concealing it.
The front should be made in a jacket effect, finishing just at the
waist-line and opening over a blouse front that will conceal the
waist-line. It is best for the too short, stout woman to obscure her
waist-line as much as possible, to apparently give her increase of
height.
To put the waist-line high up adds to length of limb, and, of course, is
to be desired, but the fact that what is added below is taken from above
the waist, should impel careful discrimination in the arrangement of
this equatorial band.
The Cloak or Cape for a Tall Woman.
The long circular cloak is another graceful garment that can be worn
with charming effect by the woman of classic height, but should never be
in the wardrobe of a very tall woman except for use at the opera, when
its service is chiefly required in the carriage, or when its wearer is
sitting. It is so obvious, in sketch No. 40, that the vertical lines the
folds of the cloak naturally fall into give a steeple-like appearance to
the tall woman it enfolds, that it is scarcely necessary to comment upon
it.
[Illustration: NO. 40]
That her judicious selection should have been the short cape, which
comes, as all capes should, to be artistic, well below the elbows, is
clearly illustrated in picture No. 41. The horizontal trimming very
becomingly plays its part in the generally improving effect.
[Illustration: NO. 41]
The one who can wear the long cloak in an unchallengeable manner is the
short, stout woman, shown in sketch No. 42.
By wearing the short cape with circular, fluffy collarette, sketched in
No. 43, she gives herself the look of a smothered, affrighted Cochin
China chicken; or, as an imaginative school-girl remarked of her mother
who wore a cape of similar style, "she looks as if her neck were
encircled by bunches of asparagus."
[Illustration: NOS. 42 AND 43]
The military dignity she acquires by wearing the long cape is becoming
to a degree, and gives her distinction in form.
By remembering that horizontal trimmings apparently decrease the
height, and that vertical lines add to it, those who desire to appear at
their best will use discernment in dividing their basques with yokes, or
corsage mountings at the bust-line or frills at the hip-line.
A flounce on the corsage at the bust-line, another at the hip-line, and
yet another at the bottom of the shirt, increases the impression of
bulkiness most aggressively and gives a barrel-like appearance to the
form of a stout woman that is decidedly funny, as may be seen in sketch
No. 44.
A study of the lines of the form will not only aid one in adopting a
more becoming style of dress, but will sharpen the artistic
perceptions, thus adding to the joy of life.
[Illustration: NO. 44]
"A beautiful form is better than a beautiful face" and should be clothed
so that its lines may appear at their best, and not be exaggerated and
caricatured. The figure is seen many more times than the face, and the
defects of the former are more conspicuous than those of the latter.
Do not be unjust to your beautiful body, the temple of your soul; above
all, do not caricature it by selecting your clothes with
indiscriminating taste.
NO MATTER WHAT THE PREVAILING MODE THESE RULES MAY BE PRACTICALLY
APPLIED.