CHOOSE THESE SUBTLE SHADES
It has always seemed to me that we women who have the opportunity of making either a pleasing, indifferent, or offending picture of ourselves in our dress should realize our opportunity, sense fully that we are in competition with real artists and work to achieve a degree of perfection that at least would be pleasing to our very own selves and that could not offend any who might see us.
Those valuable laws of optical illusion teach us always to select colors that have a tendency to recede, that is, those that are indefinite and difficult to classify. For instance, the moment rose is added to gray, or yellow to tan, it takes on light and tends to intensify size rather than to reduce it, while we can add white to gray, or brown to tan with the opposite result. So often we see someone who has achieved a beautiful color plan, change it to satisfy her own desire for variety and in the changing lose all that she has worked to gain. And so I insist that once you find the color or combination of colors that is becoming, that is flattering, as to size and complexion, hair and eyes, hold to it as a valued possession and have your color variety in other things rather than your dress.
I have not yet considered white, or rather cream, or old blue, or pastel green in discussing shades. These many of us can wear. The wearing of white is a luxurious habit once acquired. The charm of immaculateness may balance in some minds its tendency to increase size, but if you wish to look as small as possible, avoid it. Of old blue this is not true. It can be worn by old and young, is becoming generally, and is almost as effective as gray in its size reducing propensities. It blends well and is soft enough not to be distinguished at long range, always a point of consideration when we are working to look slender. However, neither gray nor old blue must be worn if the skin is definitely sallow. Pastel green that has a gray, rather than a yellow cast is often becoming, especially for summer wear, for in addition to its advantages regarding size, it is cool looking.