HOW TO ADD FULLNESS WITHOUT FLARE
To allow fullness in walking, two plaits may be placed in the skirt at the left side seam, one directly over the other, the right side of the skirt being finished plain. This does not interfere with the slim line effect, yet gives the desired freedom. Plaitings or panels of self color that are 5 inches or less in width soften the line of a dress and, if effectively used, can improve the garment both in line and attractiveness, especially for the figure that is large above the waist. An effective use of skirt plaiting can aid greatly in balancing the proportion.
If the waist measure is large, keep the skirt as straight and narrow as fashion will allow, and watch your sleeves to fit them close and plain. Short, full sleeves and a full skirt must have a small, short waist line to be effective; they are totally “out of the picture” where the waist and hips are large.
Plaits aid in line and are youthful, but if fashion decrees straight skirts we must stitch or press them down straight and slim, for flared-out plaits are treacherous for us who would be slender. For the same reason, we must avoid panels that flirt out as we walk.
A corded girdle, sash, or string sash that is long and limp is becoming.
Tunics, if not too full, and if not definitely trimmed at the bottom edge, are advantageous. They slenderize by making it possible to draw the skirt in at the bottom, thus giving an appearance of height. This, of course, is lost if the tunic or the lower skirt is too full. Large figures should always have tunics and foundations of the same color and material so as not to break the height.
CHAPTER VII
FABRICS THAT SLENDERIZE
First of all, buy your clothes with deliberation so that they will look as though they belonged to you, not as though they were bought in a hurry. Deliberate buying is the economical way. Emergency buying in clothes is like food from the delicatessen—it’s a “make shift” and an expensive one.
Buy for suitability, for smartness, and think of all the uses you can make of a garment before you buy. If it’s a dress, what wrap or hat will you wear with it? Does it mean new shoes, new hat, and gloves? If so, then consider the advisability of purchasing another style which would look well with the accessories you have and are wearing with another costume. Buy few clothes if you must, but buy the best quality fabrics your purse will allow. And buy carefully. Being well-dressed is not so much a matter of money as it is information, for the well-dressed woman gives evidence of discriminate deliberation, of knowledge applied to selection, and of a wise choice of accessories as well as essentials. So take heed and take your time about every purchase so that everything harmonizes perfectly with what you have and so that every article, from shoes to hat, has its part in aiding slenderness rather than in emphasizing stoutness.