Acquaint yourself with materials, their wearing qualities, their clinging proclivities, and their color quality. By this latter, I mean their ability to “take the dye” and be soft and rich in their shades, because certain shades we must wear, and we don’t want to have them dull and lifeless, like brownish black or grayish drab. We want them to be deep and soft like those of beautiful old fabrics that have been ripened to an inimitable softness by age.
The most becoming colors for us come in good fabrics, so for the average woman there must be economy in the number of dresses rather than in their quality. A garment made in good style and of good material is more of a credit to you when half worn out than a cheap new garment could possibly be.
It is necessary to remember, too, that materials with a glossy, brilliant surface or finish, no matter what the color of the fabric may be, are difficult to wear and are not generally becoming, because the sheen and, in some instances, the stiffness tend to make the figure appear larger. Materials of soft finish or dull colors, on the other hand, will make the figure appear smaller and will attract less attention.
Every fat woman loves pastry and taffeta. We know that before we start. Pastry you can eat if you study hard to dress correctly, but taffeta you cannot wear because it sticks out where it shouldn’t and does not cling as it should. The surest way to have you avoid it is for me to tell you that it adds 20 pounds, and it truly does. The luster of satin eliminates it from our list while the conspicuousness of large-figured fabrics makes them equally inappropriate. When you see lengths of large figured fabrics in the shops, you may be tempted, but do not buy. They will thwart your whole purpose of putting into the clothes you wear the lines that make for slenderness and grace.
These two pictures illustrate improper and proper choice of fabrics for a stout figure. Above, the large-figured material adds size, the fur trim shortens, the round beads shorten the neck. All conspire to emphasize weight.
Here a small all-over pattern minimizes size, the plaits and tassels lengthen, the necklace adds a slenderizing touch. The appearance as a whole is graceful and youthful.
WHY AVERAGE “BARGAINS” ARE NOT AN ECONOMY FOR YOU
Shun bargains of miscellaneous materials. Unless you are offered a type of material that will slenderize, don’t buy it. And never stint your dresses by using remnants. Your dresses should never have an extra inch visible but likewise they should never in the least appear as though they were stinted in cutting. And that means that you must always have plenty of hems and facings and bias sleeves or bands if you want them. Stingy, scrimpy hems on big folks’ skirts are a “give away.” Always buy enough material for at least a 3½–inch hem, and more if fashion allows.