“DRESS may be called the speech of the body," says Mrs. Haweis.
A woman's dress should be so much the expression of herself that, seeing it, we think not of the gown, but of the woman who is its soul. The true art of dress is reached when it serves only to heighten the charms of the wearer, not to draw attention from her to center upon her garments. One writer on beauty in dress claims that "the object is threefold: to cover, to warm, to beautify," and in dealing with this latter point farther says that, "rather than to beautify, it is to emphasize beauty." To this statement should be added that its mission is also to minimize or do away with defects.
Most dressing is done to enhance the beauty of the face, but women should remember that the tint of the complexion, the color of hair and eyes, are but a small part of the personnel. The physique must be taken into account. The "type" is a fact fixed and inevitable, and the woman is wise who sets herself steadfastly to "develop and emphasize its beauties and overshadow and efface its defects."
It is only by real study that a woman grows to understand and analyze her "type" and suit all accessories to her own personality; to adjust, as it were, her "relations." Art, after all, is simply, as Edmund Russell admirably defines it, "relations, the right thing in the right place."
Study your own individuality and assert it in your dress. "No woman need be ugly if she knows her own points," and some points of attractiveness every woman has. Lord Chesterfield, that cynical man of the world, assures us that "no woman is ugly when she is well dressed." That is, dressed with reference to revealing good points and concealing weak ones. Time spent in this study is gain, when one remembers in how many ways actual outward ugliness is an impediment. "The greater portion of ill-tempered, ugly women are ill-tempered simply because they believe themselves hopelessly ugly." A woman, finding her fairer friends constantly preferred despite her vain attempts to please, grows disheartened, then sarcastic, envious, ill-tempered, half unconsciously.
"Knowledge is power; beauty and knowledge combined are well-nigh all-powerful."
Stout and Thin.
Texture, color and form must all be considered in relation to the personal appearance or "type." The beautiful in itself is not always a safe guide, but its beauty in relation to the wearer must be the test. Fair, delicate, slender women make a great mistake when they over-weigh themselves with rich, heavy fabrics, no matter how beautiful these may be in themselves. Instead, they should keep to clinging, draping materials, sheer lawns and shining silks.
On the contrary, the very stout woman may wear all manner of rich gownings that fall in gracious massive folds. Clad thus, her size will have about it a restful element of repose. Let her beware of closely fitted gowns. These tend to enhance the size they are supposed to conceal. Watteau or Princess robes falling from the shoulder in unbroken lines render her imposing. Little ruffles should be avoided, or frills of lace, and whatever drapery there be should fall from shoulder or hip; this gives long curving undulations that follow every movement.
The stout woman should leave black satin severely alone; reflecting the light, it reveals form and size relentlessly. "Revealed form is vulgar, suggested form poetic," says the high art of to-day, and who would not be poetic and gracious if she could? "If stout women," declares Edmund Russell, "would learn to move in grand, slow rhythm, and wear textures so heavy that the lines of their figures were concealed, they would have a grandeur and dignity that no slender woman could hope to attain."