The good points of this gown are, first, the way it showed off the very plump neck of the wearer. The fine throat line was visible, but at the shoulders, where too much massiveness takes the place of fine firm flesh, the robe was draped. The arms were likewise covered at the top, their thickest part, and, as the robe fell over them when in repose, much of their apparent size disappeared.
The robe had one very odd feature. The train was a doublet one. The back of the robe was little more than walking length, but the ends were very long indeed. This made a square court train like a monarch's robe, and could be easily brought front by the hand, for trimming or drapery when the wearer was not walking.
Black Satin and Sparkling Jets.
In choosing the color of the gown to be snow-white instead of cream color, the artist knew what he was specifying. White is a diminishing color, while cream color enlarges. The same with black satin. Satin, being full of lights and shades, is uncertain in size, and it is preferable to silk or velvet, which makes the person thicker. The jets are dressy, wicked little ornaments that wink at you unexpectedly and disappear.
Much pains are taken in choosing colors, and then comes the artist's real work. The hardest thing is to fit out his patrons with street gowns that will be conventional, and yet Rubenesque. To do this he takes advantage of the cape idea. A stout woman in a neat fitting gown, not too close under the bust, looks picturesque with a golf cape swinging from one shoulder. It gives her height. The dolmans that open in front and fall low at each side are admirable also, according to his ideas.
