MONSIEUR WORTH AND FASHION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 5

MONSIEUR WORTH AND FASHION.

In tho last numbor of the "Royal.Magazine" M. .Worth'continues his sensible talk tin/;women and dross. He protests against a, blind following of fashion, and he treats the'' subject; from a practical point of viow, writing for tho women who have to consider expense.; , . ;• _ '.' 'Take my word for it, mosdamos, "Fashion" is not the friend of women, but rather their" pitfall and their enemy, to be conquered by studied avoidance. Oh, mesdames, that bete noire or fashion! Avoid it, turn away' from it, and in time you will wonder how\it could ever have terrified you. • 1 v My contention, as to tho canonisation of simplicity is my 'argument of defence. For if (jach.frock, instead of being an epitome of overy' fugitive craze of tho hour, be in : detail merely beautifuT "and -becoming;' and' of good and beautiful material, .thero will be no reason why,' possibly with 'a, little altera-' tion, but probably without any at all,: the gown that is two, three, or even four years' o}d, may not be worn and look admirable. , Never order-, fashions that markedly date a dress, ,is my advice to ; the thrifty. Thus/ when everybody is wearing' balloon sleeves, restrain your own;_ When skirts' are so, attenuated that walking is a difficulty,' say to your.dressmaker that you must'have extra, breadth iir yours. And, as a consolation for tho "deprivation," hup; to yourself tho truththat ■ moderation is the "watchword of tho really good dressmaker, and exaggeration his disgust. " : ' "■! ' •' Quiet'elegance is, never out.,of season., One of the"/iiiqst successful ' robes I over made was as "simple", as ..could be., I called, it a "stupid" dress, when I told my patron, the well-known American ladyV Sirs. V -, how it was to be designed. f M. Worth's-descrip-tion' of this dress is hardly calculated to encourage economy. It was of black net covered covered with jet; beads cut like diamonds, each selected with tjare and graduated, large ones' on the hem and smallest ones 011 the corsage. This simple, fcock cost, four thousand francs. "But,"_ says' the, costumier,. proudly; "it was a mere 'sheath', of a gown, that fitted tho.figuro as closely as possible, and was'; absolutely, It /.was . a proof of' the power of fine materials; artistic iattention to detail, and perfection.of. fit,'in the making of modes.. For "that gown in its lustrous loveliness and studious.lack of composite ' ideas, gained > victory and owned a charm that- mere -misses of conflicting materials and-trimmings, however beautiful individually, could never have possessed in the aggregate.' '_' ■/■' " '"■ ... ..■"Repose-..in. dress . is ,what - is '..-de-; sirable, just' as: repose in manner, is -a woman's most charming trait. But,can this.be taught ? . Not very easily.; though 'the woman who realises;her. need of it will learn it more quickly, even if naturally disposed toward quite tho opposite characteristic, thaii tho ; one ; who does not understand the . bad im-pression-which a noisy demeanour..a strident voice,'/ and attiro hi keening with such a part; must' produce upon the observant." * A proof: that the best designs, the intrinsically beautiful, are not new,'but old, is forthcoming.. The world's great picture galleries where the priceless portraits painted by the old masters, are' hung, tire the most inspiring sources ■ to' which a designer of modes can repair. A thousand ideas to the see-, ing eye can be turned to account there. At the same'time, women who dress like old pictures habitually do,', it is true, create ah individu- . ality for thomselvds; 'but they must bo great la'dies to adopt the plan with real success.: Ordinary people," and especially, those who are called upon to go through life without the circumstance of great wealth, will do well to avoid any appearance that is conspicuous, even '■though beautifully so. • In-part, however, there aro many historical. Togues,in dress that girls will find very much'to their advantage. Tho Puritan collar.ivill suit the, girl with a soft round throat; . the Medici, tho stately woman- in . the'heyday'of life. ..And tho Tudor ruff, affixed to the straight and'rattier high eollar- . baud, is for the'woman whoso neck is ageing.