Part 126

Head-gear.--Were it possible to form a covering for men’s heads which would admit both light and air in due proportions, a great problem would be solved, and baldness would be reduced to a minimum. Since hats are a necessity, they should be very light, pliant as far as may be, well ventilated, and with a soft band which will compress the arteries of the temple as little as possible. The hat, too, should only be worn when it cannot be laid aside--not constantly, or when in the house. Ventilation is best secured by having a slight space between the band and the hat proper in front and behind, the hat being close to the head at the sides, to avoid conveying the impression of being over large. In addition, there should be a hole in the crown for cold weather, and in the sides and crown in summer. As to women’s bonnets, any advice would be a mere waste of words.

Veils, especially those ornamented with spots, &c., have a bad effect on the eyes. Persistent mischief is done by the practice of binding a veil tightly round the face in such a way that not only is the sight obscured, but the eyes are mechanically irritated by the fabric clouding them.... Veils of to-day are semi-transparent eye-bandages, and must tend to disturb the vision, as well as to set up irritation in the eye-lids. (_Lancet._)

Waterproofs.--It is highly important that the public should clearly understand the manner in which waterproof garments may prove injurious to health, and how any effect of this kind may be prevented. A mackintosh is perspiration-proof as well as rain-proof, and, consequently, when one is worn the perspiration, being unable to escape, accumulates in the clothes, and they become damp. Upon its removal, the evaporation of this fluid--in other words, the drying process--commences, with its attendant loss of heat and well-known risk of “chill.” The retention of this heat, which would otherwise be gradually lost, makes the mackintosh invaluable during a long drive on a cold winter’s day. The disadvantage of this garment is, not that it inflicts any injury while it is on; but that our clothes being damp, we may catch cold upon its removal, unless our dress be changed at the same time; and when the dampness is very decided this precaution should certainly be taken. Endeavour to avoid excessive perspiration by walking slowly when you have a mackintosh on, and do not wear it in hot weather except for driving. (Dr. P. Foster.)

_How to Buy Clothes._--Low-priced materials do not wear so well as those for which a fair amount is paid; but it is not in the power of every woman to purchase materials which are necessarily expensive. The woman of small means will do well to confine her purchases to some well-established shop, famed rather for the soundness of its goods than for their apparent cheapness.

Ladies’ boots and shoes cannot be well made and of good materials for a little money; 21_s._ to 25_s._ for boots, 16_s._ to 18_s._ for walking shoes, suited for town wear, is about the lowest price for which a really good serviceable article can be obtained; but each of these will wear out three so-called cheap ones, and will look well to the last, after being twice soled. No boot or shoe will last if the servant is allowed to scrape the dirt off with a knife, put blacking on soft kid, or smear it over with some patent satin polish or peerless gloss. See to the cleaning of your boots and shoes yourself--that is, only have the dirt wiped off, and the kid well rubbed dry by the servant, and put on the polish yourself if it must be used. Evening shoes of a colour suitable for any dress can scarcely be had good for anything under 10_s._ 6_d._ or 12_s._ 6_d._, but they will wear out several cheaper pairs, and look well to the last.

The greatest mistake is to be perpetually attempting to keep pace with “fashion.” The best-dressed women are never “in the fashion,” as it is represented in young ladies’ journals. For economical dressing without dowdiness, the golden rule is to buy the best and soundest materials possible for your means, to keep to such quiet colours as will enable you to wear your dresses long without getting tired of them or tiring your friends; to buy a mantle, for instance, which is too good to need changing at the end of the year, but which is handsome enough to wear two seasons, and to bear retrimming or altering the third.

Many ladies now make their own dresses, and make them well; but where this is not the case, it is cheaper in the long run to have a good material well made than to have it spoiled in the cut and made by an inferior workwoman. Many find it economical to have one good dress every year from a first-class dressmaker: this lasts and makes up again in many new forms, and serves as a model for making others less expensively, either by themselves or by a workwoman. A clever-handed woman can generally make up or trim her own hats and bonnets, and if she carries out the same system of only buying what is really good, and taking care of it, she will find it at the end of the year a really small item in her expenditure. Much depends also on keeping up the supply of underclothing by constant small additions, rather than by allowing them to wear out altogether, when a renewal of the whole stock will form a serious item. Gloves, again, are things which there is no cheapness in buying at a low price; 2 or even 3 of them will wear out before one pair bought at a good shop and at a fair price; by this means they cost far more, and always spoil the whole dress.

Persons of moderate means should as a rule, dress in black, or dark colours, as such are not conspicuous, and consequently do not tell their date as lighter articles do. In selecting a hat or bonnet, be sure to ascertain that the shape suits you, and that it fits your head comfortably. Do not indulge in feathers, still less in flowers, unless your means are such as to enable you to procure the best, as nothing is more vulgar than cheap finery. For a windy day there is nothing half so comfortable as a tightly-fitting toque, but it must be neat and faultlessly made. A well-made toque is graceful, becoming, and comfortable, and, with a neat veil of spotted net closely adjusted over the face and fastened securely behind, will enable the wearer to brave the most stormy elements without fear of having her head-covering blown away or even misplaced. It is a great improvement, if a dark-coloured toque be worn, to stick a bright pin carelessly in front in a slanting direction, as though securing the top of the veil. To a youthful face it is always becoming, as it takes off the too sombre appearance and lightens up the general effect.

Jackets should not be worn quite tight, unless the figure is particularly good, and without this important “unless” Newmarkets should not be worn at all. Better be content with well-made ulsters, except in cases where the figure is slight and graceful, and the purse is long enough to admit of 7 or 8 sovereigns being paid for a tailor-made article. For travelling or walking there are few costumes more comfortable, nor any which look better on young slight figures, than dark green or brown cloth Newmarkets, with felt hats to correspond, and white or light coloured satin scarfs, with gold or pearl pins stuck neatly through. These coats cannot look well if worn over a dress. The following plan is good and extremely simple. Get your tailor, when measuring for your coat, to make you a perfectly close-fitting garment of the same coloured satin--made without ¼ in. of superfluous material--Princesse shaped, the long straight skirt just reaching a shade below the garment to be worn over it, and finished off at the tail with a tiny plaiting of satin, which, appearing from beneath the Newmarket, detracts from the manly appearance of this species of muffle. The advantages are manifold; not having any _pouffes_ behind, the set of the coat is not interfered with; being of a slippery nature the utmost care is experienced in putting on and taking off the covering, and should necessity or inclination call for a removal of the coat, a perfectly neat and becoming garment is visible underneath.

The most economical dress for everyday wear is a dark navy-blue serge, and for evening a good white silk. Morning dresses made with double-breasted bodices are the most becoming, and the warmest; for evening the square-cut bodice and tight elbow-sleeve are the most _distingué_. Bodices gathered back and front (“shirred”) are very pretty, and suit slight figures well, but should never be worn except by such. Many ladies spoil the fit of their dresses in winter by wearing under-vests. This is a bad habit, as, if the vest be left off of an evening, a cold is sure to follow. It is an excellent plan to tack a piece of soft warm flannel around the back and shoulders of the bodice about midway from the neck, and properly shaped to the lining; this imparts a comfortable warmth, and, as a similar piece can be adjusted to the back of an evening bodice, the danger of cold is obviated.

For wearing around the throat with morning dress plain collars have rather a stiff appearance; tulle or lisse frillings toss immediately, and are unsatisfactory as well as expensive. It is a good plan to purchase a few yards of really good washing lace about 1½ in. deep; a few minutes will quill or plait it; it can then be cut into suitable lengths and tacked around the necks of dresses, being easily removed and renovated when soiled. A piece of soft black Spanish lace, folded loosely around the throat, close to the frilling but below it, looks very well, especially if a natural or good artificial flower be worn amongst the folds. Another effective arrangement can be adopted thus: Buy 3 yd. scarf lace--a good kind, of course--trim the ends with quillings to match, place it around your neck, leaving nearly all the length in your right hand, the end lying upon the left shoulder, being about ½ yd. long. Wind the longer piece twice round the throat, in loose soft folds; and as you will still have 1½ yd. or more to spare, festoon it gracefully in front with the aid of a few concealed pins, and fasten a brooch or flower at the side.

Tan gloves are the best for wear. Long silk mittens are extremely pretty in the evening, and shorter ones midway to the elbow, look nice in the house with the half-long sleeves. To keep the feet warm, wear a pair of soft woollen stockings, with silk ones drawn over. This hint is invaluable to those who ride, as it is not unusual, on hunting days, to experience a severe chill, if riding a tired horse homeward at a slow pace after a hard day. One word about fur-lined cloaks. They seem to be a sort of muffle, quite unsuited for walking, and only fit to be worn as a wrap, in a vehicle, on a cold day. Apparently made for warmth, they let in every breath of chill air, unless held carefully across; and it is not easy thus to hold them, if one has an umbrella or a parcel to carry, or a muff to hold in the hands. Here is a valuable hint. Take the pattern of the sleeves of your Mother Hubbard cloak, and the precise measurement of the spot in which they are placed--copy them exactly, and insert them in the fur-lined mantle, binding the inner edges neatly with ribbon to prevent the fur, which is cut, from coming loose. Then remove the hood, place a neat full frilling of cashmere and satin around the neck, and a full bow, with long ends, at the back. Next put 5 rows of gathers at the back of the waist, to which attach, on the inner side, a band of ½ in. black elastic, with a strong hook and eye. This, when fastened, draws the cloak close to the figure and gives it a becoming shape. The band is preferable to a ribbon-string, as it is more readily adjusted and can never get into a knot. In making the gathers, small fragments of the fur may pull with the thread and show on the outside; these should not be plucked at, but simply blackened over with a little ink. To utilise the hood for going out at night, or for variety to wear with the cloak by day, bind it nicely with black ribbon, leaving long ends for strings to tie in front. The materials required to effect this transformation are: ¾ yd. cashmere, 1 yd. black satin, 5 yd. ribbon for back and sleeve bows, and 3 yd. binding ribbon.

An important consideration is how to dress so as to suit individual peculiarities. Thus, a short stout figure should have perpendicular trimmings to her dress, the eye being thus carried to lines marking the height, not the breadth, of her person. A tall figure, on the contrary, may have bands of trimming or tucks running across the skirt; this reduces the apparent height. Stout people, be they tall or short, should remember that they require almost no trimmings or puffings. They look handsomely dressed in quite a plain garment, if it be well cut and rich in texture. Thin people, on the contrary, take any amount of trimming and puffing to give them a sufficiently clothed appearance. The first study in every case is what is becoming, not what is fashionable. The principal idea should be to attract attention to the wearer, not to the dress.

It is safer to dress rather older than younger than your age, it generally makes women past 30 look younger to dress thus; but much depends on the colours used. It is easy to lay down rules of colour for decided brunettes or decided blondes, but much more difficult to fix rules for those who belong to neither class, and who compose the majority. It used to be an old rule with portrait painters that the colour of a woman’s eyes ought to be repeated in some part of her head-dress. It is a much safer rule to repeat the colour of the hair in the dress. This is why fur is so often more becoming than anything else, it is often an exact colour of the hair. The only case in which matching the hair would not be suitable, is when the hair is unmistakably red. Then nothing but the quietest colours should be worn, with a good deal of white at the neck. Very dark shades of red and brown go best with it, but they must be chosen with the greatest discrimination. It is a safe axiom to lay down that all very bright colours should be kept away from the face; only the finest complexions can stand them in close proximity to the skin. The idea that pink is becoming to dark people is a mistake: only a very fair blonde can bear it. Maize is also most becoming to a fair skin, though it is also suitable, occasionally, to dark-haired people. Half-tints are the safest wear in the long run, and dark-coloured plushes, velvets, and satins, with their lovely reflection, are becoming to all. A slight knowledge of what are called “complimentary colours” in optics is useful, for it teaches the effect of certain colours on the skin. Thus bright blue makes the skin look yellow; mauve makes it look orange-tinted; bright yellow gives it an ashen-blue look; bright vermilion-red makes the skin look green. Thus it will be seen that half-tints will not be so mischievous in their effects. Many elderly ladies have a preference for violet or purple. Nothing could be more unfortunate. As people get on in life, the skin assumes quite enough of a yellow tint, without adding to it by wearing its complimentary colour--purple. Transparent materials, such as lace or tulle, are the most becoming settings to old faces. For younger people, harmony in colour is everything. Brown may have points of yellow or paler brown; dark red, a carefully selected pink. If grey is worn, a little pale blue may be worn in the bonnet. Then gold ornaments look best with brown and red, silver ornaments with grey and blue. In combining materials for a dress, it will be found that too soft or too stiff materials are more difficult to drape gracefully than one of each kind. Silk and cashmere make a very good combination, and a cheap and effective imitation of these can be made in merino and good alpaca. Short people should have outdoor mantle and dress of the same colour, as a contrast in these takes away from their height. But they may wear with great advantage a pelerine, or long mantle, which comes to within 2 in. of the bottom of the skirt; in that case the dress does not much matter. The fashion of tight sleeves and cuffs is very unbecoming to the hands unless they are small. The cuff ought to measure the same as the hand across the knuckles; dressmakers generally only measure the wrist, which is quite a mistake, as it is often out of proportion to the hand. A frill at the wrist is always becoming to the hand, but not always becoming at the throat. Short necked, plump-faced people do not look well in frills round the throat. A piece of lace laid on flat is better for them. Thin, long-necked people, on the contrary, ought invariably to wear frills at neck and wrist. Belts are unbecoming to all waists over 25 in. Tippets and fur collarettes should not be worn by high-shouldered people. The great secret of dressing well is to know what to avoid. To know where advantage can be taken of a good point is well, but to know how to hide a bad one is better. Frequently the best-dressed women we see are those whose own deft fingers have put the finishing touches to their toilettes.

_Clothes for Foreign Boarding School._--(_a_) At Lausanne. Take 2 warm winter dresses (one for school, and one for church, &c.), 2 evening dresses, one light cashmere or beige dress, and 4 or 5 washing dresses. Two jackets (one for winter, and one for summer), a cloak or ulster, and a mackintosh. Much the same underclothing as one would take to an English school, with plenty of warm vests, &c., as the winter in Lausanne is colder than in England. Take a warm travelling rug, as sometimes in winter the “duvets” on the bed are not sufficient covering, and the rug will be very acceptable. July and August are the hottest months, but most people go to the mountains then. Take with you all in the way of clothes that you will require for the year, as dresses, hats, &c., are costly, and there is scarcely any choice there. Pack the things in 2 small basket trunks, rather than one large. Put such things as you will require immediately into one, and taking that with you, send the other and heavier one on by slow goods train. This will be found cheaper than taking all the luggage with you, as only 56 lb. of luggage is allowed free.

(_b_) In South Germany. For luggage, provide 2 leather-covered basket trunks and a black travelling bag, with necessaries for the voyage. If household linen has to be taken, pillow cases are best supplied at the school, being larger and different in shape from English ones; allow two large bath towels and a clothes bag, in addition to what is required. For dress, 2 thick blanket serge costumes, in addition to 2 cashmere dresses, fur cloak, eiderdown skirt, 2 knitted skirts, princess petticoats, high necked, in thick stuff, for winter wear, Galatea or white for summer; 2 short jackets, one thick cloth; also a shawl, as the passages are very cold, and a wrap is required for leaving the schoolrooms, as these again are rather over heated; white dress and pretty lace aprons and frills, for evening wear, when the young ladies are required to sit in the _salons_. Painting requisites had better be taken, for they are expensive; no school books, beyond church service and dictionary; add a few simple articles as suitable birthday presents for school friends, as the girls are expected to give on these occasions to mistresses and boarders, and it is tax on a girl’s pocket money. About 4 gingham housemaid dresses and 2 white cambric ones will be required for summer wear. Boots and furs are in comparison cheap in Germany. Seal fur caps are usual for winter wear.

_Bathing and Swimming Dresses._--There are 3 main points to consider before deciding on the make of a bathing dress: (_a_) the place at which it is to be worn, whether an English or a Continental watering place; (_b_) whether the wearer swims or merely bathes; (_c_) whether the wearer is a child, a girl, or a middle-aged woman. The best materials for bathing dresses are summer serge, cashmere serge, alpaca, wool bège, and twill flannel; give preference to the first two, because they are soft, pliable, and light, do not cling objectionably to the figure when wet, and may be obtained in almost any colour. Alpaca is recommended for its lightness to swimmers especially, but both this material and wool bège can only be had in black and neutral tints; whilst twill flannel can be bought in all colours, is very comfortable and warm, especially for children, and has only one drawback--that its woolliness prevents it from being allowed in most fresh-water swimming baths, and renders it, for this reason, an unwise investment for one who wishes to frequent baths on return to town.

The best way to make a swimming dress for use in England, to ensure comfort and ease, is to have a loose bodice to the waist fastened into a broad band, from which the drawers are suspended, the bodice fastening down the centre, the drawers on the left side. The combination style of garment, i.e., all one piece from the neck to the knees, has one great objection, viz., that any mishap with the buttons is very awkward when there is no skirt. This need never be feared when the bodice and drawers are made separately and fastened at the side, and the only way to avoid it in the combination style is to make the dress open to the waist and then have it cut straight across and down the side of the hips for 5-6 in., so that it can be buttoned up on to the waist-band. A dress intended for swimming only should be as simple as possible. It should not come over the knees, and not be trimmed with a large collar or elaborate sleeves. Deep white cotton fringe or Torchon lace will be found to give quite sufficient finish. 3 yds. of 24 in. material will be found ample to make a dress of this description for a girl about 20.

Where ladies bathe with gentlemen their dress must come below the knees, must have a skirt from the waist, and must have sleeves of some kind, and these, whether long or short, or however loose, are always uncomfortable for swimming, as they cling and impede the movements of the arm, whilst the whole dress is made heavier by these additions. The only way to make such a dress more comfortable is in the first place to avoid making the skirt too heavy or too deep, and next to make the drawers longer than is really needed, and to fasten them in at the knee, so that the legs may be moved comfortably.

Children’s bathing dresses are best made in the “combination” style, of bège or some warm material, for the shivering cold feeling some children get in the water when they are not able to swim is one of the chief causes of their dislike and fear of sea bathing. Bathing dresses for matrons may be made in almost any style, however elaborate or heavy. A very comfortable dress for ordinary wear in England may be made with drawers reaching either to the knee or ankle, and gathered in by a band of turkey red or material with which the dress is trimmed, running alternately in and out of inch-deep slips made for the purpose; the upper part being simply a long loose blouse made either with a yolk, sailor collar, gauging, or any other design at the neck, and fastened at the waist with a broad band, so as to leave the skirt loose to the knees. A dress made in this way will take about 5 yd. of 24 in. material. Another kind of bathing dress is made with combination bodice and drawers, with the addition of a deep cape plaited into the neck and reaching to the elbows, and a skirt from the waist. Colour and trimming are the chief points in the finish of a bathing dress. Only those who really have a good appearance should choose a brilliant colour like red, blue, pink, or yellow, charming as these colours are in the water.