_the life of the party_ * * * * * by irvin s. cobb fiction the life of the party those times and these local color old judge priest fibble, d. d. back home the thunders of silence the escape of mr. trimm wit and humor eating in two or three languages "speaking of operations----" europe revised roughing it de luxe cobb's bill of fare cobb's anatomy miscellany the glory of the coming paths of glory "speaking of prussians----" george h. doran company new york * * * * * [illustration: "are you payin' an election bet three weeks after the election's over? or is it that you're jest a plain bedaddled ijiet?"] * * * * * _the life of the party by irvin s. cobb author of "back home," "old judge priest," etc., etc. illustrated by james m. preston_ [illustration: publisher's logo] _new york george h. doran company_ _copyright, 1919, by george h. doran company copyright, 1919, by the curtis publishing company printed in the united states of america_ * * * * * to mistress may wilson preston a lady of great drawing qualities * * * * * _illustrations_ "are you payin' an election bet three weeks after the election's over? or is it that you're jest a plain bedaddled ijiet?" _frontispiece_ page "that's nice," spake the fearsome stranger. "now stay jest the way you are and don't make no peep or i'll have to plug you wit' this here gat" 24 mr. leary's gait became a desperate gallop, and as he galloped he shouted: "wait, please, here i am.--here's your passenger" 32 * * * * * _the life of the party_ i it had been a successful party, most successful. mrs. carroway's parties always were successes, but this one nearing its conclusion stood out notably from a long and unbroken carrowayian record. it had been a children's party; that is to say, everybody came in costume with intent to represent children of any age between one year and a dozen years. but twelve years was the limit; positively nobody, either in dress or deportment, could be more than twelve years old. mrs. carroway had made this point explicit in sending out the invitations, and so it had been, down to the last hair ribbon and the last shoe buckle. and between dances they had played at the games of childhood, such as drop the handkerchief, and king william was king james' son and prisoner's base and the rest of them. the novelty of the notion had been a main contributory factor to its success; that, plus the fact that nine healthy adults out of ten dearly love to put on freakish garbings and go somewhere. to be exactly truthful, the basic idea itself could hardly be called new, since long before some gifted mind thought out the scheme of giving children's parties for grown-ups, but with her customary brilliancy mrs. carroway had seized upon the issues of the day to serve her social purposes, weaving timeliness and patriotism into the fabric of her plan by making it a war party as well. each individual attending was under pledge to keep a full and accurate tally of the moneys expended upon his or her costume and upon arrival at the place of festivities to deposit a like amount in a repository put in a conspicuous spot to receive these contributions, the entire sum to be handed over later to the guardians of a military charity in which mrs. carroway was active. it was somehow felt that this fostered a worthy spirit of wartime economy, since the donation of a person who wore an expensive costume would be relatively so much larger than the donation of one who went in for the simpler things. moreover, books of thrift stamps were attached to the favours, the same being children's toys of guaranteed american manufacture. in the matter of refreshments mrs. carroway had been at pains to comply most scrupulously with the existing rationing regulations. as the hostess herself said more than once as she moved to and fro in a flounced white frock having the exaggeratedly low waistline of the sort of frock which frequently is worn by a tot of tender age, with a wide blue sash draped about her almost down at her knees, and with fluffy skirts quite up to her knees, with her hair caught up in a coquettish blue bow on the side of her head and a diminutive fan tied fast to one of her wrists with a blue ribbon--so many of the ladies who had attained to mrs. carroway's fairly well-ripened years did go in for these extremely girlishly little-girly effects--as the hostess thus attired and moving hither and yon remark, "if mr. herbert hoover himself were here as one of my guests to-night i am just too perfectly sure he could find absolutely nothing whatsoever to object to!" it would have required much stretching of that elastic property, the human imagination, to conceive of mr. herbert hoover being there, whether in costume or otherwise, but that was what mrs. carroway said and repeated. always those to whom she spoke came right out and agreed with her. now it was getting along toward three-thirty o'clock of the morning after, and the party was breaking up. indeed for half an hour past, this person or that had been saying it was time, really, to be thinking about going--thus voicing a conviction that had formed at a much earlier hour in the minds of the tenants of the floor below mrs. carroway's studio apartment, which like all properly devised studio apartments was at the top of the building. it was all very well to be a true bohemian, ready to give and take, and if one lived down round washington square one naturally made allowances for one's neighbours and all that, but half past three o'clock in the morning was half past three o'clock in the morning, and there was no getting round that, say what you would. and besides there were some people who needed a little sleep once in a while even if there were some other people who seemed to be able to go without any sleep; and finally, though patience was a virtue, enough of a good thing was enough and too much was surplusage. such was the opinion of the tenants one flight down. so the party was practically over. mr. algernon leary, of the firm of leary & slack, counsellors and attorneys at law, with offices at number thirty-two broad street, was among the very last to depart. never had mr. leary spent a more pleasant evening. he had been in rare form, a variety of causes contributing to this happy state. to begin with, he had danced nearly every dance with the lovely miss milly hollister, for whom he entertained the feelings which a gentleman of ripened judgment, and one who was rising rapidly in his profession, might properly entertain for an entirely charming young woman of reputed means and undoubted social position. a preposterous ass named perkins--at least, mr. leary mentally indexed perkins as a preposterous ass--had brought miss hollister to the party, but thereafter in the scheme of things perkins did not count. he was a cipher. you could back him up against a wall and take a rubber-tipped pencil and rub him right out, as it were; and with regards to miss hollister that, figuratively, was what mr. leary had done to mr. perkins. now on the other hand voris might have amounted to something as a potential rival, but voris being newly appointed as a police magistrate was prevented by press of official duties from coming to the party; so mr. leary had had a clear field, as the saying goes, and had made the most of it, as the other saying goes. moreover, mr. leary had been the recipient of unlimited praise upon the ingenuity and the uniqueness expressed in his costume. he had not represented a little lord fauntleroy or a buster brown or a boy scout or a juvenile cadet or a midshipmite or an oliver twist. there had been three boy scouts present and four buster browns and of sailor-suited persons there had been no end, really. but mr. leary had chosen to appear as himself at the age of three; and, as the complimentary comment proved, his get-up had reflected credit not alone upon its wearer but upon its designer, miss rowena skiff, who drew fashion pictures for one of the women's magazines. out of the goodness of her heart and the depths of her professional knowledge miss skiff had gone to mr. leary's aid, supervising the preparation of his wardrobe at a theatrical costumer's shop up-town and, on the evening before, coming to his bachelor apartments, accompanied by her mother, personally to add those small special refinements which meant so much, as he now realised, in attaining the desired result. "oh, mr. leary, i must tell you again how very fetching you do look! your costume is adorable, really it is; so--so cute and everything. and i don't know what i should have done without you to help in the games and everything. there's no use denying it, mr. leary--you were the life of the party, absolutely!" at least twice during the night mrs. carroway had told mr. leary this, and now as he bade her farewell she was saying it once more in practically the same words, when mrs. carroway's coloured maid, blanche, touched him on the arm. "'scuse me, suh," apologised blanche, "but the hall man downstairs he send up word jes' now by the elevator man 'at you'd best be comin' right on down now, suh, effen you expects to git a taxicab. he say to tell you they ain't but one taxicab left an' the driver of 'at one's been waitin' fur hours an' he act like he might go way any minute now. 'at's whut the hall man send word, suh." blanche had brought his overcoat along and held it up for him, imparting to the service that small suggestion of a ceremonial rite which the members of her race invariably do display when handling a garment of richness of texture and indubitable cost. mr. leary let her help him into the coat and slipped largess into her hand, and as he stepped aboard the waiting elevator for the downward flight mrs. carroway's voice came fluting to him, once again repeating the flattering phrase: "you surely were the life of the party!" ii it was fine to have been the life of the party. it was not quite so fine to discover that the taxicab to which he must entrust himself for the long ride up to west eighty-fifth street was a most shabby-appearing vehicle, the driver of which, moreover, as mr. leary could divine even as he crossed the sidewalk, had wiled away the tedium of waiting by indulgence in draughts of something more potent than the chill air of latish november. mr. leary peered doubtfully into the illuminated countenance but dulled eyes of the driver and caught a whiff of a breath alcoholically fragrant, and he understood that the warning relayed to him by blanche had carried a subtle double meaning. still, there was no other taxicab to be had. the street might have been a byway in old pompeii for all the life that moved within it. washington square, facing him, was as empty as a graveyard generally is at this hour, and the semblance of a conventional graveyard in wintertime was helped out by a light snow--the first of the season--sifting down in large damp flakes. twice and thrice he repeated the address, speaking each time sharply and distinctly, before the meaning seemed to filter into the befogged intellect of the inebriate. on the third rendition the latter roused from where he was slumped down. "i garcia, steve," he said thickly. "i garcia firs' time only y' hollowed s'loud i couldn und'stancher." so saying he lurched into a semiupright posture and fumbled for the wheel. silently condemning the curse of intemperance among the working classes of a great city mr. leary boarded the cab and drew the skirts of his overcoat down in an effort to cover his knees. with a harsh grating of clutches and an abrupt jerk the taxi started north. wobbling though he was upon his perch the driver mechanically steered a reasonably straight course. the passenger leaning back in the depths of the cab confessed to himself he was a trifle weary and more than a trifle sleepy. at thirty-seven one does not dance and play children's games alternately for six hours on a stretch without paying for the exertion in a sensation of let-downness. his head slipped forward on his chest. iii with a drowsy uncertainty as to whether he had been dozing for hours or only for a very few minutes mr. leary opened his eyes and sat up. the car was halted slantwise against a curbing; the chauffeur was jammed down again into a heap. mr. leary stepped nimbly forth upon the pavement, feeling in his overcoat pocket for the fare; and then he realised he was not in west eighty-fifth street at all; he was not in any street that he remembered ever having seen before in the course of his life. offhand, though, he guessed he was somewhere in that mystic maze of brick and mortar known as old greenwich village; and, for a further guess, in that particular part of it where business during these last few years had been steadily encroaching upon the ancient residences of long departed knickerbocker families. the street in which he stood, for a wonder in this part of town, ran a fairly straight course. at its western foot he could make out through the drifting flakes where a squat structure suggestive of a north river freight dock interrupted the sky line. in his immediate vicinity the street was lined with tall bleak fronts of jobbing houses, all dark and all shuttered. looking the other way, which would be eastward, he could make out where these wholesale establishments tailed off, to be succeeded by the lower shapes of venerable dwellings adorned with the dormered windows and the hip roofs which distinguished a bygone architectural period. some distance off in this latter direction the vista between the buildings was cut across by the straddle-bug structure of one of the elevated roads. all this mr. leary comprehended in a quick glance about him, and then he turned on the culprit cabman with rage in his heart. "see here, you!" he snapped crossly, jerking the other by the shoulder. "what do you mean by bringing me away off here! this isn't where i wanted to go. oh, wake up, you!" under his vigorous shaking the driver slid over sideways until he threatened to decant himself out upon mr. leary. his cap falling off exposed the blank face of one who for the time being has gone dead to the world and to all its carking cares, and the only response he offered for his mishandling was a deep and sincere snore. the man was hopelessly intoxicated; there was no question about it. more to relieve his own deep chagrin than for any logical reason mr. leary shook him again; the net results were a protesting semiconscious gargle and a further careening slant of the sleeper's form. well, there was nothing else to do but walk. he must make his way afoot until he came to sixth avenue or on to fifth, upon the chance of finding in one of these two thoroughfares a ranging nighthawk cab. as a last resort he could take the subway or the l north. this contingency, though, mr. leary considered with feelings akin to actual repugnance. he dreaded the prospect of ribald and derisive comments from chance fellow travellers upon a public transportation line. for you should know that though mr. leary's outer garbing was in the main conventional there were strikingly incongruous features of it too. from his neck to his knees he correctly presented the aspect of a gentleman returning late from social diversions, caparisoned in a handsome fur-faced, fur-lined top coat. but his knees were entirely bare; so, too, were his legs down to about midway of the calves, where there ensued, as it were, a pair of white silk socks, encircled by pink garters with large and ornate pink ribbon bows upon them. his feet were bestowed in low slippers with narrow buttoned straps crossing the insteps. it was miss skiff, with her instinct for the verities, who had insisted upon bows for the garters and straps for the slippers, these being what she had called finishing touches. likewise it was due to that young lady's painstaking desire for appropriateness and completeness of detail that mr. leary at this moment wore upon his head a very wide-brimmed, very floppy straw hat with two quaint pink-ribbon streamers floating jauntily down between his shoulders at the back. for reasons which in view of this sartorial description should be obvious, mr. leary hugged closely up to the abutting house fronts when he left behind him the marooned taxi with its comatose driver asleep upon it, like one lone castaway upon a small island in a sea of emptiness, and set his face eastward. such was the warmth of his annoyance he barely felt the chill striking upon his exposed nether limbs or took note of the big snowflakes melting damply upon his thinly protected ankles. then, too, almost immediately something befell which upset him still more. he came to where a wooden marquee, projecting over the entrance to a shipping room, made a black strip along the feebly lighted pavement. as he entered the patch of darkness the shape of a man materialised out of the void and barred his way, and in that same fraction of a second something shiny and hard was thrust against mr. leary's daunted bosom, and in a low forceful rumble a voice commanded him as follows: "put up your mitts--and keep 'em up!" matching the action of his hands everything in mr. leary seemed to start skyward simultaneously. his hair on his scalp straightened, his breath came up from his lungs in a gasp, his heart lodged in his throat, and his blood quit his feet, leaving them practically devoid of circulation and ascended and drummed in his temples. he had a horrid, emptied feeling in his diaphragm, too, as though the organs customarily resident there had caught the contagion of the example and gone north. "that's nice," spake the fearsome stranger. "now stay jest the way you are and don't make no peep or i'll have to plug you wit' this here gat." [illustration: "that's nice," spake the fearsome stranger. "now stay jest the way you are and don't make no peep or i'll have to plug you wit' this here gat"] his right hand maintained the sinister pressure of the weapon against the victim's deflated chest, while his left dexterously explored the side pockets of mr. leary's overcoat. then the same left hand jerked the frogged fastenings of the garment asunder and went pawing swiftly over mr. leary's quivering person, seeking the pockets which would have been there had mr. leary been wearing garments bearing the regulation and ordained number of pockets. but the exploring fingers merely slid along a smooth and unbroken frontal surface. "wot t'ell? wot t'ell?" muttered the footpad in bewilderment. "say, where're you got yore leather and yore kittle hid? speak up quick!" "i'm--i'm--not carrying a watch or a purse to-night," quavered mr. leary. "these--these clothes i happen to be wearing are not made with places in them for a watch or anything. and you've already taken what money i had--it was all in my overcoat pocket." "yep; a pinch of chicken feed and wot felt like about four one-bone bills." the highwayman's accent was both ominous and contemptuous. "say, wotcher mean drillin' round dis town in some kinder funny riggin' wit'out no plunder on you? i gotta right to belt you one acrost the bean." "i'd rather you didn't do that," protested mr. leary in all seriousness. "if--if you'd only give me your address i could send you some money in the morning to pay you for your trouble----" "cut out de kiddin'," broke in the disgusted marauder. his tone changed slightly for the better. "say, near as i kin tell by feelin' it, dat ain't such a bum benny you're sportin'. i'll jest take dat along wit' me. letcher arms down easy and hold 'em straight out from yore sides while i gits it offen you. and no funny business!" "oh, please, please, don't take my overcoat," implored mr. leary, plunged by these words into a deeper panic. "anything but that! i--you--you really mustn't leave me without my overcoat." "wot else is dere to take?" even as he uttered the scornful question the thief had wrested the garment from mr. leary's helpless form and was backing away into the darkness. out of impenetrable gloom came his farewell warning: "stay right where you are for fi' minutes wit'out movin' or makin' a yelp. if you wiggle before de time is up i gotta pal right yere watchin' you, and he'll sure plug you. he ain't no easy-goin' guy like wot i am. you're gittin' off lucky it's me stuck you up, stidder him." with these words he was gone--gone with mr. leary's overcoat, with mr. leary's last cent, with his latchkey, with his cardcase, with all by which mr. leary might hope to identify himself before a wary and incredulous world for what he was. he was gone, leaving there in the protecting ledge of shadow the straw-hatted, socked-and-slippered, leg-gartered figure of a plump being, clad otherwise in a single vestment which began at the line of a becomingly low neckband and terminated in blousy outbulging bifurcations just above the naked knees. light stealing into this obscured and sheltered spot would have revealed that this garment was, as to texture, a heavy, silklike, sheeny, material; and as to colour a vivid and compelling pink--the exact colour of a slice of well-ripened watermelon; also that its sleeves ended elbow-high in an effect of broad turned-back cuffs; finally, that adown its owner's back it was snugly and adequately secured by means of a close-set succession of very large, very shiny white pearl buttons; the whole constituting an enlarged but exceedingly accurate copy of what, descriptively, is known to the manufactured-garment trade as a one-piece suit of child's rompers, self-trimmed, fastening behind; suitable for nursery, playground and seashore, especially recommended as summer wear for the little ones; to be had in all sizes; prices such-and-such. within a space of some six or seven minutes this precisely was what the nearest street lamp did reveal unto itself as its downward-slanting beams fell upon a furtive, fugitive shape, suggestive in that deficient subradiance of a vastly overgrown forked parsnip, miraculously endowed with powers of locomotion and bound for somewhere in a hurry; excepting of course no forked parsnip, however remarkable in other respects, would be wearing a floppy straw hat in a snowstorm; nor is it likely it would be adorned lengthwise in its rear with a highly decorative design of broad, smooth, polished disks which, even in that poor illumination, gleamed and twinkled and wiggled snakily in and out of alignment, in accord with the movements of their wearer's spinal column. but the reader and i, better informed than any lamp post could be as to the prior sequence of events, would know at a glance it was no parsnip we beheld, but mr. algernon leary, now suddenly enveloped, through no fault of his own, in one of the most overpowering predicaments conceivable to involve a rising lawyer and a member of at least two good clubs; and had we but been there to watch him, knowing, as we would know, the developments leading up to this present situation, we might have guessed what was the truth: that mr. leary was hot bent upon retreating to the only imaginable refuge left to him at this juncture--to wit, the interior of the stranded taxicab which he had abandoned but a short time previously. iv nearly all of us at some time or other in our lives have dreamed awful dreams of being discovered in a public place with nothing at all upon our bodies, and have awakened, burning hot with the shame of an enormous and terrific embarrassment. being no student of the psychic phenomena of human slumber i do not know whether this is a subconscious harking-back to the days of our infancy or whether it is merely a manifestation to prove the inadvisability of partaking of welsh rabbits and lobster salads immediately before retiring. more than once mr. leary had bedreamed thus, but at this moment he realised how much more dread and distressing may be a dire actuality than a vision conjured up out of the mysteries of sleep. one surprised by strangers in a nude or partially nude state may have any one of a dozen acceptable excuses for being so circumstanced. an earthquake may have caught one unawares, say; or inopportunely a bathroom door may have blown open. once the first shock occasioned by the untoward appearance of the victim has passed away he is sure of sympathy. for him pity is promptly engendered and volunteer aid is enlisted. but mr. leary had a profound conviction that, revealed in this ghastly plight before the eyes of his fellows, his case would be regarded differently; that instead of commiseration there would be for him only the derision which is so humiliating to a sensitive nature. he felt so undignified, so glaringly conspicuous, so--well, so scandalously immature. if only it had been an orthodox costume party which mrs. carroway had given, why, then he might have gone as a roman senator or as a private chief or an indian brave or a cavalier. in doublet or jack boots or war bonnet, in a toga, even, he might have mastered the dilemma and carried off a dubious situation. but to be adrift in an alien quarter of a great and heartless city round four o'clock in the morning, so picturesquely and so unseasonably garbed, and in imminent peril of detection, was a prospect calculated to fill one with the frenzied delirium of a nightmare made real. put yourself in his place, i ask you. his slippered feet spurned the thin snow as he moved rapidly back toward the west. ahead of him he could detect the clumped outlines of the taxicab, and at the sight of it he quickened to a trot. once safely within it he could take stock of things; could map out a campaign of future action; could think up ways and means of extricating himself from his present lamentable case with the least possible risk of undesirable publicity. at any rate he would be shielded for the moment from the life which might at any moment awaken in the still sleeping and apparently vacant neighbourhood. finally, of course, there was the hope that the drunken cabman might be roused, and once roused might be capable, under promise of rich financial reward, of conveying mr. leary to his bachelor apartments in west eighty-fifth street before dawn came, with its early-bird milkmen and its before-day newspaper distributors and its others too numerous to mention. without warning of any sort the cab started off, seemingly of its own volition. mr. leary's gait became a desperate gallop, and as he galloped he gave voice in entreaty. [illustration: mr. leary's gait became a desperate gallop, and as he galloped he shouted: "wait, please. here i am--here's your passenger!"] "hey there!" he shouted. "wait, please. here i am--here's your passenger!" his straw hat blew off, but this was no time to stop for a straw hat. for a few rods he gained upon the vehicle, then as its motion increased he lost ground and ran a losing race. its actions disclosed that a conscious if an uncertain hand guided its destinies. wabbling this way and that it wheeled skiddingly round a corner. when mr. leary, rowelled on to yet greater speed by the spurs of a mounting misery, likewise turned the corner it was irrevocably remote, beyond all prospect of being overtaken by anything human pursuing it afoot. the swaying black bulk of it diminished and was swallowed up in the snow shower and the darkness. the rattle of mishandled gears died to a thin metallic clanking, then to a purring whisper, and then the whisper expired, dead silence ensuing. v in the void of this silence stood mr. leary, shivering now in the reaction that had succeeded the nerve jar of being robbed at a pistol's point, and lacking the fervour of the chase to sustain him. for him the inconceivable disaster was complete and utter; upon him despair descended as a patent swatter upon a lone housefly. miles away from home, penniless and friendless--the two terms being practically synonymous in new york--what asylum was there for him now? suppose daylight found him abroad thus? suppose he succumbed to exposure and was discovered stiffly frozen in a doorway? death by processes of congealment must carry an added sting if one had to die in a suit of pink rompers buttoning down the back. as though the thought of freezing had been a cue to nature he noted a tickling in his nose and a chokiness in his throat, and somewhere in his system, a long way off, so to speak, he felt a sneeze forming and approaching the surface. to add to his state of misery, if anything could add to its distressing total, he was taking cold. when mr. leary took cold he took it thoroughly and throughout his system. very soon, as he knew by past experience, his voice would be hoarse and wheezy and his nose and his eyes would run. but the sneeze was delayed in transit, and mr. leary took advantage of the respite to cast a glance about him. perhaps--the expedient had surged suddenly into his brain--perhaps there might be a hotel or a lodging house of sorts hereabouts? if so, such an establishment would have a night clerk on duty, and despite the baggageless and cashless state of the suppliant it was possible the night clerk might be won, by compassion or by argument or by both, to furnish mr. leary shelter until after breakfast time, when over the telephone he could reach friends and from these friends procure an outfit of funds and suitable clothing. in sight, though, there was no structure which by its outward appearance disclosed itself as a place of entertainment for the casual wayfarer. howsomever, lights were shining through the frosted panes of a row of windows stretching across the top floor of a building immediately at hand, and even as he made this discovery mr. leary was aware of the dimmed sounds of revelry and of orchestral music up there, and also of an illuminated canvas triangle stuck above the hallway entrance of the particular building in question, this device bearing a lettered inscription upon it to advertise that here the members of the lawrence p. mcgillicuddy literary association and pleasure club were holding their grand annual civic ball; admission one dollar, including hat check; ladies free when accompanied by gents. evidently the lawrence p. mcgillicuddys kept even later hours at their roisterings than the bohemian sets in washington square kept. observing these evidences of adjacent life and merry-makings mr. leary cogitated. did he dare intrude upon the festivities aloft there? and if he did so dare would he enter cavortingly, trippingly, with intent to deceive the assembled company into the assumption that he had come to their gathering in costume; or would he throw himself upon their charity and making open confession of his predicament seek to enlist the friendly offices of some kindly soul in extricating him from it? while he canvassed the two propositions tentatively he heard the thud of footsteps descending the stairs from the dance hall, and governed by an uncontrollable impulse he leaped for concealment behind a pile of building material that was stacked handily upon the sidewalk almost at his elbow. he might possibly have driven himself to face a multitude indoors, but somehow could not, just naturally could not, in his present apparel, face one stranger outdoors--or at least not until he had opportunity to appraise the stranger. it was a man who emerged from the hallway entrance; a stockily built man wearing his hat well over one ear and with his ulster opened and flung back exposing a broad chest to the wintry air. he was whistling a sprightly air. just as this individual came opposite the lumber pile the first dedicatory sneeze of a whole subsequent series of sneezes which had been burgeoning somewhere in the top of mr. leary's head, and which that unhappy gentleman had been mechanically endeavouring to suppress, burst from captivity with a vast moist report. at the explosion the passer-by spun about and his whistle expired in a snort of angered surprise as the bared head of mr. leary appeared above the topmost board of the pile, and mr. leary's abashed face looked into his. "say," he demanded, "wotcher meanin', hidin' there and snortin' in a guy's ear?" his manner was truculent; indeed, verged almost upon the menacing. evidently the shock had adversely affected his temper, to the point where he might make personal issues out of unavoidable trifles. instinctively mr. leary felt that the situation which had arisen called for diplomacy of the very highest order. he cleared his throat before replying. "good evening," he began, in what he vainly undertook to make a casual tone of voice. "i beg your pardon--the sneeze--ahem--occurred when i wasn't expecting it. ahem--i wonder if you would do me a favour?" "i would not! come snortin' in a guy's ear that-a-way and then askin' him would he do you a favour: you got a crust for fair!" here, though, a natural curiosity triumphed over the rising tides of indignation. "wot favour do you want, anyway?" he inquired shortly. "would you--would you--i wonder if you would be willing to sell me that overcoat you're wearing?" "i would not!" "you see, the fact of the matter is i happened to be needing an overcoat very badly at the moment," pressed mr. leary. "i was hoping that you might be induced to name a price for yours." "i would not! m. j. cassidy wears m. j. cassidy's clothes, and nobody else wears 'em, believe me! wot's happened to your own coat?" "i lost it--i mean it was stolen." "stole?" "yes, a robber with a revolver held me up a few minutes ago just over here in the next cross street and he took my coat away." "huh! well, did you lose your hat the same way?" "yes--that is to say, no. i lost my hat running." "oh, you run, hey? well, you look to me like a guy wot would run. well, did he take your clothes, too? is that why you're squattin' behind them timbers?" the inquisitive one took a step nearer. "no--oh, no! i'm still wearing my--my--the costume i was wearing," answered mr. leary, apprehensively wedging his way still farther back between the stack of boards and the wall behind. "but you see----" "well then, barrin' the fact that you ain't got no hat, ain't you jest as well off without no overcoat now as i'd be if i fell for any hard-luck spiel from you and let you have mine?" "i wouldn't go so far as to say that exactly," tendered mr. leary ingratiatingly. "i'm afraid my clothing isn't as suitable for outdoor wear as yours is. you see, i'd been to a sort of social function and on my way home it--it happened." "oh, it did, did it? well, anyway, i should worry about you and your clothes," stated the other. he took a step onward, then halted; and now the gleam of speculative gain was in his eye. "say, if i was willin' to sell--not sayin' i would be, but if i was--wot would you be willin' to give for an overcoat like this here one?" "any price within reason--any price you felt like asking," said mr. leary, his hopes of deliverance rekindling. "well, maybe i'd take twenty-five dollars for it just as it stands and no questions ast. how'd that strike you?" "i'll take it. that seems a most reasonable figure." "well, fork over the twenty-five then, and the deal's closed." "i'd have to send you the money to-morrow--i mean to-day. you see, the thief took all my cash when he took my overcoat." "did, huh?" "yes, that's the present condition of things. very annoying, isn't it? but i'll take your address. i'm a lawyer in business in broad street, and as soon as i reach my office i'll send the amount by messenger." "aw, to hell with you and your troubles! i might a-knowed you was some new kind of a panhandler when you come a-snortin' in my ear that-a-way. better beat it while the goin's good. you're in the wrong neighbourhood to be springin' such a gag as this one you just now sprang on me. anyhow, i've wasted enough time on the likes of you." he was ten feet away when mr. leary, his wits sharpened by his extremity, clutched at the last straw. "one moment," he nervously begged. "did i understand you to say your name was cassidy?" "you did. wot of it?" "well, curious coincidence and all that--but my name happens to be leary. and i thought that because of that you might----" the stranger broke in on him. "your name happens to be leary, does it? wot's your other name then?" "algernon." stepping lightly on the balls of his feet mr. cassidy turned back, and his mien for some reason was potentially that of a belligerent. "say," he declared threateningly, "you know wot i think about you? well, i think you're a liar. no regular guy with the name of leary would let a cheap stiff of a stick-up rob him out of the coat offen his back without puttin' up a battle. no regular guy named leary would be named algernon. say, i think you're a far downer. i wouldn't be surprised but wot you was an a. p. a. on the top of that. and wot's all this here talk about goin' to a sociable functure and comin' away not suitably dressed? come on out of that now and let's have a look at you." "really, i'd much rather not--if you don't mind," protested the miserable mr. leary. "i--i have reasons." "the same here. will you come out from behind there peaceable or will i fetch you out?" so mr. leary came, endeavouring while coming to wear a manner combining an atmosphere of dignified aloofness and a sentiment of frank indifference to the opinion of this loutish busybody, with just a touch, a mere trace, as it were, of nonchalance thrown in. in short, coming out he sought to deport himself as though it were the properest thing in the world for a man of years and discretion to be wearing a bright pink one-piece article of apparel on a public highway at four a. m. or thereabouts. undoubtedly, considering everything, it was the hardest individual task essayed in new york during the first year of the war. need i add that it was a failure--a total failure? as he stood forth fully and comprehensively revealed by the light of the adjacent transparency, mr. cassidy's squint of suspicion widened into a pop-eyed stare of temporary stupefaction. "well, for the love of---in the name of---did anywan ever see the likes of----!" he murmured the broken sentences as he circled about the form of the martyr. completing the circuit, laughter of a particularly boisterous and concussive variety interrupted his fragmentary speech. "ha ha, ha ha," echoed mr. leary in a palpably forced and hollow effort, to show that he, too, could enter into the spirit of the occasion with heartiness. "does strike one as rather unusual at first sight--doesn't it?" "why, you big hooman radish! why, you strollin' sunset!" thus mr. cassidy responded. "are you payin' an election bet three weeks after the election's over? or is it that you're just a plain bedaddled ijiet? or wot is it, i wonder?" "i explained to you that i went to a party. it was a fancy-dress party," stated mr. leary. sharp on the words mr. cassidy's manner changed. here plainly was a person of moods, changeable and tempersome. "ain't you ashamed of yourself, and you a large, grown man, to be skihootin' round with them kind of foolish duds on, and your own country at war this minute for decency and democracy?" from this it also was evident that mr. cassidy read the editorials in the papers. "you should take shame to yourself that you ain't in uniform instid of baby clothes." it was the part of discretion, so mr. leary inwardly decided, to ignore the fact that the interrogator himself appeared to be well within the military age. "i'm a bit old to enlist," he stated, "and i'm past the draft age." "then you're too old to be wearin' such a riggin'. but, by cripes, i'll say this for you--you make a picture that'd make a horse laugh." laughing like a horse, or as a horse would laugh if a horse ever laughed, he rocked to and fro on his heels. "sh-sh; not so loud, please," importuned mr. leary, casting an uneasy glance toward the lighted windows above. "somebody might hear you!" "i hope somebody does hear me," gurgled the temperamental mr. cassidy, now once more thoroughly beset by his mirth. "i need somebody to help me laugh. by cripes, i need a whole crowd to help me; and i know a way to get them!" he twisted his head round so his voice would ascend the hallway. "hey, fellers and skoirts," he called; "you that's fixin' to leave! hurry on down here quick and see algy, the livin' peppermint lossenger, before he melts away with his own sweetness." obeying the summons with promptness a flight of the lawrence p. mcgillicuddy's, accompanied for the most part by lady friends, cascaded down the stairs and erupted forth upon the sidewalk. "here y'are--right here!" clarioned mr. cassidy as the first skylarkish pair showed in the doorway. his manner was drolly that of a showman exhibiting a rare freak, newly captured. "come a-runnin'!" they came a-running and there were a dozen of them or possibly fifteen; blithesome spirits, all, and they fenced in the shrinking shape of mr. leary with a close and curious ring of themselves, and the combined volume of their glad, amazed outbursts might be heard for a distance of furlongs. on prankish impulse then they locked hands and with skippings and prancings and impromptu jig steps they circled about him; and he, had he sought to speak, could not well have been heard; and, anyway, he was for the moment past speech, because of being entirely engaged in giving vent to one vehement sneeze after another. and next, above the chorus of joyous whooping might be heard individual comments, each shrieked out shrilly and each punctuated by a sneeze from mr. leary's convulsed frame; or lacking that by a simulated sneeze from one of the revellers--one with a fine humorous flare for mimicry. and these comments were, for example, such as: "git onto the socks!" "ker-chew!" "and the slippers!" "ker-chew!" "and them lovely pink garters!" "ker-chew!" "oh, you cutey! oh, you cut-up!" "ker-chew!" "oh, you candy kid!" "and say, git onto the cunnin' elbow sleeves our little playmate's sportin'." "yes, but goils, just pipe the poilies--ain't they the greatest ever?" "they sure are. say, kiddo, gimme one of 'em to remember you by, won't you? you'll never miss it--you got a-plenty more." "wot d'ye call wot he's got on 'um, anyway?" the speaker was a male, naturally. "w'y, you big stoopid, can't you see he's wearin' rompers?" the answer came in a giggle, from a gay youthful creature of the opposite sex as she kicked out roguishly. "well, then be chee, w'y don't he romp a little?" "give 'um time, cancher? don't you see he's blowin' out his flues? he's busy now. he'll romp in a minute." "sure he will! we'll romp with 'um." a waggish young person in white beaded slippers and a green sport skirt broke free from the cavorting ring, and behind mr. leary's back the nimble fingers of the madcap tapped his spinal ornamentations as an instrumentalist taps the stops of an organ; and she chanted a familiar counting game of childhood: "rich man--poor man--beggar man--thief--doctor--loiryer----" "sure, he said he was a loiryer." it was mr. cassidy breaking in. "and he said his name was algernon. well, i believe the algernon part--the big a. p. a." "oh, you algy!" "algernon, does your mother know you're out?" "t'ree cheers for algy, the walkin' comic valentine!" "algy, algy--oh, you cutey algy!" these jolly greenwich villagers were going to make a song of his name. they did make a song of it, and it was a frolicsome song and pitched to a rollicksome key. congenial newcomers arrived, pelting down from upstairs whence they had been drawn by the happy rocketing clamour; and they caught spirit and step and tune with the rest and helped manfully to sing it. as one poet hath said, "and now reigned high carnival." and as another has so aptly phrased it, "there was sound of revelry by night." and, as the second poet once put it, or might have put it so if so be he didn't, "and all went merry as a marriage bell." but when we, adapting the line to our own descriptive usages, now say all went merry we should save out one exception--one whose form alternately was racked by hot flushes of a terrific self-consciousness and by humid gusts of an equally terrific sneezing fit. vi "here, here, here! cut out the yellin'! d'you want the whole block up out of their beds?" the voice of the personified law, gruff and authoritative, broke in upon the clamour, and the majesty of the law, typified in bulk, with galoshes, ear muffs and woollen gloves on, not to mention the customary uniform of blue and brass, ploughed a path toward the centre of the group. "'s all right, switzer," gaily replied a hoydenish lassie; she, the same who had begged mr. leary for a sea-pearl souvenir. "but just see wot morrie cassidy went and found here on the street!" patrolman switzer looked then where she pointed, and could scarce believe his eyes. in his case gleefulness took on a rumbling thunderous form, which shook his being as with an ague and made him to beat himself violently upon his ribs. "d'ye blame us for carryin' on, switzer, when we seen it ourselves?" "i don't--and that's a fact," switzer confessed between gurgles. "i wouldn't a blamed you much if you'd fell down and had a fit." and then he rocked on his heels, filled with joviality clear down to his rubber soles. anon, though, he remembered the responsibilities of his position. "still, at that, and even so," said he, sobering himself, "enough of a good thing's enough." he glared accusingly, yea, condemningly, at the unwitting cause of the quelled commotion. "say, what's the idea, you carousin' round noo york city this hour of the night diked up like a coney island maudie graw? and what's the idea, you causin' a boisterous and disorderly crowd to collect? and what's the idea, you makin' a disturbance in a vicinity full of decent hard-workin' people that's tryin' to get a little rest? what's the general idea, anyhow?" at this moment mr. leary having sneezed an uncountable number of times, regained the powers of coherent utterance. "it is not my fault," he said. "i assure you of that, officer. i am being misjudged; i am the victim of circumstances over which i have no control. you see, officer, i went last evening to a fancy-dress party and----" "well, then, why didn't you go on home afterwards and behave yourself?" "i did--i started, in a taxicab. but the taxicab driver was drunk and he went to sleep on the way and the taxicab stopped and i got out of it and started to walk across town looking for another taxicab and----" "started walkin', dressed like that?" "certainly not. i had an overcoat on, of course. but a highwayman held me up at the point of a revolver, and he took my overcoat and what money i had and my card case and----" "where did all this here happen--this here alleged robbery?" "not two blocks away from here, right over in the next street to this one." "i don't believe nothin' of the kind!" patrolman switzer spoke with enhanced severity; his professional honour had been touched in a delicate place. the bare suggestion that a footpad might dare operate in a district under his immediate personal supervision would have been to him deeply repugnant, and here was this weirdly attired wanderer making the charge direct. "but, officer, i insist--i protest that----" "young feller, i think you've been drinkin', that's what i think about you. your voice sounds to me like you've been drinkin' about a gallon of mixed ale. i think you dreamed all this here pipe about a robber and a pistol and an overcoat and a taxicab and all. now you take a friendly tip from me and you run along home as fast as ever you can, and you get them delirious clothes off of you and then you get in bed and take a good night's sleep and you'll feel better. because if you don't it's goin' to be necessary for me to run you in for a public nuisance. i ain't askin' you--i'm tellin' you, now. if you don't want to be locked up, start movin'--that's my last word to you." the recent merrymakers, who had fallen silent the better to hear the dialogue, grouped themselves expectantly, hoping and waiting for a yet more exciting and humorous sequel to what had gone before--if such a miracle might be possible. nor were they to be disappointed. the dã©nouement came quickly upon the heels of the admonition. for into mr. leary's reeling and distracted mind the warning had sent a clarifying idea darting. why hadn't he thought of a police station before now? perforce the person in charge at any police station would be under requirement to shelter him. what even if he were locked up temporarily? in a cell he would be safe from the slings and arrows of outrageous ridicule; and surely among the functionaries in any station house would be one who would know a gentleman in distress, however startlingly the gentleman might be garbed. surely, too, somebody--once that somebody's amazement had abated--would he willing to do some telephoning for him. perhaps, even, a policeman off duty might be induced to take his word for it that he was what he really was, and not what he seemed to be, and loan him a change of clothing. hot upon the inspiration mr. leary decided on his course of action. he would get himself safely and expeditiously removed from the hateful company and the ribald comments of the lawrence p. mcgillicuddys and their friends. he would get himself locked up--that was it. he would now take the first steps in that direction. "are you goin' to start on home purty soon like i've just been tellin' you; or are you ain't?" snapped patrolman switzer, who, it would appear, was by no means a patient person. "i am not!" the crafty mr. leary put volumes of husky defiance into his answer. "i'm not going home--and you can't make me go home, either." he rejoiced inwardly to see how the portly shape of switzer stiffened and swelled at the taunt. "i'm a citizen and i have a right to go where i please, dressed as i please, and you don't dare to stop me. i defy you to arrest me!" suddenly he put both his hands in patrolman switzer's fleshy midriff and gave him a violent shove. an outraged grunt went up from switzer, a delighted whoop from the audience. swept off his balance by the prospect of fruition for his design the plotter had technically been guilty before witnesses of a violent assault upon the person of an officer in the sworn discharge of his duty. he felt himself slung violently about. one mitted hand fixed itself in mr. leary's collar yoke at the rear; the other closed upon a handful of slack material in the lower breadth of mr. leary's principal habiliment just below where his buttons left off. "so you won't come, won't you? well then i'll show you--you pink strawberry drop!" enraged at having been flaunted before a jeering audience the patrolman pushed his prisoner ten feet along the sidewalk, imparting to the offender's movements an involuntary gliding gait, with backward jerks between forward shoves; this method of propulsion being known in the vernacular of the force as "givin' a skate the bum's rush." "hey, switzer, lend me your key and i'll ring for the wagon for you," volunteered mr. cassidy. his care-free companions, some of them, cheered the suggestion, seeing in it prospect of a prolonging of this delectable sport which providence without charge had so graciously deigned to provide. "never mind about the wagon. us two'll walk, me and him," announced the patrolman. "'taint so far where we're goin', and the walk'll do this fresh guy a little good--maybe'll sober him up. and never mind about any of the rest of you taggin' along behind us neither. this is a pinch--not a free street parade. go on home now, the lot of youse, before you wake up the whole lower west side." loath to be cheated out of the last act of a comedy so unique and so rich the whimsical mcgillicuddys and their chosen mates fell reluctantly away, with yells and gibes and quips and farewell bursts of laughter. vii closely hyphenated together the deep blue figure and the bright pink one rounded the corner and were alone. it was time to open the overtures which would establish patrolman switzer upon the basis of a better understanding of things. mr. leary, craning his neck in order to look rearward into the face of his custodian, spoke in a key very different from the one he had last employed. "i really didn't intend, you know, to resist you, officer. i had a private purpose in what i did. and you were quite within your rights. and i'm very grateful to you--really i am--for driving those people away." "is that so?" the inflection was grimly and heavily sarcastic. "yes. i am a lawyer by profession, and generally speaking i know what your duties are. i merely made a show--a pretence, as it were--of resisting you, in order to get away from that mob. it was--ahem--it was a device on my part--in short, a trick." "is that so? fixin' to try to beg off now, huh? well, nothin' doin'! nothin' doin'! i don't know whether you're a fancy nut or a plain souse or what-all, but whatever you are you're under arrest and you're goin' with me." "that's exactly what i desire to do," resumed the schemer. "i desire most earnestly to go with you." "you're havin' your wish, ain't you? well, then, the both of us should oughter be satisfied." "i feel sure," continued the wheedling and designing mr. leary, "that as soon as we reach the station house i can make satisfactory atonement to you for my behaviour just now and can explain everything to your superiors in charge there, and then----" "station house!" snorted patrolman switzer. "why, say, you ain't headin' for no station house. the crowd that's over there where you're headin' for should be grateful to me for bringin' you in. you'll be a treat to them, and it's few enough pleasures some of them gets----" a new, a horrid doubt assailed mr. leary's sorely taxed being. he began to have a dread premonition that all was not going well and his brain whirled anew. "but i prefer to be taken to the station house," he began. "and who are you to be preferrin' anything at all?" countered switzer. "i'll phone back to the station where i am and what i've done; though that part of it's no business of yours. i'll be doin' that after i've arrainged you over to jefferson market." "jeff--jefferson market!" "sure, 'tis to jefferson market night court you're headin' this minute. where else? they're settin' late over there to-night; the magistrate is expectin' some raids somewheres about daylight, i dope it. anyhow, they're open yet; i know that. so it'll be me and you for jefferson market inside of five minutes; and i'm thinkin' you'll get quite a reception." jefferson market! mr. leary could picture the rows upon rows of gloating eyes. he heard the incredulous shout that would mark his entrance, the swell of unholy glee from the benches that would interrupt the proceedings. he saw stretched upon the front pages of the early editions of the afternoon yellows the glaring black-faced headlines: well-known lawyer clad in pink rompers haled to night court he saw--but switzer's next remark sent a fresh shudder of apprehension through him, caught all again, as he was, in the coils of accursed circumstance. "magistrate voris will be gettin' sleepy what with waitin' for them raids to be pulled off, and i make no doubt the sight of you will put him in a good humour." and magistrate voris was his rival for the favours of miss milly hollister! and magistrate voris was a person with a deformed sense of humour! and magistrate voris was sitting in judgment this moment at jefferson market night court. and now desperation, thrice compounded, rent the soul of the trapped victim of his own misaimed subterfuge. "i won't be taken to any night court!" he shouted, wresting himself toward the edge of the sidewalk and dragging his companion along with him. "i won't go there! i demand to be taken to a station house. i'm a sick man and i require the services of a doctor." "startin' to be rough-house all over again, huh?" grunted switzer vindictively. "well, we'll see about that part of it, too--right now!" surrendering his lowermost clutch, the one in the silken seat of the suit of his writhing prisoner, he fumbled beneath the tails of his overcoat for the disciplinary nippers that were in his righthand rear trousers pocket. with a convulsive twist of his body mr. leary jerked himself free of the mittened grip upon his neckband, and as, released, he gave a deerlike lunge forward for liberty he caromed against a burdened ash can upon the curbstone and sent it spinning backward; then recovering sprang onward and outward across the gutter in flight. in the same instant he heard behind him a crash of metal and a solid thud, heard a sound as of a scrambling solid body cast abruptly prone, heard the name of deity profaned, and divined without looking back that the ash can, conveniently rolling between the plump legs of the personified arm of the law, had been officer switzer's undoing, and might be his salvation. viii with never a backward glance he ran on, not doubting as a hare before the beagle, but following a straight course, like unto a hunted roebuck. he did not know he could run so fast, and he could not have run so fast any other time than this. beyond was a crossing. it was blind instinct that made him double round the turn. and it was instinct, quickened and guided by desperation, that made him dart like a rose-tinted flash up the steps to the stoop of an old-fashioned residence standing just beyond the corner, spring inside the storm doors, draw them to behind him, and crouch there, hidden, as pursuit went lumbering by. through a chink between the door halves he watched breathlessly while switzer, who moved with a pronounced limp and rubbed his knees as he limped, hobbled halfway up the block, slowed down, halted, glared about him for sight or sign of the vanished fugitive, and then misled by a false trail departed, padding heavily with a galoshed tread, round the next turn. with his body still drawn well back within the shadow line of the overhanging cornice mr. leary, coyly protruded his head and took visual inventory of the neighbourhood. so far as any plan whatsoever had formed in the mind of our diffident adventurer he meant to bide where he was for the moment. here, where he had shelter of a sort, he would recapture his breath and reassemble his wits. even so, the respite from those elements which mr. leary dreaded most of all--publicity, observation, cruel jibes, the harsh raucous laughter of the populace--could be at best but a woefully transient one. he was not resigned--by no means was he resigned--to his fate; but he was helpless. for what ailed him there was no conceivable remedy. anon jocund day would stand tiptoe on something or other; greenwich village would awaken and bestir itself. discovery would come, and forth he would be drawn like a shy, unwilling periwinkle from its shell, once more to play his abased and bashful role of free entertainer to guffawing mixed audiences. for all others in the great city there were havens and homes. but for a poor, lorn, unguided vagrant, enmeshed in the burlesque garnitures of a three-year-old male child, what haven was there? by night the part had been hard enough--as the unresponsive heavens above might have testified. by the stark unmerciful sunlight; by the rude, revealing glow of the impending day how much more scandalous would it be! his haggard gaze swept this way and that, seeking possible succour where reason told him there could be no succour; and then as his vision pieced together this outjutting architectural feature and that into a coherent picture of his immediate surroundings he knew where he was. the one bit of chancy luck in a sequence of direful catastrophes had brought him here to this very spot. why, this must be west ninth street; it had to be, it was--oh joy, it was! and bob slack, his partner, lived in this identical block on this same side of the street. with his throat throbbing to the impulse of new-born hope he emerged completely from behind the refuge of the storm doors, backed himself out and down upon the top step, and by means of a dubious illumination percolating through the fanlight above the inner door he made out the figures upon the lintel. this was such and such a number; therefore bob slack's number must be the second number to the eastward, at the next door but one. ix five seconds later a fleet apparition of a prevalent pinkish tone gave a ranging house cat the fright of its life as former darted past latter to vault nimbly up the stone steps of a certain weatherbeaten four-story-and-basement domicile. set in the door jamb here was a vertical row of mail-slots, and likewise a vertical row of electric push buttons; these objects attesting to the fact that this house, once upon a time the home of a single family, had eventually undergone the transformation which in lower new york befalls so many of its kind, and had become a layer-like succession of light-housekeeping apartments, one apartment to a floor, and the caretaker in the basement. since bob slack's bachelor quarters were on the topmost floor bob slack's push button would be the next to the lowermost of the battery of buttons. a chilled tremulous finger found that particular button and pressed it long and hard, released it, pressed it again and yet again. and in the interval following each period of pressing the finger's owner hearkened, all ears, for the answering click-click that would tell him the sleeper having been roused by the ringing had risen and pressed the master button that released the mechanism of the street door's lock. but no welcome clicking rewarded the expectant ringer. assuredly bob slack must be the soundest sleeper in the known world. he who waited rang and rang and rerang. there was no response. eventually conviction was forced upon mr. leary that he must awaken the caretaker--who, he seemed dimly to recall as a remembrance of past visits to bob slack, was a woman; and this done he must induce the caretaker to admit him to the inside of the house. once within the building the refugee promised himself he would bring the slumberous slack to consciousness if he had to beat down that individual's door doing it. he centred his attack upon the bottom push button of all. directly, from almost beneath his feet, came the sound of an areaway window being unlatched, and a drowsy female somewhat crossly inquired to know who might be there and what might be wanted. "it's a gentleman calling on mr. slack," wheezed mr. leary with his head over the balusters. he was getting so very, very hoarse. "i've been ringing his bell, but i can't seem to get any answer." "a gentleman at this time o' night!" the tone was purely incredulous. "yes; a close friend of mr. slack's," assured mr. leary, striving to put stress of urgency into his accents, and only succeeding in imparting an added hoarseness to his fast-failing vocal cords. "i'm his law partner, in fact. i must see him at once, please--it's very important, very pressing indeed." "well, you can't be seein' him." "c-can't see him? what do you mean?" "i mean he ain't here, that's what. he's out. he's went out for the night. he's ginerally always out on friday nights--playin' cards at his club, i think. and sometimes he don't come in till it's near breakfast time. if you're a friend of his i sh'd think it'd be likely you'd know that same." "oh, i do--i do," assented mr. leary earnestly; "only i had forgotten it. i've had so many other things on my mind. but surely he'll be coming in quite soon now--it's pretty late, you know." "don't i know that for myself without bein' told?" "yes, quite so, of course; naturally so." mr. leary was growing more and more nervous, and more and more chilled, too. "but if you'll only be so very kind as to let me in i'll wait for him in his apartment." "let you in without seein' you or knowin' what your business is? i should guess not! besides, you couldn't be gettin' inside his flat anyways. he's locked it, unless he's forgot to, which ain't likely, him bein' a careful man, and he must a-took the key with him. i know i ain't got it." "but if you'll just let me inside the building that will be sufficient. i would much rather wait inside if only in the hall, than out here on the stoop in the cold." "no doubt, no doubt you would all of that." the tone of the unseen female was drily suspicious. "but is it likely i'd be lettin' a stranger into the place, that i never seen before, and ain't seen yet for that matter, just on the strength of his own word? and him comin' unbeknownst, at this hour of the mornin'? a fat chancet!" "but surely, though, you must recall me--mr. leary, his partner. i've been here before. i've spoken to you." "that voice don't sound to me like no voice i ever heard." "i've taken cold--that's why it's altered." "so? then why don't you come down here where i can have a look at you and make sure?" inquired this careful chatelaine. "i'm leaning with my head over the rail of the steps right above you," said mr. leary. "can't you poke your head out and see my face? i'm quite sure you would recall me then." "with this here iron gratin' acrost me window how could i poke me head out? besides, it's dark. say, mister, if you're on the level what's the matter with you comin' down here and not be standin' there palaverin' all the night?" "i--i--well, you see, i'd rather not come for just a minute--until i've explained to you that--that my appearance may strike you as being a trifle unusual, in fact, i might say, queer," pleaded mr. leary, seeking by subtle methods of indirection to prepare her for what must surely follow. "never mind explainin'--gimme a look!" the suspicious tenseness in her voice increased. "i tell you this--ayther you come down here right this secont or i shut the window and you can be off or you can go to the divil or go anywheres you please for all of me, because i'm an overworked woman and i need my rest and i've no more time to waste on you." "wait, please; i'm coming immediately," called out mr. leary. he forced his legs to carry him down the steps and reluctantly, yet briskly, he propelled his pink-hued person toward the ray of light that streamed out through the grated window-opening and fell across the areaway. "you mustn't judge by first appearances," he was explaining with a false and transparent attempt at matter-of-factness as he came into the zone of illumination. "i'm not what i seem, exactly. you see, i----" "mushiful evans!" the exclamation was half shrieked, half gasped out; and on the words the window was slammed to, the light within flipped out, and through the glass from within came a vehement warning. "get away, you--you lunatic! get away from here now or i'll have the cops on you." "but please, please listen," he entreated, with his face close against the bars. "i assure you, madam, that i can explain everything if you will only listen." there was no mercy, no suggestion of relenting in the threatening message that came back to him. "if you ain't gone from here in ten seconts i'll ring for the night watchman on the block, and i'll blow a whistle for the police. i've got me hand on the alarm hook right now. will you go or will i rouse the whole block?" "pray be calm, madam, i'll go. in fact, i'm going now." he fell back out of the areaway. fresh uproar at this critical juncture would be doubly direful. it would almost certainly bring the vengeful switzer, with his bruised shanks. it would inevitably bring some one. x mr. leary retreated to the sidewalk, figuratively casting from him the shards and potsherds of his reawakened anticipations, now all so rudely shattered again. he was doomed. it would inevitably be his fate to cower in these cold and drafty purlieus until---no, it wouldn't either! like a golden rift in a sable sky a brand-new ray of cheer opened before him. who were those married friends of slack's, who lived on the third floor--friends with whom once upon a time he and slack had shared a chafing-dish supper? what was the name? brady? no, braydon. that was it--mr. and mrs. edward braydon. he would slip back again, on noiseless feet, to the doorway where the bells were. he would bide there until the startled caretaker had gone back to her sleep, or at least to her bed. then he would play a solo on the braydons' bell until he roused them. they would let him in, and beyond the peradventure of a doubt, they would understand what seemed to be beyond the ken of flighty and excitable underlings. he would make them understand, once he was in and once the first shock of beholding him had abated within them. they were a kindly, hospitable couple, the braydons were. they would be only too glad to give him shelter from the elements until bob slack returned from his session at bridge. he was saved! within the coping of the stoop he crouched and waited--waited for five long palpitating minutes which seemed to him as hours. then he applied an eager and quivering finger to the braydons' button. sweet boon of vouchsafed mercy! almost instantly the latch clicked. and now in another instant mr. leary was within solid walls, with the world and the weather shut out behind him. he stood a moment, palpitant with mute thanksgiving, in the hallway, which was made obscure rather than bright by a tiny pinprick of gaslight; and as thus he stood, fortifying himself with resolution for the embarrassing necessity of presenting himself, in all his show of quaint frivolity, before these comparative strangers, there came floating down the stair well to him in a sharp half-whisper a woman's voice. "is that you?" it asked. "yes," answered mr. leary, truthfully. it was indeed he, algernon leary, even though someone else seemingly was expected. but the explanation could wait until he was safely upstairs. indeed, it must wait. attempted at a distance it would take on rather a complicated aspect; besides, the caretaker just below might overhear, and by untoward interruptions complicate a position already sufficiently delicate and difficult. down from above came the response, "all right then. i've been worried, you were so late coming in, edward. please slip in quietly and take the front room. i'm going on back to bed." "all right!" grunted mr. leary. but already his plan had changed; the second speech down the stair well had caused him to change it. safety first would be his motto from now on. seeing that mr. edward braydon apparently was likewise out late it would be wiser and infinitely more discreet on his part did he avoid further disturbing mrs. braydon, who presumably was alone and who might be easily frightened. so he would just slip on past the braydon apartment, and in the hallway on the fourth floor he would cannily bide, awaiting the truant slack's arrival. on tiptoe then, flight by flight, he ascended toward the top of the house. he was noiselessly progressing along the hallway of the third floor; he was about midway of it when under his tread a loose plank gave off an agonized squeak, and, as involuntarily he crouched, right at his side a door was flung open. what the discomfited refugee saw, at a distance from him to be measured by inches rather than by feet, was the face of a woman; and not the face of young mrs. edward braydon, either, but the face of a middle-aged lady with startled eyes widely staring, with a mouth just dropping ajar as sudden horror relaxed her jaw muscles, and with a head of grey hair haloed about by a sort of nimbus effect of curl papers. what the strange lady saw--well, what the strange lady saw may best perhaps be gauged by what she did, and that was instantly to slam and bolt the door and then to utter a succession of calliopelike shrieks, which echoed through the house and which immediately were answered back by a somewhat similar series of outcries from the direction of the basement. xi up the one remaining flight of stairs darted the intruder. he flung himself with all his weight and all his force against bob slack's door. it wheezed from the impact, but its stout oaken panels held fast. who says the impossible is really impossible? the accumulated testimony of the ages shows that given the emergency a man can do anything he just naturally has to do. neither by training nor by habit of life nor yet by figure was mr. leary athletically inclined, but a trained gymnast might well have envied the magnificent agility with which he put a foot upon the doorknob and sprang upward, poising himself there upon a slippered toe, with one set of fingers clutching fast to the minute projections of the door frame while with his free hand he thrust recklessly against the transom. the transom gave under the strain, moving upward and inward upon its hinges, disclosing an oblong gap above the jamb. with a splendid wriggle the fugitive vaulted up, thrusting his person into the clear space thus provided. balanced across the opening upon his stomach, half in and half out, for one moment he remained there, his legs kicking wildly as though for a purchase against something more solid than air. then convulsive desperation triumphed over physical limitations. there was a rending, tearing sound as of some silken fabric being parted biaswise of its fibres, and mr. leary's droll after sections vanished inside; and practically coincidentally therewith, mr. leary descended upon the rugged floor with a thump which any other time would have stunned him into temporary helplessness, but which now had the effect merely of stimulating him onward to fresh exertion. in a fever of activity he sprang up. pawing a path through the encompassing darkness, stumbling into and over various sharp-cornered objects, barking his limbs with contusions and knowing it not, he found the door of the inner room--bob slack's bedroom--and once within that sanctuary he, feeling along the walls, discovered a push bulb and switched on the electric lights. what matter though the whole house grew clamorous now with a mounting and increasing tumult? what mattered it though he could hear more and more startled voices commingled with the shattering shrieks emanating from the braydon apartment beneath his feet? he, the hard-pressed and sore-beset and the long-suffering, was at last beyond the sight of mortal eyes. he was locked in, with two rooms and a bath to himself, and he meant to maintain his present refuge, meant to hold this fort against all comers, until bob slack came home. he would barricade himself in if need be. he would pile furniture against the doors. if they took him at all it would be by direct assault and overpowering numbers. and while he withstood siege and awaited attack he would rid himself of these unlucky caparisons that had been his mortification and his undoing. when they broke in on him--if they did break in on him--he would be found wearing some of bob slack's clothes. better far to be mistaken for a burglar than to be dragged forth lamentably yet fancifully attired as himself at the age of three. the one thing might be explained--and in time would be; but the other? he felt that he was near the breaking point; that he could no more endure. xii he stopped where he was, in the middle of the room, with his eyes and his hands seeking for the seams of the closing of his main garment. then he remembered what in his stress he had forgotten--the opening or perhaps one should say the closing was at the back. he twisted his arms rearward, his fingers groping along his spine. now any normal woman has the abnormal ability to do and then to undo a garment hitching behind. nature, which so fashioned her elbows that she cannot throw a stone at a hen in the way in which a stone properly should be thrown at a hen, made suitable atonement for this articular oversight by endowing her joints with the facile knack of turning on exactly the right angle, with never danger of sprain or dislocation, for the subjugation of a back-latching frock. moreover, years of practice have given her adeptness in accomplishing this achievement, so that to her it has become an everyday feat. but man has neither the experience to qualify him nor yet the bodily adaptability. by reaching awkwardly up and over his shoulder mr. leary managed to tug the topmost button of his array of buttons out of its attendant buttonholes, but below and beyond that point he could not progress. he twisted and contorted his body; he stretched his arms in their sockets until twin pangs of agony met and crossed between his shoulder blades, and with his two exploring hands he pulled and fumbled and pawed and wrenched and wrested, to make further headway at his task. but the sewing-on had been done with stout thread; the buttonholes were taut and snug and well made. those slippery flat surfaces amply resisted him. they eluded him; defied him; outmastered him. thanks be to, or curses be upon, the passionate zeal of miss rowena skiff for exactitudes, he, lacking the offices of an assistant undresser, was now as definitely and finally inclosed in this distressful pink garment as though it had been his own skin. speedily he recognised this fact in all its bitter and abominable truth, but mechanically, he continued to wrestle with the obdurate fastenings. while he thus vainly contended, events in which he directly was concerned were occurring beneath that roof. from within his refuge he heard the sounds of slamming doors, of hurrying footsteps, of excited voices merging into a distracted chorus; but above all else, and from the rest, two of these voices stood out by reason of their augmented shrillness, and mr. leary marked them both, for since he had just heard them he therefore might identify their respective unseen owners. "there's something--there's somebody in the house!" at the top of its register one voice was repeating the warning over and over again, and judging by direction this alarmist was shrieking her words through a keyhole on the floor below him. "i saw it--him--whatever it was. i opened my door to look out in the hall and it--he--was right there. oh, i could have touched him! and then it ran and i didn't see him any more and i slammed the door and began screaming." "you seen what?" the strident question seemed to come from far below, down in the depths of the house, where the caretaker abided. "whatever it was. i opened the door and he was right in the hall there glaring at me. i could have touched it. and then he ran and i----" "what was he like? i ast what was he like--it's that i'm astin' you!" the janitress was the one who pressed for an answer. for the moment the question, pointed though it was, went unanswered. the main speaker--shrieker, rather--was plainly a person with a mania for details, and even in this emergency she intended, as now developed, to present all the principal facts in the case, and likewise all the incidental facts so far as these fell within her scope of knowledge. "i was awake," she clarioned through the keyhole, speaking much faster than any one following this narrative can possibly hope to read the words. "i couldn't sleep. i never do sleep well when i'm in a strange house. and anyhow, i was all alone. my nephew by marriage--mr. edward braydon, you know--had gone out with the gentleman who lives on the floor above to play cards, and he said he was going to be gone nearly all night, and my niece--i'm mrs. braydon's unmarried aunt from poughkeepsie and i'm down here visiting them--my niece was called to long island yesterday by illness--it's her sister who's ill with something like the bronchitis. and he was gone and so she was gone, and so here i was all alone and he told me not to stay up for him, but i couldn't sleep well--i never can sleep in a strange house--and just a few minutes ago i heard the bell ring and i supposed he had forgotten to take his latchkey with him, and so i got up to let him in. and i called down the stairs and asked him if it was him and he answered back. but it didn't sound like his voice. but i didn't think anything of that. but, of course, it was out of the ordinary for him to have a voice like that. but all the same i went back to bed. but he didn't come in and i was just getting up again to see what detained him--his voice really sounded so strange i thought then he might have been taken sick or something. but just as i got to the door a plank creaked and i opened the door and there it was right where i could have touched him. and then it ran--and oh, what if----" "i'm astin' you once more what it was like?" "how should i know except that----" "was it a big, fat, wild, bare-headed, scary, awful-lookin' scoundrel dressed in some kind of funny pink clothes?" "yes, that's it! that's him--he was all sort of pink. oh, did you see him too? oh, is it a burglar?" "burglar nothin'! it's a ravin', rampagin' lunatic--that's what it is!" "oh, my heavens, a lunatic!" "sure it is. he tried to git me to let him in and----" "oh, whatever shall we do!" xiii "hey, what's all the excitement about?" a new and deeper voice here broke into the babel, and mr. leary recognising it at a distance, where he stood listening--but not failing, even while he listened, to strive unavailingly with his problem of buttons--knew he was saved. knowing this he nevertheless retreated still deeper into the inner room. the thought of spectators in numbers remained very abhorrent to him. so he did not hear all that happened next, except in broken snatches. he gathered though, from what he did hear, that bob slack and mr. edward braydon were coming up the stairs, and that a third male whom they called officer was coming with them, and that the janitress was coming likewise, and that divers lower-floor tenants were joining in the march, and that as they came the janitress was explaining to all and sundry how the weird miscreant had sought to inveigle her into admitting him to mr. slack's rooms, and how she had refused, and how with maniacal craft--or words to that effect--he had, nevertheless, managed to secure admittance to the house, and how he must still be in the house. and through all her discourse there were questions from this one or that, crossing its flow but in no-wise interrupting it; and through it all percolated hootingly the terrorised outcries of mr. braydon's maiden aunt-in-law, issuing through the keyhole of the door behind which she cowered. only now she was interjecting a new harassment into the already complicated mystery by pleading that someone repair straightway to her and render assistance, as she felt herself to be on the verge of fainting dead away. with searches into closets and close scrutiny of all dark corners passed en route, the procession advanced to the top floor, mainly guided in its oncoming by the clew deduced from the circumstances of the mad intruder having betrayed a desire to secure access to mr. slack's apartment, with the intention, as the caretaker more than once suggested on her way up, of murdering mr. slack in his bed. before the ascent had been completed she was quite certain this was the correct deduction, and so continued to state with all the emphasis of which she was capable. "he couldn't possibly have got downstairs again," somebody hazarded; "so he must be upstairs here still--must be right round here somewhere." "didn't i tell you he was lookin' for mr. slack to lay in wait for him and destroy the poor man in his bed?" shrilled the caretaker. "watch carefully now, everybody. he might rush out of some corner at us." "say, my transom's halfway open!" mr. bob slack exclaimed. "and, by jove, there's a light shining through it yonder from the bedroom. he's inside--we've got him cornered, whoever he is." boldly mr. slack stepped forward and rapped hard on the door. "better step on out peaceably," he called, "because there's an officer here with us and we've got you trapped." "it's me, bob, it's me," came in a wheezy, plaintive wail from somewhere well back in the apartment. "who's me?" demanded mr. slack, likewise forgetting his grammar in the thrill of this culminating moment. "algy--algernon leary." "not with that voice, it isn't. but i'll know in a minute who it is!" mr. slack reached pocketward for his keys. "better be careful. he might have a gun or something on him." "nonsense!" retorted mr. slack, feeling very valiant. "i'm not afraid of any gun. but you ladies might stand aside if you're frightened. all ready, officer? now then!" "please come in by yourself, bob. don't--don't let anybody else come with you!" xiv if he heard the faint and agonised appeal from within mr. slack chose not to heed it. he found the right key on his key ring, applied it to the lock, turned the bolt and shoved the door wide open, giving back then in case of an attack. the front room was empty. mr. slack crossed cautiously to the inner room and peered across the threshold into it, mr. braydon and a grey-coated private watchman and a procession of half-clad figures following along after him. where was the mysterious intruder? ah, there he was, huddled up in a far corner alongside the bed as though he sought to hide himself away from their glaring eyes. and at the sight of what he beheld mr. bob slack gave one great shocked snort of surprise, and then one of recognition. for all that the cowering wretch wore a quaint garment of a bright and watermelonish hue, except where it was streaked with transom dust and marked with ash-can grit; for all that his head was bare, and his knees, and a considerable section of his legs as well; for all that he had white socks and low slippers, now soaking wet, upon his feet; for all his elbow sleeves and his pink garters and his low neck; and finally for all that his face was now beginning, as they stared upon it, to wear the blank wan look of one who is about to succumb to a swoon of exhaustion induced by intense physical exertion or by acutely prolonged mental strain or by both together--mr. bob slack detected in this fabulous oddity a resemblance to his associate in the practice of law at number thirty-two broad street. "in the name of heaven, leary----" he began. but a human being can stand just so many shocks in a given number of minutes--just so many and no more. gently, slowly, the gartered legs gave way, bending outward, and as their owner collapsed down upon his side with the light of consciousness flickering in his eyes, his figure was half-turned to them, and they saw how that he was ornamentally but securely buttoned down the back with many large buttons and how that with a last futile fluttering effort of his relaxing hands he fumbled first at one and then at another of these buttons. "leary, what in thunder have you been doing? and where on earth have you been?" mr. slack shot the questions forth as he sprang to his partner's side and knelt alongside the slumped pink shape. languidly mr. leary opened one comatose eye. then he closed it again and the wraith of a smile formed about his lips, and just as he went sound asleep upon the floor mr. slack caught from mr. leary the softly whispered words, "i've been the life of the party!" the evolution of fashion by florence mary gardiner _author of "furnishings and fittings for every home," "about gipsies," &c. &c._ [illustration: sir robert bruce cotton.] london: the cotton press, granville house, arundel street, w.c. to frances evelyn, countess of warwick, whose enthusiastic and kindly interest in all movements calculated to benefit women is unsurpassed, this volume, by special permission, is respectfully dedicated, by the author. in the year of her majesty queen victoria's diamond jubilee, 1897. [illustration: _millicent, duchess of sutherland._ _princess henry of pless._ _the countess of warwick._ _lady marjorie greville._ _lady eva dugdale._ the warwick ball.] preface. in compiling this volume on costume (portions of which originally appeared in the _ludgate illustrated magazine_, under the editorship of mr. a. j. bowden), i desire to acknowledge the valuable assistance i have received from sources not usually available to the public; also my indebtedness to the following authors, from whose works i have quoted:--mr. beck, mr. r. davey, mr. e. rimmel, mr. knight, and the late mr. j. r. planché. i also take this opportunity of thanking messrs. liberty and co., messrs. jay, messrs. e. r. garrould, messrs. walery, mr. box, and others, who have offered me special facilities for consulting drawings, engravings, &c., in their possession, many of which they have courteously allowed me to reproduce, by the aid of miss juliet hensman, and other artists. the book lays no claim to being a technical treatise on a subject which is practically inexhaustible, but has been written with the intention of bringing before the general public in a popular manner circumstances which have influenced in a marked degree the wearing apparel of the british nation. florence mary gardiner. _west kensington, 1897._ contents. chapter. page. i. the dress, b.c. 594--a.d. 1897 3 ii. curious headgear 15 iii. gloves 25 iv. curious footgear 31 v. bridal costume 39 vi. mourning 51 vii. eccentricities of masculine costume 61 viii. a chat about children and their clothing 71 ix. fancy costume of various periods 79 x. stage and floral costume 89 the evolution of fashion chapter i. the dress, b.c. 594--a.d. 1897. "fashions that are now called new have been worn by more than you; elder times have used the same, though these new ones get the name." _middleton's "mayor of quinborough."_ a hard fate has condemned human beings to enter this mortal sphere without any natural covering, like that possessed by the lower animals to protect them from the extremes of heat and cold. had this been otherwise, countless myriads, for untold ages, would have escaped the tyrannical sway of the goddess fashion, and the french proverb, _il faut souffrir pour être belle_, need never have been written. [illustration: early egyptian.] the costume of our progenitors was chiefly remarkable for its extreme simplicity; and, as far as we can gather, no difference in design was made between the sexes. a few leaves entwined by the stalks, the feathers of birds, the bark of trees, or roughly-dressed skins of animals were probably regarded by _beaux_ and _belles_ of the adamite period as beautiful and appropriate adornments for the body, and were followed by garments made from plaited grass, which was doubtless the origin of weaving, a process which is nothing more than the mechanical plaiting of hair, wool, flax, &c. in many remote districts these primitive fashions still prevail, as, for example, in madras, where, at an annual religious ceremony, it is customary for the low caste natives to exchange for a short period their usual attire for an apron of leaves. in the brazilian forests the _lecythis_, or "shirt tree," is to be found, from which the people roll off the bark in short lengths, and, after making it pliable in water, cut two slits for the arm-holes and one for the neck, when their dress is complete and ready for use. the north american indian employs feathers for purposes of the toilet, and many african tribes are noted for their deftly-woven fabrics composed of grass and other vegetable fibres, while furs and skins are essential articles of dress in northern latitudes. perhaps the earliest specimen of a modiste's bill in existence has recently been found on a chalk tablet at nippur, in chaldea. the hieroglyphics record ninety-two robes and tunics: fourteen of these were perfumed with myrrh, aloes and cassia. the date of this curious antique cannot be less than two thousand eight hundred years before the christian era. in ancient times it must be remembered that the principal seats of civilisation were assyria and egypt, and upon these countries western nations depended for many of the luxuries of life. the jews derived their fine fabrics from the latter place, which was particularly noted for its linen manufactures and for magnificent embroideries, of which the accompanying illustration will give some idea. medes and babylonians, of the highest class, partially arrayed themselves in silk, which cost its weight in gold, and about the time of ezekiel (b.c. 594) it is known to have been used in the dress of the persians. it is a remarkable circumstance that this animal product was brought to the west manufactured in cloth, which was only half silk; and it is said the plan was devised of unravelling the stuff, which was rewoven into cloth of entire silk. owing to its high price, the romans forbade its being used for the entire dress by men, complete robes of silk being reserved for women. it is numbered among the extravagant luxuries of heliogabalus that he was the first man who wore a silken garment, and the anecdote is well known of the emperor aurelian, who refused, on the ground of its extravagant cost, a silk dress which his consort earnestly desired to possess. monuments still in existence show that the egyptians, owing to the warmth of their climate, were partial to garments of a semi-transparent character, while those living on the banks of the tigris, who were subjected to greater extremes of temperature, wore clothing of similar design, but of wool, with heavy fringes of the same as a trimming. in some cases this feature of assyrian costume is shown in double rows, one pendent, while the other stands out in a horizontal direction. [illustration: greek.] the early greek dress, or chiton, was a very simple contrivance, reaching to the feet. if ungirdled, it would trail on the ground; but generally it was drawn through the zone or waistbelt in such a manner that it was double to the extent of about thirty inches over the vital organs of the body. the great distinction between male and female dress consisted in the length of the skirt. the trimmings were of embroidery, woven diapers, figure bands with chariots and horses; and, in some cases, glass ornaments and thin metal plates were applied. among the working classes the chiton was, of course, homespun, or of leather. [illustration: roman.] the stola was the roman equivalent for the nineteenth century robe or gown, and in many respects resembled the greek chiton. the fabrics employed were wool and linen up to the end of the republic, though at a later date, as has already been stated, silk was imported. colour, under the emperors, was largely used, and at least thirteen shades of the dye obtained from the murex, which passed under the general name of purple, could be seen in the costume of both sexes. when the roman empire was dismembered (a.d. 395) a style of dress seems to have flourished in the important towns of the mediterranean, which was similar to that worn in mediæval times in britain, and which may be examined in the specimens of statuary adorning tombs of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. the semi-tight under-dress and sleeves appear to have been elaborately embroidered, and the loose mantle of plain material was edged with a border. [illustration: byzantine.] one of the earliest descriptions of the female dress in britain is that of boadicea, the queen of the iceni, whom we are told wore a tunic woven chequerwise in purple, red, and blue. over this was a shorter garment open on the bosom, and leaving the arms bare. her yellow hair flowed over her shoulders, upon which rested an ample cloak, secured by a _fibula_ (brooch). a torque, or necklet, was also worn; a pair of bronze breastplates as a protection from the roman arrows, and her fingers and arms were covered with rings and bracelets. [illustration: anglo-saxon.] the costume of the anglo-saxon ladies consisted of a _sherte_, or _camise_, of linen next the skin, a kirtle, which resembled the modern petticoat, and a gunna, or gown, with sleeves. out of doors a mantle covered the upper portion of the body, and with the coverchief, or head rail, formed a characteristic feature of the dress of the day. cloth, silk, and linen were the favourite materials for clothing, and red, blue, yellow, and green the fashionable colours. very little black and white were used at this period. saxon women were renowned for their skill with the needle, and used large quantities of gold thread and jewels in their work. among other instances quoted, queen editha embroidered the coronation mantle of her husband, edward the confessor. for some years after the norman conquest, women retained the costume of the anglo-saxon period, with certain additions and modifications. fine coloured cloths and richest furs were used by both sexes, and sleeves and trains were such a length that it was found necessary to knot them, so that they should not trail upon the ground. the next important change was the surcoat and tight bodice, which was fastened in front to fit the figure. there are evident traces that as civilisation advanced the love of dress and the desire of the fair sex to appear beautiful in the eyes of all beholders increased in like proportion. from ancient mss. and other sources, we have ample proof of this. st. jerome calls women "_philoscomon_," that is to say, lovers of finery, and another writer states: "one of the most difficult points to manage with women is to root out their curiosity for clothes and ornaments for the body." st. bernard admonished his sister with greater candour than politeness on her visiting him, well arraied with riche clothinge, with perles and precious stones: "such pompe and pride to adorne a carion as is youre body. thinke ye not of the pore people, that be deyen for hunger and colde; and that for the sixth parte of youre gay arraye, forty persons might be clothed, refreshed, and kepte from the colde?" the increased facilities for travelling offered to those engaged in the crusades, and the necessary intercourse with other nations, caused considerable quantities of foreign materials to be imported to england during the middle ages: and this had a corresponding effect upon the costume of the period, which was chiefly remarkable for its richness and eccentricity of form. among the materials in use may be mentioned diaper cloth from ypres, a town in flanders, famous for its rich dress stuffs; tartan, called by the french "tyretaine," meaning _teint_, or colour of tyre (scarlet being indifferently used for purple by ancient writers, and including all the gradations of colour formed by a mixture of blue and red, from indigo to crimson). there was a fine white woollen cloth called blanket, named after its inventor, sarcenet, also from its saracenic origin, and gauze which was made at gaza in palestine. ermine was strictly confined to the use of the royal family and nobles, and cloth of gold, and habits embroidered with jewellery, or lined with minever or other expensive fur, could only be worn by knights and ladies with incomes exceeding 400 marks per annum. those who had not more than 200 marks were permitted to wear silver cloth, with ribands, girdles, &c., reasonably embellished; also woollen cloth not costing more than six marks the piece. [illustration: 12th century.] the tight forms of dress now in common use among women were an incentive to tight lacing, an injurious practice, from which their descendants suffer. a lady is described "clad in purple pall, with gentyll body and middle small," and another damsel, whose splendid girdle of beaten gold was embellished with emeralds and rubies, evidently, from the description, had a waist which was not the size intended by nature. [illustration: 14th century.] during the wars of the roses both trade and costume made little progress, and after the union of the houses of york and lancaster by the marriage of henry vii. with his queen, elizabeth, their attention was chiefly concerned in filling their impoverished coffers, which left them little opportunity for promoting new fashions in dress. henry viii. afforded ample facilities for the revival of the trade in dress goods, and there is little difficulty in tracing female costume of the sixteenth century when we remember that in the course of thirty-eight years he married six wives, besides having them painted times without number by all the popular artists of the day. [illustration: 16th century. _from portrait of mary queen of scots._] j. r. planché in his "history of british costume," says: "the gowns of the nobility were magnificent, and at this period were open in front to the waist, showing the kirtle, or inner garment, as what we should call the petticoat was then termed." anne of cleves, who found so little favour in henry's eyes, is said to have worn at their first interview "a rich gowne of cloth of gold made round, without any train, after the dutch fashion;" and in a wardrobe account of the eighth year of this bluebeard's reign appears the following item: "seven yards of purple cloth of damask gold for a kirtle for queen catherine of arragon." the dress of catherine parr is thus described by pedro de gante, secretary to the spanish duke de najera, who visited henry viii. in 1543-1544: "she was robed in cloth of gold, with a 'saya' (petticoat) of brocade, the sleeves lined with crimson satin and trimmed with three-piled crimson velvet. her train was more than two yards long." articles of dress were often bequeathed by will. in one made on the 14th of august, 1540, william cherington, yeoman, of waterbeche, leaves "to my mother _my holyday gowne_." nicholas, dyer of feversham, 29th october, 1540, "to my sister, alice bichendyke, thirteen shillings and ninepence _which she owed me_, and two kerchiefs of holland." john holder, rector of gamlingay, in 1544 leaves to jane greene "my clothe frock lined with satin cypress." these entries are from wills in the ely registry. [illustration: 17th century.] a peculiar feature in the costume of both sexes was sleeves distinct from the gown, but attached (so as to be changed at pleasure) to the waistcoat. among the inventories we find three pairs of purple satin sleeves for women, one pair of linen sleeves paned with gold over the arm, quilted with black silk and wrought with flowers; one pair of sleeves of purple gold tissue damask wire, each one tied with aglets of gold; one pair of crimson satin sleeves, four buttons of gold being set on each, and in every button nine pearls. we are all familiar with the distended skirts, jewelled stomachers and enormous ruffs which adorned the virgin form of good queen bess. in the middle of her reign the body was imprisoned in whalebone, and the fardingale, the prototype of the modern hoop, was introduced, as it was not to be supposed that a lady who is said to have left three thousand dresses in her wardrobe would remain faithful to the fashions of her grandmother; and elizabeth's love of dress permeated all classes of society. the portrait of mary queen of scots, who was considered an authority on matters of the toilet, and whose taste for elegance of apparel had been cultivated to a high degree during her residence at the french court is given. there is a subtlety and charm about it which is wanting in the costume of her cousin elizabeth, and it may be considered a fair type of what was worn by a gentlewoman of that period. the full skirt appears to fall in easy folds, and the basqued bodice, with tight sleeves, is closely moulded to the figure and surmounted by an elaborately-constructed ruff of muslin and lace. [illustration: 19th century. ball dress, 1809.] to the great regret of antiquarians, the wardrobes of our ancient kings, formerly kept at the tower, were by the order of james i. distributed. at no period was the costume of britain more picturesque than in the middle of the seventeenth century, and we naturally turn to its great delineators velasquez, van dyck, rembrandt, and rubens, who delighted in giving us such fine examples of their work. women had grown tired of the unwieldy fardingale, and changed it for graceful gowns with flowing skirts and low bodices, finished with deep vandyked collars of lace or embroidery. a studied negligence, an elegant _déshabillé_ prevailed in the stuart court, particularly after the restoration. charles ii.'s bevy of beauties are similarly attired, and the pictures in hampton court show us women whose snowy necks and arms are no longer veiled, and whose gowns of rich satin, with voluminous trains, are piled up in the background. engravings and drawings which may be seen in every printseller's window make special illustrations of this period unnecessary. [illustration: 18th century. walking costume.] dutch fashions appear to have followed in the wake of william and mary. stomachers and tight sleeves were once more in favour, and fabrics of a rich and substantial character were employed in preference to the softer makes of silk, which lent itself so well to the soft flowing lines of the previous era. an intelligent writer has remarked "that fashion from the time of george i. has been such a varying goddess that neither history, tradition, nor painting has been able to preserve all her mimic forms; like proteus struggling in the arms of telemachus, on the phanaic coast, she passed from shape to shape with the rapidity of thought." in 1745 the hoop had increased at the sides and diminished in front, and a pamphlet was published in that year entitled "the enormous abomination of the hoop petticoat, as the fashion now is." ten years later it is scarcely discernible in some figures, and in 1757 reappears, extending right and left after the manner of the court dress of the reign of george iii. for the abolition of this monstrosity we are indebted to george iv., and ladies' dresses then rushed to the other extreme. steel and whalebone was dispensed with, and narrow draperies displayed the form they were supposed to conceal, and were girdled just below the shoulders. [illustration: 19th century.--tea dress, 1830.] these were in time followed by the bell-shaped skirts worn at the accession of her majesty queen victoria, during whose reign fashion has indeed run riot. the invention of the sewing machine was the signal for the appearance of frills and furbelows, and meretricious ornament of every kind. in the middle of the present century crinolines were again to the fore, skirts were proportionately wide and generally flounced to the top. the bodice terminated at the waist with a belt; but in some cases a garibaldi, or loose bodice of different texture, was substituted. the next change to be noted was that hideous garment the "polonaise," which was a revival of, and constructed on similar lines to, the "super froc" of the middle ages. for many years english ladies, with a supreme disregard for the appropriate, wore this with a skirt belonging to an entirely different costume. but at last people got nauseated with these abominations, and under the gentle sway and influence of "our princess" a prettier, more useful and rational costume appeared. in 1876 the graceful princess dress, which accentuated every good point in the figure, was generally worn; and though this costume in the latter part of its career was fiercely abused by the rotund matron and mrs. grundy, for clinging too closely to the lines of the human form, it was distinctly an advance as regards health and beauty on the varying styles which preceded it. [illustration: 19th century.--the polonaise, 1872.] the æsthetic movement has also had a marked influence on our taste in all directions, but more especially in the costume of the last few years; and though the picturesque garb of the worshippers of the sunflower and the lily may not be adapted to the wear and tear of this workaday world, it is beautiful in form and design, incapable of undue pressure; and for children and young girls it would be difficult to imagine a more charming, artistic, and becoming costume. [illustration: tailor-made dress, 1897.] once more we are eschewing classical lines for grotesque which makes caricatures of lovely women, and drives plain ones to despair. the subdued and delicate tints which a few seasons since were regarded with favour have been superseded by garish shades and bright colours, which seem to quarrel with everything in nature and art. unfortunately, we english are prone to extremes, and possess the imitative rather than the creative faculty. consequently, our national costume is seldom distinctive, but a combination of some of the worst styles of our continental neighbours, who would scorn to garb themselves with so little regard for fitness, beauty, and the canons of good taste. [illustration: tea gown, 1897.] [illustration: an artistic dress, 1897. _after a painting by sir joshua reynolds._] [illustration: modern evening dress.] two dominant notes, however, have been struck in the harmonies of costume during the last twenty-five years--the tailor-made dress, which may almost be regarded as a national livery; and the tea gown, that reposeful garment to which we affectionately turn in our hours of ease. how well each in its way is calculated to serve the purpose for which it is designed, the simple cloth, tweed, or serge costume moulded to the lines of the figure, adapted to our changeful climate, and giving a _cachet_ to the wearer, not always found in much more costly apparel, a rational costume in the best sense of the word, and one which women of all ages may assume with satisfaction to themselves and to those with whom they come in contact. the tea gown, on the other hand, drapes the figure loosely so as to fall in graceful folds, and may be regarded as a distinct economy, as it so often takes the place of a more expensive dress. beauty, which is one of heaven's best gifts to women, is useless unless appropriately framed, and a well-known exponent on the art of dressing artistically, has laid down the axiom that harmonies of colour are more successful than contrasts. if we turn to nature we have an unfailing source of inspiration. the foliage tints, sunset effects, the animal and mineral worlds all offer schemes of colour, which can be readily adapted to our persons and surroundings. and to look our best and, above all, to grow old gracefully, is a duty which every daughter of eve owes to humanity. the manner in which so many women give way early in life is simply appalling. while still in the bloom of womanhood they assume the habits and dress of decrepitude, submit to be placed on the social shelf without a murmur, and calmly allow those slightly their junior, and in some cases their senior, to appropriate the good things of life, and to monopolise the attention of all and sundry. mothers in their prime willingly allow anyone who can be persuaded to do so, to chaperone their daughters, and to pilot them through the social eddies and quicksands of their first season, and through sheer indolence fail to exercise the lawful authority and responsibility which maternity entails. the unmarried woman, conscious that she is no longer in her first youth, and indifferent to the charms of maturity, takes to knitting socks in obscure corners, and assumes an air of self-repression and middle-agedness which apparently takes ten years from her span of existence, and conveys to the casual onlooker, that she has passed the boundary line between youth and old age. why should these women sink before their time into a slough of dowdyism and cut themselves off from the enjoyments civilisation has provided for their benefit? equally to be deprecated are those who cling so desperately to youth that they entirely forget the later stages of life have their compensations. women who in crowded ballrooms display their redundant or attenuated forms to the gaze of all beholders, whose coiffure owes more to art than nature, and who comfort themselves with the conviction that in a carefully shaded light rouge and pearl powder are hardly distinguishable from the bloom of a youthful and healthy complexion. a variety of circumstances combine to bring into the world a race of people who cannot strictly lay claim to beauty, but who nevertheless have many good points which might be accentuated, while those that are less pleasing could be concealed. a middleaged woman will respect herself and be more respected by others if she drapes her person in velvet, brocade, and other rich fabrics which fall in stately folds, and give her dignity, than if she persists in decking herself in muslin, crepon, net, and similar materials, because in the long since past they suited her particular style. gossamers belong to the young, with their dimpled arms, shoulders of snowy whiteness, and necks like columns of ivory. their eyes are brighter than jewels, and their luxuriant locks need no ornament save a rose nestling in its green leaves, a fit emblem of youth and beauty. with the education and art training at present within the grasp of all classes of the community there is nothing to prevent our modifying prevailing fashions to our own requirements; and common sense ought to teach us (even if we ignore every other sentiment which is supposed to guide reasoning creatures) that one particular style cannot be appropriate to women who are exact opposites to each other. if each person would only think out for herself raiment beautiful in form, rich in texture, and adapted to the daily needs of life, we should be spared a large number of the startling incongruities which offend the eye in various directions. chapter ii. curious headgear. "here in her hair the painter plays the spider, and hath woven a golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men faster than gnats in cobwebs." _the merchant of venice._ [illustration: ancient jewish head-dress.] holy writ simply teems with allusions to the luxurious tresses of the fair daughters of the east, and there is little doubt that at an early period in the world's history women awakened to the fact that a well-tired head was a very potent attraction, and had a recognised market value. jewish women were particularly famed in this respect, and employed female barbers, who, with the aid of crisping pins, horns, and towers, prepared their clients for conquest. these jewelled horns were generally made of the precious metals, and the position denoted the condition of the wearer. a married woman had it fixed on the right side of the head, a widow on the left, and she who was still an unappropriated blessing on the crown. over the horn the veil was thrown coquettishly, as in the illustration. assyrian women delighted in long ringlets, confined by a band of metal, and the men were not above the weakness of plaiting gold wire with their beards. rimmel, in "the book of perfumes," relates a curious anecdote of mausolus, king of caria, who turned his people's fondness for flowing locks to account when his exchequer required replenishing. "having first had a quantity of wigs made and stored in the royal warehouses, he published an edict compelling all his subjects to have their heads shaved. a few days after, the monarch's agents went round, offering them the perukes destined to cover their denuded polls, which they were delighted to buy at any price". it is not surprising that artemisia could not console herself for the loss of such a clever husband, and that, not satisfied with drinking his ashes dissolved in wine, she spent some of her lamented lord's ill-gotten revenue in building such a monument to his memory that it was counted one of the wonders of the world. [illustration: egyptian head-dress.] the egyptians were also partial to wigs, some of which are still preserved in the british museum. ladies wore a multitude of small plaits and jewelled head-pieces resembling peacocks and other animals, which contrasted with their dark tresses with brilliant effect; or a fillet ornamented with a lotus bud. the coiffure of a princess was remarkable for its size and the abundance of animal, vegetable, and mineral treasures with which it was adorned. in egyptian tombs and elsewhere have been discovered small wooden combs resembling the modern tooth-comb, and metal mirrors of precisely the same shape as those in use at the present day, as well as numerous other toilet appliances. [illustration: ancient grecian.] grecian sculpture affords us the opportunity of studying the different modes in favour in that country, and it is astonishing to find what a variety of methods were adopted by the belles of ancient greece for enhancing their charms. a loose knot, fastened by a clasp in the form of a grasshopper, was a favourite fashion. cauls of network, metal mitres of different designs, and simple bands, and sometimes chaplets, of flowers, all confined at different periods, the luxuriant locks of the helens, penelopes, and xantippes of ancient times. [illustration: ancient roman.] it was a common custom among heathen nations to consecrate to their gods the hair when cut off, as well as that growing on the head, and it was either consumed on the altar, deposited in temples, or hung upon the trees. a famous instance of the consecration of hair is that of berenice, the wife of ptolemy evergetes. it is related that when the king went on his expedition to syria, she, solicitous for his safety, made a vow to consecrate her hair (which was remarkable for its fineness and beauty) to venus, if he returned to her. when her husband came back she kept her word, and offered her hair in the temple of cyprus. this was afterwards missing, when a report was spread that it had been turned into a constellation in the heavens, which constellation, an old writer tells us, is called _coma berenices_ (the hair of berenice) to the present day. another remarkable instance is that of nero, who, according to suetonius, cut off his first beard, put it in a casket of gold set with jewels, and consecrated it to jupiter capitolinus. [illustration: english head-dress of the 13th century.] the hair of the head and beard appears to have been held in great respect by most nations, and perhaps we may trace the use of human hair in spells and incantations to this fact. orientals especially treat the hair which falls from them with superstitious care, and bury it, so that no one shall use it to their prejudice. [illustration: horned head-dress of 15th century. _from effigy of countess of arundel in arundel church._] roman matrons generally preferred blonde hair to their own ebon tresses, and resorted to wigs and dye when nature, as they considered, had treated them unkindly. ovid rebukes a lady of his acquaintance in the plainest terms for having destroyed her hair. [illustration: steeple head-dress of 15th century.] "did i not tell you to leave off dyeing your hair? now you have no hair left to dye: and yet nothing was handsomer than your locks: they came down to your knees, and were so fine that you were afraid to comb them. your own hand has been the cause of the loss you deplore: you poured the poison on your own head. now germany will send you slaves' hair--a vanquished nation will supply your ornament. how many times, when you hear people praising the beauty of your hair, you will blush and say to yourself: 'it is bought ornament to which i owe my beauty, and i know not what sicambrian virgin they are admiring in me. and yet there was a time when i deserved all these compliments.'" [illustration: early tudor head-dress.] it would puzzle any _fin de siècle_ husband or brother to express his displeasure in more appropriate words than those chosen by the poet. the britons, before they mixed with other nations, were a fair-haired race, and early writers referred to their washing their auburn tresses in water boiled with lime to increase the reddish colour. boadicea is described with flowing locks which fell upon her shoulders; but after the roman invasion the hair of both men and women followed the fashion of the conquerors. [illustration: horned head-dress of edward iv.'s reign.] from planché's "history of british costume," we learn that "the female head-dress among all classes of the anglo-saxons was a long piece of linen or silk wrapped round the head and neck." it appears to have been called a head-rail, or wimple, but was dispensed with in the house, as the hair was then as cherished an ornament as at the present day. a wife described by adhelm, bishop of sherborne, who wrote in the eighth century, is said to have had "twisted locks, delicately curled by the iron;" and in the poem of "judith" the heroine is called "the maid of the creator, with twisted locks." two long plaits were worn by norman ladies, and were probably adopted by our own countrywomen after the conquest. during the middle ages feminine head-gear underwent many changes. golden nets, and linen bands closely pinned round the hair and chin, were followed by steeple-shaped erections and horned head-dresses in a variety of shapes, of which the accompanying sketches will give a better idea than any written description. during the sixteenth century matrons adopted either a pointed hood, composed of velvet or other rich fabric, often edged with fur, a close-fitting coif, or the french cap to be seen in the portraits of the unhappy mary stuart. those who were unmarried had their hair simply braided and embellished with knots of ribbon, strings of pearls, or nature's most beautiful adornment for the maiden--sweet-scented flowers. [illustration: elizabethan head-dress.] the auburn tresses of her gracious majesty queen elizabeth, were always _bien coiffée_, if we may judge from her various portraits. she scorned the hoods, lace caps, and pointed coifs, worn by her contemporaries, and adopted a miniature crown or jaunty hat of velvet, elaborately jewelled. her fair complexion and light hair were thrown into relief by ruffles of lace, and this delicate fabric was stretched over fine wire frames, which met at the back, and remotely suggested the fragile wings of the butterfly, or the nimbus of a saint, neither of which ornaments was particularly appropriate to the lady in question. the front hair was turned over a cushion, or dressed in stiff sausage-like curls, pinned close to the head, and was adorned with strings and stars of flashing gems and a pendant resting on the forehead. [illustration: a beauty of the court of charles ii.] that splendid historian, stubbs, who has left us such minute particulars of the fashions of his time, quaintly describes the coiffure of the ladies of the court. he states: "it must be curled, frizzled, crisped, laid out in wreaths and borders from one ear to the other, and lest it should fall down, must be underpropped with forkes and weirs, and ornamented with gold or silver curiously wrought. such gewgaws, which being unskilful in woman's tearms, i cannot easily recount. then upon the toppes of their stately turrets, stand their other capital ornaments: a french hood, hatte, cappe, kircher and suchlike, whereof some be of velvet, some of this fashion and some of that. cauls made of netwire, that the cloth of gold, silver, or tinsel, with which their hair was sometimes covered, might be seen through; and lattice caps with three horns or corners, like the forked caps of popish priests." the harleian mss., no. 1776, written in the middle of elizabeth's reign, refers to an ordinance for the reformation of gentlewomen's head-dress, and says: "none shall wear an ermine or lattice bonnet unless she be a gentlewoman born, having arms." this latter phrase, we may conclude, refers to armorial bearings, not to physical development. the wearing of false hair and periwigs was left to the sterner sex for some years after the restoration of the house of stuart, and women were satisfied with well-brushed ringlets escaping from a bandeau of pearls, or beautified by a single flower. the hair was often arranged in small, flat curls on the forehead, as in the sketch of a beauty of the court of charles ii.; and this fashion had a softening effect on the face, and was known as the "sevigné style." [illustration: end of 17th century.] dutch fashions naturally prevailed in the court of william and mary, and this queen is represented with a high muslin cap, adorned with a series of upright frills, edged with lace, and long lappets falling on the shoulders. farquhar, in his comedy "love and the bottle," alludes to the "high top-knots," and swift, to the "pinners edged with colberteen," as the lace streamers were called. about this period the hair was once again rolled back from the face, and assumed enormous dimensions, so much so, that in some cases it was found necessary to make doorways broader and higher than they had hitherto been, to allow fashionably-dressed ladies to pass through without displacing the elaborate erections they carried. stuffed with horsehair, clotted with pomade and powder, and decked with every conceivable ornament, from a miniature man-of-war in full sail, to a cooing dove with outspread wings, presumably sitting on its nest, or a basket of flowers wreathed with ribbons. naturally, the aid of the barber was called in, as ladies were incapable of constructing and manipulating such a mass of tangled locks. we may imagine, on the score of expense and for other reasons, the hair was not dressed so frequently as cleanliness demanded, for in a book on costume a hairdresser is described as asking one of his customers how long it was since her hair had been opened and repaired. on her replying, "nine weeks," he mildly suggested that that was as long as a head could well go in summer, "and, therefore, it was proper to deliver it now, as it began to be a little _hazarde_." various anecdotes of this nature make us feel that personal hygiene was a matter of secondary importance to our ancestors. planché, in his work on british costume, informs us that powder maintained its ground till 1793, when it was discarded by her majesty queen charlotte, consort of george iii., and the princesses. [illustration: fashionable coiffure of an elderly lady in the 18th century.] [illustration: fashionable head-dresses in the times of the georges.] varied, indeed, have been the fashions of the 19th century, the close of which is fast approaching. only a few of the styles adopted can be briefly touched upon, and, naturally, those will be selected which form the greatest contrast to each other. the belle of 1830 was distinguished by upstanding bows of plain or plaited hair, arranged on the crown of the head, and the front was generally in bands or short ringlets, held in place by tortoise-shell side-combs. the simplicity of this coiffure was compensated for by the enormous size of the hats and bonnets generally worn with it. these had wide and curiously-shaped brims, over which was stretched or gathered silk, satin, aerophane, or similar materials. garlands and bunches of flowers and feathers were used in profusion, and bows and strings of gauze ribbon floated in the wind. in this bewitching costume were our grandmothers wooed and won by suitors who evidently, from the impassioned love letters still in existence, believed them to be perfect types of loveliness. towards the middle of queen victoria's reign, the hair was dressed in a simple knot, and the front arranged in ringlets, which fell gracefully on the chest and shoulders. even youthful married ladies, in the privacy of their homes and for morning dress, were expected, by one of those potent but unwritten laws of the fickle goddess fashion, to wear muslin or net caps, with lace borders, embellished with ribbons. [illustration: 1830.] [illustration: 1855.] [illustration: bird's-nest chignon, 1872.] [illustration: present day, 1894.] the labours of hercules would be mere child's play compared to giving a faithful record of the chameleon-like changes which have affected that kaleidoscope, public taste, during the last forty years, and a very limited study of this fascinating subject at once convinces us that, whatever peculiarities may appear, they are certain to be revivals or modifications of styles favoured by our more or less remote ancestors. in 1872 loomed upon us that ghastly horror the chignon, which bore a faint resemblance to the exaggerated coiffures of the 18th century. upon this monstrous edifice, with its seductive alexandra curl, were tilted bonnets so minute that they were almost invisible in the mountains of hair that surrounded them. these were replaced by hats _à la chinois_, like shallow plates; while for winter wear, others of fur or feathers were introduced, with an animal's head fixed firmly on the brow of the wearer, and resembling nothing so much as the fox foot-warmer, with which ladies now keep their pedal extremities at a proper temperature when enjoying an airing. besides these, there were pinched canoes turned keel uppermost, and flexible mushrooms, which flapped and caught the wind till it was necessary to attach a string to the edge, to keep them snug and taut; such hats as leech has immortalised in his sketches. turbans and facsimiles of the delicious but indigestible pork-pie, gainsborough, rousby, and langtry hats, all named after styles worn by their respective namesakes; and hats made of straw, leghorn, crinoline, lace, satin, and of silver and gold tissue, of every shape and size that fancy could devise, or the heart of the most exacting woman of fashion could desire. the hair beneath was dressed like the frizzy mop illustrated, in plaited wedges flowing like a pendant hump half-way down the back, or in a cascade of curls reaching from the crown of the head to the waist. these were followed by gigantic rolls at the back of the skull, grecian knots, varying from the dimensions of a door handle to those of a cottage loaf, and latterly by that hideous monstrosity, the "bun." another turn of the wheel of fashion has given us a simple mode of dressing the hair, which is well adapted to the average english head, and which is fully explained by the accompanying sketch. it may be taken as a safe rule, when the forehead is low and face small, that the hair may be drawn back with advantage, but a long face is generally improved by arranging the hair in soft curls on the forehead, and by waving it slightly at the sides, which adds to the apparent width of the countenance. but whatever style is in fashion, it is sure to have its admirers, for has not pope left on record: "fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare, and beauty draws us by a single hair." chapter iii. gloves. "gloves as sweet as damask roses."--_shakespeare._ "see how she leans her cheek upon her hand. o, that i were a glove upon that hand, that i might touch that cheek." --_romeo and juliet._ the glove as an article of dress is of great antiquity, and among the fossils of the cave-dwellers of pre-historic times, which have been recently discovered in france, belgium, and switzerland, there is ample proof of its existence. probably the first gloves were formed of skins, sewn with bone needles, and were long enough to reach above the elbow. [illustration: glove of henry vi] xenophon, speaking of the persians, gives as an instance of their effeminacy "that they not only covered their head and feet, but guarded their hands from cold by thick gloves." homer, describing laërtes at work in his garden, represents him with gloves on his hands to protect them from thorns. pliny the younger, in speaking of his uncle's visit to vesuvius, states that his secretary sat by ready to write down anything that was remarkable, and had gloves on his hands that the coldness of the weather need not impede his work. varro, an ancient writer says:--"olives gathered with the naked hand are preferable to those plucked in gloves;" and atheneus speaks of a glutton who wore gloves at table so that he might handle the meat while hot and devour more than the others present. that the anglo-saxons wore gloves we gather from their being mentioned in an old romance of the seventh century known as the "poem of beowulf," and according to the laws of ethelred the unready, five pairs of gloves formed part of the duty paid to that prince by certain german merchants. in planché's "history of british costume," an anglo-saxon lady appears to be wearing a glove with a separate division for the thumb but without fingers, and exactly resembling an infant's glove of the present day. in 1462 edward iv. forbade the importation of foreign gloves to england, a law which remained in force till 1826. [illustration: hawking-glove of henry viii.] in the early christian church gloves played an important part. in a.d. 790 charlemagne granted an unlimited right of hunting to the abbot and monks of sithin, so that the skins of the deer they killed could be used in the manufacture of gloves, girdles, and covers of books. in some cases it was commanded that the clergy should wear gloves in administering the sacrament, and a writer in the "antiquary" states:--"it was always looked upon as decorous for the laity to take off their gloves in church where ecclesiastics alone might wear them. it was perhaps regarded as a proof of clean hands, for to this day persons sworn in our law courts are compelled to remove their gloves." in the ancient consecration service for the bishops of the church, a blessing was invoked on the gloves they wore. those of william of wykeham preserved at new college, oxford, are adorned with the sacred monogram in red silk, and ecclesiastical gloves were often lavishly decorated with embroidery and jewels, and were bequeathed by will with other valuables. [illustration: glove of mary queen of scots] formerly judges were forbidden to wear gloves when engaged in their official duties, but are no longer bound by this restriction, and receive as a memorial of a maiden assize (that is, when there are no prisoners to be tried) a pair of white kid gloves from the sheriff, and during the time fairs were held their duration was marked by hanging a glove outside the town hall. as long as it remained there all persons in the place were exempt from arrest, but directly it was removed it was the signal for closing the fair, and the privilege was at an end. throwing down a glove was regarded as a challenge to combat, and this curious old custom is still retained in the english coronation ceremony. kings were also invested with authority by the delivery of a glove. as _un gage d'amour_ it has for centuries been esteemed, and in the days of chivalry it was usual for knights to wear their ladies' gloves in their helmets, as a talisman of success in arms. in old records we also meet with the term "glove money," a sum paid to servants with which they were to provide this portion of their livery, and till quite recently it was the custom to present those who attended weddings and funerals with gloves as a souvenir. shakespeare often mentions gloves, and some assert that he was the son of a glover. a pair which belonged to the dramatist is still preserved. they are of brown leather, ornamented with a stamped pattern, and are edged with gold fringe. they were presented by the actor garrick to the mayor and corporation of stratford-on-avon at the shakespearian commemoration in 1789. [illustration: glove of queen elizabeth.] many royal gloves have found a place in private collections. henry vi.'s glove has a gauntlet, is made of tanned leather, and is lined with deer-skin, and the hawking glove of henry viii. is another interesting relic of a bygone age. the king kept his hawks at charing cross, and in the inventories taken after this monarch's death we read of "three payre of hawkes' gloves, with two lined with velvet;" and again at hampton court there were "seven hawkes' gloves embroidered." the hawking glove, of which an illustration is given, may be seen in the ashmolean museum. it is of a simple character, evidently intended for use rather than ornament. gloves were not generally worn by women till after the reformation; but during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries their use gradually extended to the middle classes. queen elizabeth's glove may be seen at the bodleian library, oxford, and is believed to have been worn at the visit of the virgin queen to the university in 1566. it is fringed with gold, and is nearly half a yard in length; it is made of white leather worked with gold thread, and the cuff is lined with drab silk. mary queen of scots' glove in the saffron walden museum is of light buff leather, wrought with silver wire and silk of different colours. it is lined with crimson satin, edged with gold lace enriched with sequins, and the opening is connected with bands of satin finished with lace insertion. this glove was presented on the morning of her execution to a member of the dayrell family, who was in attendance at fotheringay castle. in happier days queen mary gave an exquisitely embroidered pair of gloves, with a design in which angels' heads and flowers appear--her own work--to her husband, lord darnley; and the gloves generally of the tudor period were more ornate than those which adorn beauty's hands on the eve of the nineteenth century, and were, in most cases, wrought with the needle. though the history of gloves savours of romance, there is every reason to believe that they have sometimes been used with sinister motives, as a large trade was done at one time in poisoned gloves, delicately perfumed, to conceal their deadly purpose. [illustration: glove of james i.] some gloves which were the property of james i. are of brown leather lined with white, and the seams are sewn with silk and gold thread. the embroidery is in gold and silver thread on crimson satin, with a lining of red silk. they are finished with gold fringe, and have three loops at the side. a glove of chaste design, worn by charles i. on the scaffold is made of cream-coloured kid, the gauntlet embroidered with silver and edged with silver fringe. queen anne, on the other hand, wore highly-decorated gloves of suede kid, with raised silken flowers on the gauntlet, and three loops of rose-coloured ribbon, to allow them to be slipped over the hands. they are further enriched with gold lace and embroidery. a yellow suede court glove of george iv. gives the impression that the first gentleman of europe had a fist of tremendous proportions. her majesty queen victoria generally wears black kid gloves, except for court functions, when white glacé kid gloves are invariably used. her royal highness the princess of wales has a delicately-formed hand with tapering fingers, and her size is six and a-half. her royal highness adapts her gloves to the occasion and toilette, and is always _bien ganté_. the first napoleon gave an impetus to this branch of industry by insisting on gentlemen wearing gloves on state occasions and at festive gatherings, and the fashion spread through the countries of europe with astonishing rapidity. chapter iv. curious foot-gear. "a tasteful slipper is my soul's delight." --_milman's "fazio."_ a well-shaped foot has been considered from the earliest times one of nature's kindest gifts, and sober history and fairy lore have combined to give us many interesting particulars respecting this portion of the human anatomy. the similarity of the foot-gear of both sexes makes it impossible to treat the matter separately, and as the subject is practically inexhaustible, i propose only to illustrate the most curious and notable examples. one of the finest collection of shoes in the world is that at the cluny museum, paris, formed by the eminent french engraver, the late jules jacquemart. this was enlarged by the purchase of the collection of baron schvitter. the queen of italy has also acquired a large number of historical boots and shoes; and to mr. joseph box, another enthusiastic collector, i am indebted for some of the drawings used for illustrating this article. a quaint story is told in a rare book, entitled "the delightful, princely, and entertaining history of the gentle craft of crispin, the patron saint of shoe makers, and his brother crispianus." according to this authority, they were the two sons of the king of logia (kent), and lived in the city of durovenum, otherwise canterbury, or the court of the kentish men. having embraced christianity, during the roman invasion, they were in considerable danger, and at their mother's instigation, to conceal their identity, adopted humble attire, and devoted themselves to the modest craft of shoemaking, under the auspices of a shoemaker at faversham, to whom they bound themselves for seven years. this industrious citizen appears to have received the appointment of shoemaker to the court of maximinus, whose daughter ursula fell in love with crispin. after removing the usual obstacles (which, even in those remote times, seem to have obstructed the paths of those who had fallen under the sway of cupid), this energetic lady engaged the services of a neighbouring friar, and cut the gordian knot by marrying her faithful adorer. when primitive man first conceived the idea of producing some contrivance to defend himself from cold, sharp stones, or the heated sand of the desert, his first effort was to fasten to the bottom of his feet soles of bark, wood, or raw hide, which were followed, in due course, by more elaborately made sandals of tanned leather. these were fastened in various ways, but generally by two leathern straps, one round the instep, while the other passed between the first and second toes. egyptian sandals were sometimes prolonged to a sharp point, and occasionally were made of papyrus, or some flexible material; but the commoner kinds were, as a rule, of wood or leather. often they had painted upon them the effigy of the wearer's enemy, who was thus literally trodden underfoot. owing to their proximity, the habits and customs of the egyptians and jews were in many respects similar. the same hebrew word denotes both a sandal and a shoe; and it has been concluded that shoes were probably confined to the upper classes, while sandals were used by those compelled to work; and slaves went barefoot. it will be seen from the sketches of grecian and roman shoes that they eventually became an elaborate article of dress, bound to the foot and leg with lacings, and ornamented in different ways. the senators had boots of black leather, with a crest of gold or silver on the top of the foot; and soldiers wore iron shoes, heavily spiked, in a similar manner to those now used for cricket, so as to give the wearers a better hold when scaling walls in the attack of fortified places. an iron boot was also used for torturing christians. as an instance of the luxury so characteristic of the age, it is stated that roman soldiers often had the spikes on their shoes made of gold. according to the testimony of seneca, julius cæsar wore shoes of the precious metal, a fashion emulated by cardinal wolsey many centuries after; and severus was fond of covering his with jewels, to attract the attention of the people as he walked through the streets. the emperor aurelian forbade men to wear red, yellow, white, or green shoes, reserving these colours for women; and different shapes were prescribed by legal enactments to be worn for the easy distinguishment of various trades and professions. in the reign of domitian, the stalls of shoemakers in the public streets were so numerous as to necessitate an edict for their removal. [illustration: foot-gear of different periods.] our own ancestors, the anglo-saxons, wore shoes of raw cow-hide, reaching to the ankles; and the hair turned outward. those used by ecclesiastics were a kind of sandal fastened with bands of leather round the instep. the norman half-boots had soles of wood, while the uppers were of a more pliable material. those worn by the crusaders were of chain, and later of plate armour. very pointed toes were in fashion during the middle ages, and these were carried to such a ridiculous length that the dignitaries of the church considered it necessary to preach against the practice. however, this did not result in its abolition, for we find the courtiers of the day improved upon the prevailing mode by stuffing their shoes, and twisting them into the shape of a ram's horn; the point of which was attached to the knee by a chain. the common people were permitted by law to wear "the pykes on their shoon" half-a-foot, rich citizens a foot, while nobles and princes had theirs two-and-a-half feet long. during the plantagenet period it was usual to wear two shoes of different colours, and they were often slashed on the upper surface, to show the bright hose beneath. these were superseded by a large, padded shoe, gored over the foot with coloured material, a fashion imported from italy, and exaggerated as much as the pointed shoe had been. buskins were high boots, made of splendid tissue, and worn by the nobility and gentry during the middle ages, generally on occasions of state. they were also largely adopted by players of tragedy. they covered the knee, and were tied just below. the sock, or low shoe, on the other hand, was the emblem of comedy. one of the greatest follies ever introduced was the chopine, a sort of stilt which increased the height of the wearer. these were first used in persia, but appeared in venice about the sixteenth century, and their use was encouraged by jealous husbands in the hope of keeping their wives at home. this desire, however, was not realised, as the ladies went out as usual, and required rather more support than hitherto. chopines were very ornate, and the length determined the rank of the wearer, the noblest dames having them half-a-yard high. shakespeare refers to them when he makes hamlet say:--"your ladyship is nearer heaven than when i saw you last by the altitude of a chopine." he also alludes to the general use of shoes for the left and right foot, when he speaks of a man:-- "standing in slippers which his nimble haste had falsely thrust upon contrary feet." [illustration: greek and roman shoes.] the exercise of the gentle craft of shoemaking was for a long time carried on in monastic institutions, and increased the revenues of the clergy. richard, the first abbot of st. albans, objected to canons and priests of his era associating themselves with tanners and shoemakers, not one of whom, in his opinion, ought to be made a bishop or an abbot. it is said, however, that pope john, elected in 1316, was the son of a shoemaker at cahors; and in the description of absalom, the parish clerk, chaucer tells us, "the upper leathers of his shoes were carved to resemble the windows of st. paul's cathedral," which inclines one to believe in their priestly origin. [illustration: anglo-saxon and norman shoes.] [illustration: mediæval shoes.] from various sources, we have descriptions of royal shoes. richard c[oe]ur de lion had his boots striped with gold; those of his brother john were spotted with gold in circles. henry iii. had his boots chequered with golden lines, and every square enriched with a lion. in the splendid court of edward iii., the royal shoes were elaborately embroidered. the coronation shoes of richard iii. were covered with crimson tissue cloth of gold. henry viii. is described as wearing square-toed shoes, which were slashed with coloured silk, and exposed a portion of the foot. some worn by his daughter, queen elizabeth, of brocaded silk, are remarkably clumsy in appearance, and have lappets which fasten over the instep. they form a striking contrast to those used by the unfortunate mary queen of scots (now in the possession of sir james william drummond), which are of kid, embroidered with coloured silks; the toes are somewhat squarer, but in other respects resemble those in fashion at the present day. [illustration: queen elizabeth's boots.] [illustration: shoe of mary queen of scots.] [illustration: shoe worn by charles i.] [illustration: a. chopine; b, buskin; c, peaked shoe; d, tudor shoe.] [illustration: military boots and spurs used at the battle of naseby.] in speaking of curious foot-gear, the under covering of the leg and pedal extremities must be briefly referred to. ancient works on costume frequently mention hose, socks, and stockings, which were made of woollen cloth, leather, or linen, and held in place by cross-bands of the material twisted to a little below the knee, either in close rolls, like the hay-bands of the modern ostler, or crossing each other sandal-wise, as they are now worn in some districts of europe, particularly in russia and spain. cloth stockings, embroidered with gold, are among the articles of dress ordered by henry iii. for his sister isabel; and of a woman mentioned in the "canterbury tales," it is said: "hire hosen weren of fine scarlet redde, ful streite yteyed (tied), and shoon full moist (supple) and newe." [illustration: ancient shoes--a, b, c, d, e, egyptian; f, persian; g, h, greek; i, j, k, l, phrygian and dacian.] in the reign of henry vii. clocks on stockings are discernible; and the poet laureate of this king, describing the dress of the hostess of an inn, gives an indication of how boots were cleaned: "she hobbles as she goes, with her blanket hose, her shoone smeared with _tallow_." it is supposed that hose or stockings of silk were unknown in this country before the middle of the 16th century. a pair of spanish silk hose was presented by sir thomas gresham to edward vi., his father never having worn any but those made of cloth. in the reign of good queen bess, nether socks or stockings were of silk, jarnsey, worsted crewel, or the finest yarn, thread, or cloth, and were of all colours, "cunningly knit and curiously indented in every point, with querks, clocks, open seams, and everything else accordingly." planché states, in the third year of elizabeth, mistress montague, the queen's silk-woman, presented her majesty with a pair of black silk knit stockings, made in england; and from that time she wore no others, in the laudable desire to encourage their home manufacture by her own example. the queen's patronage, and the invention, in 1599, of a weaving frame, by william lee, master of arts, and fellow of st. john's college, cambridge, gave a great impetus tus to the stocking trade, which has been carried on with considerable success ever since, particularly in the midland counties of england. spurs can be traced back to the anglo-saxon period, which is quite far enough for this purpose. they had no rowels, but were made with a simple point like a goad, and were fastened with leathers. early in the 15th century spurs were screwed on to a steel shoe, instead of being fastened with straps. they were long in the neck, and the spikes of the rowels of formidable dimensions. from a sketch of a spur worn at the battle of naseby, in the reign of charles i., it will be seen that, as progress was made in armour and military gear, considerable attention was paid to this portion of the soldier's outfit; indeed, it was more elaborate in design than is now considered necessary. from a very early period spurs have been used by both sexes. a curious custom was in vogue at the beginning of the present century for ladies to make their own indoor shoes. this fashion was inaugurated by queen charlotte, who was particularly deft in handling a beautiful set of shoemaker's tools, mounted in silver, with ivory handles. tradesmen bitterly complained that worktables in boudoirs were strewn with the implements of their craft; but, like many other feminine fads, it soon passed away. about this period clogs were also used. these were made of wood, and served as a protection to shoes out of doors. a similar contrivance, with the addition of an iron ring, leather strap and toe-cap, is still sometimes worn by farm servants, and is called a patten. another form of clog, consisting of a laced leather boot with wooden sole, is extensively used by the working classes in the north of england, and the sabot, a wooden shoe, is the ordinary foot-gear of peasants on the continent. it is well known that chinese women of high rank deform their feet by compressing them in such a manner that it is afterwards almost impossible to walk; and in davis' interesting description of the empire of china, he relates that whenever a judge of unusual integrity resigns his post, the people accompany him from his home to the gates of the city, where his boots are drawn off with great ceremony, and are afterwards preserved in the hall of justice. in japan a peculiar wooden sandal, having a separate compartment for the great toe, is in common use. straw slippers are also worn, and a traveller starting on a journey will strap a supply on his back, so that he may have new shoes in case of need. they are lefts and rights, and only cost a halfpenny the pair. here one never finds those deformities of the feet so common in china, and even in our own country. a graceful carriage depends so much upon the shoes worn. heavy and stiff ones oblige the wearer to plant the foot solidly at every step. if the toes are very pointed it is at the sacrifice of elasticity, and if the heels are too high the muscles in the ball of the foot are little used. orientals indicate reverence by uncovering their feet, and do so on all occasions when western nations would remove their hats. their heads, being generally shaven, are always covered, and are surmounted by a head-dress which could not be replaced without considerable trouble; while for the feet they have loose slippers, with a single sole, made of coloured morocco or embroidered silk, which are easily thrown off. few things inspire them with greater disgust than for anyone to enter their rooms with shoes on. they think such conduct an insult to themselves and a pollution to their apartment; and it is considered the height of irreverence to enter a church, mosque, or a temple without removing them. even classical heathenism affords instances of this usage. the roman women were obliged to go barefoot in the temple of vesta; the same rule existed in that of diana, at crete; and those who prayed in the temple of jupiter also followed this custom. in the east, the public removal of the sandal or shoe, and the giving it to another, accompanied by certain words, signifies a transfer of authority or relinquishing possession. we are told in the case of ruth and boaz, when her kinsman gave up his right to marry her, in favour of her second husband, "he drew off his shoe." among the bedouins, when a man permits his cousin to marry another, or divorces his runaway spouse, he generally says, "she was my slipper; i have cast her off." again, when shoes are left at the door of an apartment, they denote that the master or mistress is engaged, and even a husband does not venture into a wife's room while he sees the slippers on the threshold. the idea is not altogether unknown among ourselves, as it is expressed in the homely proverb, "to stand in another man's shoes;" or when we speak of coming into a future inheritance as stepping into a "dead man's shoe." also in flinging the slipper after a departing bride, signifying that the father transfers his authority to the husband. chapter v. bridal costume. [illustration: marriage procession of a bride in lebanon.] certain curious customs have been associated with the ordinance of marriage from a very early period, and among others may be mentioned the union of near relations in barbaric or semi-barbaric tribes; the providing of husbands and wives for a family according to seniority (so that the younger members had to possess their souls in patience till the elder ones were disposed of); the paying of an equivalent for the bride's services to her father in money or kind; and festivities often lasting over several days to celebrate the nuptials. the rabbins acquaint us with the fact that seven days' feasting was an indispensable obligation on all married men, and that the bride was not consigned to her husband until after the days of feasting had expired. they were generally spent in the house of the woman's father, after which she was conducted in great state to her husband's home. when the bride was a widow, the festivities only lasted for three days. customs in the east are perpetuated from one generation to another, and we now find among the inhabitants of the orient the same mode of life as was adopted by the patriarchs of old. the description of the wooing of isaac and rebekah, for example, so graphically told in genesis, differs in few respects from that of a young couple of the same rank in the present day. handsome presents, consisting of jewels, apparel, &c., are presented to the woman and her family, and form part of her dower in case of divorce. rich shawls, fine dresses, personal ornaments, money, and a complete outfit of domestic utensils are always included in such a gift. among some of the arab tribes the dower received on such occasions, and called the "five articles," consists of a carpet, a silver nose ring, a silver neck chain, silver bracelets, and a camel bag. matrimonial overtures are generally made by the parents of the contracting parties in persia, but after all has been concluded, the bride-elect has nominally the power, though it is seldom exercised, of expressing her dissent before the connection receives its final sanction. among many bedouin tribes the woman is not suffered to know until the betrothing ceremonies announce it to her who is to be her husband, and then it is too late to negative the contract, but she is permitted to withdraw from her husband's tent the day after her marriage, and to return to her father; in which case she is formally divorced, and is henceforward regarded as a widow. on the value of her ornaments the eastern bride bases her claim to consideration; and though the arab, as a rule, cares little for his own dress, he decks his wife as richly as possible, that honour may be reflected upon himself and his circumstances. the leg ornaments and bracelets are often enormously thick, and have no fastenings, but open and compress by their own elasticity. it is not unusual to wear several on the same arm, reaching to the elbow. they form a woman's sole wealth, and are not treasured up for special occasions, as is usual among western nations, but are used as part of of the daily costume. various materials are employed in their manufacture; gold is necessarily rare, silver less so, while others are composed of amber, coral, mother-of-pearl, and beads. [illustration: ancient egyptian bridal costume.] [illustration: festivities at an eastern marriage.] we are told, when rebekah approached her future home and saw a man walking in the distance, she evinced a curiosity, natural under the circumstances, and inquired about him; and on discovering that it was isaac, "she took a veil and covered herself." it is still almost universal in the east for a woman, whose face is not concealed on other occasions, to envelop her head and body in an ample veil before she is conducted to her husband, and it is considered an indispensable part of the bridal costume. the details of the home coming are modified by the local usages and religions of the different countries. in syria, persia, and india, the bridegroom, in person, brings home the bride; in some other countries this duty devolves on a near relative, and he remains at home to receive the lady on her arrival. from various sources, but particularly from indications in scripture, we may gather that the jews employed either of these methods, according to circumstances. again, in egypt the bridegroom goes to the mosque when his bride is expected, and returns home in procession after she has arrived. in western asia the procession usually walks, if the bride's future house is at no great distance in the same town. in such cases she is often partially covered by a canopy, and in central and eastern asia it is the rule for her to be mounted on a mare, mule, ass, or camel, unless she is carried in a palanquin. much, of course, depends on the social position of those married. music attends such processions, and often dancing; the jews certainly had the former, and some think the latter also, at least, in the time of our saviour. [illustration: a greek bridesmaid.] in halhed's translation of the gentoo laws, and in mr. roberts's "oriental illustrations," reference is made to the custom of marrying the elder sister first, and the same usage is observed with regard to the brothers. when, in india, the elder daughter happens to be blind, deaf, dumb, or deformed, this formality is dispensed with; and there have been cases when a man, wishing to obtain a younger daughter, has used every means in his power to promote the settlement of his future sister-in-law, so as to forward his own nuptials. fathers, too, will sometimes exert their powers to compass the marriage of the elder daughter, when a very advantageous offer is made for the younger one. it is generally believed that psalm xlv., commonly known as "the song of loves," was composed on the occasion of solomon's marriage--probably to pharaoh's daughter; and here we find the egyptian bride's dress described as "all glorious within and wrought of gold, a raiment of needlework." both expressions refer to the same dress, and imply that the garment was embroidered with figures worked with threads of gold. the egyptians were famous for their embroideries, and some mummies have been found wrapped up in clothing curiously ornamented with gold lace. at the present day, both in egypt and western asia, it is usual for ladies of the highest rank to employ much of their time in working with the needle linen and cotton tissues in gold and silver thread and silk of different colours. [illustration: modern greek bridal costume.] the use of nuptial crowns is of great antiquity. among the greeks and romans they wore chaplets of flowers and leaves, and the modern greeks retain this custom, employing such chaplets, decorated with ribbons and lace. modern jews do not use crowns in their marriage ceremonies, and they inform us that they have been discontinued since the last siege of jerusalem by the romans. the information which gemara gives on this subject is briefly that the crown of the bridegroom was of gold and silver, or else a chaplet of roses, myrtle, or olives, and that the bride's crown was of the precious metals. there is also some mention of a crown made of salt and sulphur, worn by the bridegroom, the salt transparent as crystal, the figures being represented thereon in sulphur. crowns play an important part in the nuptial ceremonies of the greek church; they are also still used by scandinavian brides. the ring in former days did not occupy the prominent position it does now, but was given, with other presents, to mark the completion of the contract. its form is a symbol of eternity, and signifies the intention of both parties to keep the solemn covenant of which it is a pledge, or, as the saxons called it, a "wed," from which we derive the term wedding. the jews have a law which proclaims that the nuptial ring shall be of certain value, and must not be obtained by credit or gift. formerly they were of large size and elaborate workmanship, but now the ordinary plain gold hoop is used. [illustration: a, jewish wedding ring, german, 17th century; b, modern italian; c, italian, 14th century; d, venetian, 16th century; e, english, 1706; f, english bronze betrothal ring, 17th century.] a wedding ring of the shakespearian era has a portrait of lucretia holding the dagger, the reverse side of the circle being formed by two clasped hands. this is a very common shape, and is shown in the illustration of the english wedding-ring e, dated 1706, where white enamel fingers support a rose diamond. the modern italian peasant wedding-ring b is of gold in raised bosses, while c is of silver; f, bearing initials on vezet, is of bronze. a is a handsome jewish wedding-ring, bearing the ark, and d also has a hebrew inscription. the gimmal betrothal ring was formerly a favourite pattern, and consisted of three circlets attached to a spring or pivot, and could be closed so as to appear like one solid ring. it was customary to break these asunder at the betrothal, the man and woman taking the upper and lower ones, and the witness the intermediate ring. when the marriage took place these were joined together and used at the ceremony. during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was a common practice to engrave these emblems of affection with some appropriate motto. it was from pagan rome that european nations derive the wedding-ring, as they were used in their betrothals long before there is any trace of them elsewhere. [illustration: an eastern bride.] in describing the bridal costumes of different nations, it should be distinctly borne in mind that a large majority of the upper classes wear on such occasions the traditional white satin and orange blossoms with which we are all familiar. many, however, prefer the picturesque national costume associated with the land of their birth, and it has been my principal object, in selecting the illustrations, to make them as typical as possible. [illustration: garment formerly worn by greek brides. (_from south kensington museum_)] the greek marriage service is full of symbol, and the sketch gives a good idea of the bridal costume. the bridesmaid is attired in a gold embroidered jacket, a skirt of brilliant colouring, and the crimson fez--the usual head-gear of a greek maiden. she is depicted scattering corn, an ancient rite always performed at the conclusion of the ceremony. as she gracefully sways backwards and forwards, to the accompaniment of the jingling coins, which do double service as dowry and trimming, it is a pose and dress at once graceful and free. formerly a wedding garment was often passed down from mother to daughter, and such an example is given in the soft yellow silk robe, lined with white and enriched with elaborate embroidery. tiny stars in delicate shades of red, blue, and green, divided by black lines form the design and proclaim the industry and skill of the worker. these robes, however, have not been used in greece since the beginning of the seventeenth century. in japan, the beautiful land of the lily and chrysanthemum, the bride usually takes little more to her husband's home than her trousseau, which is ample enough, as a rule, to satisfy even a woman's passion for dress. the nuptials take place in the evening, and the bride is garbed in virgin white robes, figured with a lozenge design. these garments are the gift of the bridegroom, and in them she passes from the home of her girlhood to that of her husband. the household gods of both families are assembled before an altar decked with flowers and covered with offerings. near stands a large table, with a dwarf cedar; it also holds the japanese adam and eve, and the mystic turtle and stork. the two special attendants of bride and bridegroom are called butterflies, and in their dress and colouring rival these beautiful insects, which in this country are the symbol of conjugal felicity. the most solemn part of the marriage ceremony is the scene of the two-mouthed vase. at a signal, one butterfly fills the vase, and the other offers it to the kneeling couple, the husband drinking first, and afterwards the wife. this draught signifies that henceforward they are to partake equally of the bitters and sweets of the coming years. rice is thrown from either side, so as to mingle, and the wicks of two candles are placed together, to symbolize the joining of body and soul. the marriage processions of other oriental nations have already been referred to, and in india it is customary to perform the ceremony under a species of canopy richly ornamented and lighted by lamps. the bride wears, in addition to the native costume, a curious veil composed of strings of gold beads and tassels. in hindu marriages the sacred fire or _oman_ (which is constantly renewed by throwing upon it scented oils, sandalwood, incense, and other aromatic perfumes) is a prominent feature, and the union of a couple is consecrated by sprinkling a handful of saffron, mixed with rice flour, on their shoulders. finally, the husband presents his wife with a little golden image called _talee_, a substitute for the wedding ring, and worn by indian women as their symbol of matrimony. a missionary thus describes a buddhist marriage:--"the bride, loaded with jewellery, accompanied by women richly attired, entered the room, and sat down with the bridegroom on the floor. a number of candles were then lighted, and the company saluted and congratulated the happy couple, and expressed their kind wishes by blowing smoke towards them, while a band of string instruments discoursed sweet music. two cushions were placed before the bridegroom, on which a sword was laid, and food was also near them. next the hands of each were bound together, then the two to each other with silken threads. this act was performed by the nearest relative present, and completed the ceremony." brief, indeed, are the forms of marriage indulged in by the people of borneo. each of the contracting parties chews a betel nut; an elderly woman mutters some sort of incantation, and brings the heads of bride and bridegroom in close contact, after which they are declared man and wife, and are no longer regarded as twain, but one flesh. the cherokee form of marriage is perhaps the most simple. the two join hands over a running stream, emblematic of the wish that their future lives, hopes, and aspirations, should flow on in the same channel. a peculiar custom of the lascars is the putting of a ring on the great toe when they marry. mrs. bishop, who has explored tibet and studied the habits and customs of the people, informs us that polyandry is favoured by the women of that country. the heir of the land and eldest son appears to be the only member of the family who can contract a marriage in the legal sense as we understand it, but all his brothers are accepted by the wife as inferior or subordinate husbands. by this means they are kept well under the control of the superior husband, whom they regard as the "big father," and, as a matter of form, any children who may be born are accepted by him. [illustration: hindu bridegroom's procession.] thus the whole family are attached to the soil, and seem to work in concord, and the women have the satisfaction of knowing that in the average course of nature they can never become widows, and that there will always be someone to work for them and their offspring. "it is the custom for the men and women of a village to assemble when a bride enters her home with her husbands, and for each of them to present her with three rupees. the tibetan wife, far from spending these gifts on personal adornment, looks ahead, contemplating possible contingencies, and immediately hires a field, the produce of which is her own, and accumulates from year to year, so that she may not be portionless should she desire a divorce." the african tribes, of course, differ materially in their marriage customs, but some form of exchange for the services of the woman are insisted on, and often take the shape of a present of cattle to the bride's father. on the west coast, in the neighbourhood of gaboon, where slavedom is recognised, there is an understanding that a wife may be purchased for a slave bundle, valued at about £6 in english money, and there appears to be no sliding scale as to youth, beauty, form, or degree. a bundle contains specimens of every article sold by a general storekeeper. the most important features of a slave bundle are a neptune, or brass pan used for making salt, which is a current article of commerce, and a piece of native cloth, manufactured by these people for dress purposes, from a species of palm which grows on the river banks in great luxuriance. both sexes anoint themselves with palm oil and other greasy substances, and no greater compliment can be paid to an african belle than to say she looks "fat and shining." [illustration: veil of hindu bride.] [illustration: hindu marriage ceremony.] mr. hutchinson, in his interesting work, "ten years in æthiopia," gives a quaint and amusing account of the toilet of a fernandian bridegroom: "outside a small hut, belonging to the mother of the bride expectant, i soon discovered the happy bridegroom undergoing his toilet at the hands of his future wife's sister. a profusion of tshibbu strings being fastened round his body, as well as his legs and arms, the anointing lady, having a short black pipe in her mouth, proceeded to rub him over with tola pomade. he seemed not altogether joyous at the anticipation of his approaching happiness, but turned a sulky gaze now and then on a piece of yam which he held in his hand, and which had a parrot's red feather fixed on its convex side. this was called 'ntshoba,' and is regarded as a protection against evil influences on the important day. the bride was borne down by the weight of rings and wreaths and girdles of tshibbu. tola pomatum gave her the appearance of an exhumed mummy, save her face, which was all white; not from excess of modesty, for the negro race are reported to blush blue, but from being smeared over with a white paste, the emblem of purity." what a hideous substitute for the classical wreath of orange blossoms, and what a contrast must be offered when the cosmetic peels off and displays the dusky skin upon which it is laid! according to russian law, no man can marry before he is eighteen years of age, or a woman before she is sixteen; nor after he is eighty, and she is sixty. priests are permitted to marry once. secret marriages without witnesses are regarded as invalid, and both bride and bridegroom must be baptized persons. if a russian takes a foreigner for a wife, she must bind herself in writing to bring up any children she may have in the greco-russian faith. according to an ancient custom the bridegroom presents his bride with the costume and jewellery worn at the marriage. the dowry comes from her family, and consists of a complete wardrobe, silver, linen, and household furniture of all kinds. the hair of an unmarried woman of the peasant class in russia is dressed in a single plait hanging loose upon the shoulders, and tied with ribbon. after marriage it is arranged in two braids coiled round the head, covered with a cap tied behind, or with a cotton or silk handkerchief and a little lappet of linen rests on the forehead, and is considered an inevitable symbol of marriage. marriages are performed after banns, and much of the finery used by the lower classes is hired for the occasion; and the crowns used in the russian ceremony are generally the property of the church. formerly they were worn for a week, but this practice has been discontinued. [illustration: a russian bride.] [illustration: norwegian peasant bride and bridegroom.] there are three distinct periods in the life of a norwegian woman, and each one has marked characteristics, particularly as regards dress. during girlhood, up to the time of confirmation, a solemn occasion for which there is much preparatory training, girls do not usually go from home to work, or earn their own living. among the poorer classes this ceremony takes place when they are about fifteen. their petticoats are short and their hair is arranged in two long plaits. after confirmation they are supposed to regard life from its more serious aspect, and to engage themselves with various duties, according to their station. the third stage, of course, is married life, and it should be stated that neither men nor women can enter upon the holy contract unless they can bring proof of their confirmation, and can show ample evidence of sufficient means to provide for a household. the marriage is preceded by a betrothal ceremony, when the young couple go to the church, accompanied by their friends, and exchange rings of plain gold and presents of jewellery and apparel, which must be worn on the wedding day. at her marriage the peasant bride wears the crown. it has a rim of brass to fit the head, and the upper portion is of silver and gold, sometimes embellished with precious stones. such crowns are generally heirlooms, and it is not uncommon for all the brides of one family for centuries to wear the same adornment for the head. a very usual dress on such an occasion is a plain skirt of some woollen material, with a bodice and full sleeves of snowy linen, a corselet of red and green, ornamented with bands and buckles, and a white apron trimmed with embroidery. a silver-gilt breast ornament is worn by swedish brides. the band is wrought with bosses, and depending from it are small beaten discs, and a medallion bearing the sacred initials i.h.s. the bridegroom's hat in the illustration was probably an heirloom too, from its shape and fashion. he wears a red waistcoat cut short and fastened with brass buttons, and a loose cloth coat ornamented with embroidered revers. the black small clothes show to advantage a well-shaped leg, and on the feet are low shoes. usually the festivities in connection with a peasant wedding in norway are kept up for three days, and during the time there is much feasting and merrymaking among the friends of bride and bridegroom. [illustration: ornament worn by swedish peasant bride.] [illustration: a bridegroom's toilet at fernando po.] gipsies are, as a rule, married at a very early age. a girl is generally betrothed at fourteen, and becomes a wife two years later. the marriage ceremony is performed by a priest wearing a ram's horn as a sign of office, and, as becomes a nomadic race, the four elements--fire, air, earth, and water--take a prominent position. the horn is the symbol of authority, and is often made use of in scripture. so much were rams' horns esteemed by the israelites that their priests and levites used them as trumpets in the taking of jericho; and modern jews when they confess their sins announce the ceremony by blowing a ram's horn. in ancient egypt and other parts of africa, jupiter ammon was worshipped under the figure of a ram, and to this deity one of these animals was sacrificed annually. it seems to have been an emblem of power from the remotest ages. it would therefore appear that the practice of the gipsy priest wearing a ram's horn suspended from a string round his neck at a marriage is derived from the highest antiquity, and undoubtedly points to the oriental origin of the gipsy race. various expedients have been resorted to by different rulers of sparsely populated kingdoms to encourage men to enter the married state. in ancient rome the law forbade that a bachelor should inherit any legacy whatever, and in sparta, under the rule of lycurgus, they were not permitted to have a part in the government, nor might they occupy any civil or military post. they were excluded from participation in public festivals, except on certain fixed occasions, and then the women had the right to lead them to the altars, where they were beaten with rods to the sound of scornful songs. as late as the reign of william and mary, widowers were taxed in england at the following rates:--dukes, £12 10s.; lower peers a smaller sum, and commoners one shilling each, if they elected to remain in a state of single blessedness. widows also, especially those of high degree and fortune, were encouraged to dip again in the matrimonial lottery, and children were betrothed at a very tender age. [illustration: an english bride.] bridesmaids in anglo-saxon times attended on the bride, and performed specified duties, particularly in the festivities which usually followed on such occasions. even during the earlier portion of the present century it was a common custom for one to accompany the bridal couple on their honeymoon; and it was also her duty to prepare and present the "benediction posset," which is referred to by herrick in "hesperides:"- "a short sweet prayer shall be said, and now the posset shall be made with cream of lilies not of kine and maiden blush for spiced wine." the fashion of brides wearing spotless white is a comparatively modern one. from accounts of bridal gowns in bygone times, we find rich brocades, golden tissues, and coloured silks were employed for this purpose; and at the present day white is considered only appropriate to the virgin, and is absolutely dispensed with by those women who have been married before. of modern marriage customs in england there is no occasion to speak, for what woman is there among us who has not made an exhaustive and complete study of this vital matter? it may, however, comfort those who are beginning to wonder if marriage and giving in marriage is going out of fashion, to know that during the first quarter of 1894, 95,366 persons were joined together in the british islands, an increase of 18 per cent. over the first three months of the previous year, 1893 and 9 per cent. over the mean rate for the same quarter for the preceding ten years. figures are incontrovertible facts, so our ears need no longer be assailed by the bitter cry of "darkest spinsterdom." chapter vi. mourning. "the air is full of farewells to the dying and mourning for the dead."--_longfellow._ [illustration: ancient jewish funeral procession.] [illustration: laying out and mourning the dead.] the signs of mourning in ancient times were by no means confined to the apparel. fasting, laceration of the flesh, throwing dust on the head, and shaving the hair, were outward and visible signs of grief, accompanied by piercing cries of the most heartrending description. it was also customary to abstain from ornaments, to rend the clothing, and to put on filthy garments of sackcloth. this fabric was, and is still in the east, made of hair, which has an irritating effect upon the skin, and was for this purpose adopted as a penitential dress by the early roman church. the covering of the head was another manifestation of sorrow--a practice indicated by the hoods worn by female mourners, and the flowing hat-bands for men, so common at funerals a few years ago. in "a history of mourning," by richard davey, from which many interesting facts on this subject may be gathered, we learn that the egyptians, over three thousand years ago, selected yellow as the colour for mourning garments. the greeks chose black as the most appropriate--a fashion followed by the romans. the women of rome had robes of black cloth, with veils of the same shade; but by a wise dispensation, young children were not compelled to adopt the symbols of woe. a year was the usual period for mourning a husband, wife, father, mother, sister, or brother; but relations who had been outlawed, imprisoned, or bankrupt, were not accorded this mark of respect. numa published certain laws for the guidance of mourners, including one forbidding women to scratch their faces, or to make an exceptional display of grief at funerals. the emperor justinian (a.d. 537) also turned his attention to this subject, and regulated the expenses at funeral ceremonies, so as to secure those who remained from the double calamity of losing their friends and, at the same time, incurring heavy pecuniary liabilities on their account. provision was made for burying each person free of cost, and for protecting the survivors from various extortions. funds were appropriated for the purpose of interments, which were conducted by those appointed for the purpose. all persons were to be buried in the same manner; though those who desired to do so could, at their own cost, indulge in certain display, but this additional expense was limited. on state occasions, as, for example, on the death of an emperor or a great defeat, the whole nation assumed the mourning garb. the defeat of cannæ, the conspiracy of catalina, and the death of julius cæsar, were all considered of sufficient importance for the observance of this custom. private mourning could be broken among the romans by certain domestic events, as the birth of a son or daughter, the marriage of a child, or the return of a prisoner taken in war. both sexes were expected to abstain from going to public ceremonies and places of amusement; and women were not allowed to marry till a year had elapsed from the husband's death, without the special permission of the emperor. history, however, does not record that their lords and masters applied this rule to their own conduct. [illustration: the mode of enfolding the dead.] the greeks buried their dead before sunrise, so as to avoid ostentation. mourning women took part in the procession, and accompanied the chief female mourner in her visits to the grave, on the seven days following interment. this custom, which was derived from the east, was a usual feature in jewish, roman, and egyptian, as well as in greek funerals. [illustration: the cup of consolation.] the funeral feast was a common practice among the classical ancients, and was kept up to a comparatively recent period, in various european countries. the cup of consolation consisted of light refreshments prepared and sent in by the friends of mourners, who were not supposed to busy themselves with domestic affairs at such a time. the illustration gives a good idea of the mourning habit adopted by the immediate family of the deceased. caves were used for the disposal of the dead, as well as elaborately constructed sepulchres, of which many remain to this day. earth burial was in favour with some nations, but in time of war or pestilence cremation was resorted to. the practice of embalming we owe to the egyptians, who carried it to a great state of perfection. one of the earliest embalmments on record is that of joseph, whose body accompanied the israelites on their journey through the wilderness. he was placed in a coffin, a distinction in the east only accorded to those of the highest rank, the usual mode being to simply swathe the corpse closely in wrappers and bandages, thus retaining the shape of the human form. the jews largely used spices and perfumes, which were employed both for anointing and for wrapping up the body--a very necessary precaution in hot climates. the egyptians, on the death of a relative or sacred animal (the cat, for instance), attired themselves in yellow garments and shaved off their eyebrows. their funeral processions were magnificent. when a king quitted this mortal sphere, the temples were closed for seventy-two days, and there were no sacrifices, solemnities, or feasts. companies of two or three hundred men and women, in mean attire paraded the streets, singing plaintive songs and reciting the virtues of him they had lost. they ate no meat, or food dressed by fire, and omitted their customary baths and anointings. every one mourned as for the death of a favourite child, and spent the day in lamentations. the pyramids, those wonderful monuments to egyptian monarchs, are memorials of the reverence and industry of the nation, whose high state of civilization is attested to by their works. [illustration: an anglo-saxon widow.] [illustration: priest of the 10th century, wearing a black dalmatic edged with fur, ready to say requiem mass.] burial clubs were common among the anglo-saxons, and heavy fines were inflicted on those who did not attend the funeral of a member. the corpse was placed on a bier, and on the body was laid the book of the gospels, a code of belief and a cross as a symbol of hope. a silken or linen pall was used, according to the rank of the dead person. the clergy bore lighted tapers and chanted the psalter, the mass was performed, and a liberal offering made to the poor. [illustration: hired mourners.] from a 9th century ms. in the national library, paris, is given a sketch which clearly defines the mourning habit of that period. the gown is evidently of black woollen cloth, trimmed with black and white fur; and a gauze veil of the same sombre tint envelops the head. from the same source a drawing of an anglo-saxon priest is given, on account of his wearing a black dalmatic, edged with fur, a vestment only adopted when a requiem mass was performed. [illustration: mourning in sackcloth] [illustration: widow's dress of queen katherine de valois, in the year 1422] in the middle ages black was used for mourning as a rule, though purple and brown were occasionally substituted. chaucer, in "the knight's tale," speaks of "clothes _black_ all dropped with tears," and, again, of "widdowes habit of samite _brown_." in many cases, on the death of her husband, the wife retired for a year to a convent, when she assumed the nun's dress, of which the widow's weeds of the present day are a symbol. the mourning adopted by katherine of valois, wife of henry v., the hero of agincourt, who died at vincennes in 1422, may be regarded as the typical widow's dress of that period. it consisted of a black brocade cote hardi, edged with white fur, and further embellished with black glass beads, which were also used for ornamenting the winged head dress. her black woollen gown has a deep bordering of white fur. some mourning habits of this period are represented in a splendid manuscript "liber regalis," still preserved in westminster abbey. they are composed of black fabrics in the prevailing fashion, and are furred with ermine. froissart relates that the earl of foix, on hearing of the death of his son, gaston, sent for his barber, and was close shaved, and clothed himself and his household in black. at the funeral of the earl of flanders, all the nobles and others present were attired in black gowns; and on the death of john, king of france, the king of cyprus clothed himself in black mourning. [illustration: costumes worn by king philip ii. of spain and his attendants at the funeral procession of his father.] at the end of the fifteenth century, it was considered necessary in england to pass sumptuary mourning laws, owing to the extravagance of the nobility in the superfluous usage of cloth and other items at funerals. habits and liveries were limited to certain quantities. planché tells us dukes and marquises were allowed sixteen yards for their gowns, sloppes (or mourning cassocks) and mantles; an earl, fourteen; a viscount, twelve; a baron, eight; a knight, six; and all inferior persons, two yards only; but an archbishop had the same privilege as a duke. hoods were only permitted to those above the degree of esquire of the king's household. [illustration: gentleman's mourning--time of henry vii.] margaret, countess of richmond, the mother of king henry vii., issued, in the eighth year of his reign, an ordinance for "the reformation of apparell for great estates of women in the tyme of mourninge." "they shall have their surcottes with a trayne before and another behynde, and their mantles with traynes. the queen is to wear a surcotte, with the traynes as aforesaid, and playne hoode, and a tippet at the hoode lying a good length upon the trayne of the mantell, being in breadth a nayle and an inche. after the first quarter of a year, the hood to be lined with black satin, or furred with ermine; and all ladies down to the degree of a baroness, are to wear similar mourninge, and to be barbed at the chin." the surcotte, with trayne, hood, barbe, and tippet, are visible in the sketch of a lady of the sixteenth century, taken from pietro vercellio's famous work on costume. the gentleman's mourning of black cloth and fur, is reproduced from a contemporary ms. [illustration: french lady of 16th century in widow's weeds.] among the obsolete funeral customs, may be mentioned the death crier, the lying-in-state of all classes, and the waxen effigies of those of royal rank. before newspapers published obituary notices, it was customary for the death crier, armed with a bell and attired in a black livery, painted or embroidered with skulls and cross-bones, to announce to the townspeople, and inhabitants of surrounding villages, that another had gone over to the majority. this functionary was in the employ of the corporation, or civil authorities, and on the death of a member of the royal family, he was usually accompanied by the guild of holy souls, who walked in procession, bearing lighted tapers and other religious emblems. lying-in-state usually lasted for three days, by which time the arrangements for a simple interment were completed, and the body was placed reverently in the ground. the obsequies of kings and queens, however, were carried over a protracted period, consequently a waxen figure was prepared, which was dressed in regal robes, and substituted for the body as soon as decomposition set in. this fashion was in vogue till the time of william and mary, and in westminster abbey there is a collection of waxen effigies, which may be viewed by permission of the dean. as likenesses they are interesting, and they are also useful as costume studies. [illustration: german widow's dress of to-day.] of late years, in this country, mourning has been considerably modified, particularly for the male sex, who often content themselves with a black hat-band and another on the left sleeve of dark-coloured clothes. by scotch law, whether a man dies solvent or insolvent, his widow may claim out of his estate, sufficient for mourning suitable to her rank, and the same privilege applies to each of her children, who are old enough to be present at their father's funeral. this right takes precedence over any debts the dead man may have contracted, and is a distinction not accorded to english, welsh, or irish widows. [illustration: the death crier.] in most european countries black is the accepted colour for mourning; though in different parts of the globe white, yellow, red, brown, and even blue garments are prescribed by custom as the emblem of death. these shades have been selected for the following reasons:--black is symbolical of the gloom which surrounds one when those who are nearest and dearest are taken. black and white express sorrow mixed with hope, and white alone the light which follows the night of mourning. blue, the tint of the heavens, to which it is hoped the spirit forms have taken flight. yellow is typical of the dead autumn leaf, and brown the earth to which the body returns. violet, a royal colour, is generally used for the mourning of kings and high dignitaries of the church. scarlet is also used for royal mourning occasionally.[a] [illustration: english widow's dress of to-day.] [footnote a: for permission to reproduce some of the drawings from davey's "history of mourning," i am indebted to messrs. jay, regent street, london.] chapter vii. eccentricities of masculine costume. "the fashion wears out more apparel than the man." --_much ado about nothing._ "through tattered clothes small vices do appear, robes and furred gowns hide all."--_king lear._ [illustration: briton clad in skins.] [illustration: briton at the time of the roman invasion.] "vanity, thy name is woman," "as vain as a woman," and similar epithets, are hurled at our defenceless heads by our teachers and masters; yet how few of them pause for a moment to consider whether they are altogether free from this human weakness or exempt from that love of dress which they so strongly condemn in others. it does not require a deep study of the history of costume to reveal some curious anomalies in this respect, and the sketches chosen for the purpose of illustrating this chapter will only give a faint idea of what has been considered appropriate and becoming to the manly form at different epochs. in pelautier's "histoire des celtes," we learn that "the toilet of the ancient inhabitants of britain, somewhat resembled that of the north american indian of the present day, and consisted of a series of elaborate paintings over the whole surface of the body, which were no doubt originally intended to protect the skin, from the inclemencies of the weather, but were afterwards used as a mode of embellishment and a means of distinguishing the different classes, for it was reserved to freemen, and strictly forbidden to slaves. the lower classes confined themselves to small designs drawn at a considerable distance from each other; but the nobles had the privilege of ornamenting their persons with large figures, chiefly of animals, subsequently transferred to their shields, after they adopted a less scanty costume, and this may be looked upon as the origin of family arms." the picts, who inhabited the north of britain, were remarkable for their pictorial decorations, hence their name, derived from an ancient word, _picti_, which signifies painted. our remote ancestors also added to their other charms (which were doubtless irresistible to the belles of that period), by deepening the tone of their naturally ruddy locks, by washing them in water boiled with lime. their clothing was of skins of animals killed in the chase, and they were armed with implements of bone and flint. the tyrian traders taught them how to construct various weapons of war from a composition of copper and tin, and their flat wicker shields were superseded by those of metal ornamented with concentric circles. after the roman conquest of britain, the skin garments were laid aside for dyed tunics and close trousers. over the tunic was worn a sagum, or short cloak, so named by the romans from _saic_, a word of celtic origin, which signified a skin or hide. when the head was covered it was with a cap, from the british _cab_, a hut, which, from its circular shape, it somewhat resembled, for the dwelling-places were composed of wattles firmly fixed in the ground and fastened together at the top. a curious remnant of this fashion is the horn-like cap of rushes still made by welsh children. the hair was usually long and flowing. men of rank shaved the chin and allowed the moustache to grow to an extraordinary length. [illustration: canute.] the saxons and danes are spoken of as wearers of "scarlet, purple, and fine linen," and the latter combed their hair once a day, bathed once a week, and frequently changed their clothing. by these means they found favour in the eyes of the women, and delighted the wives and daughters of the nobility. in a curious ms., written in the reign of king canute, the monarch is represented in a tunic and mantle embellished with cords and tassels. the tops of his stockings are embroidered, but he wears simple leather shoes. a vestment presented by canute to croyland abbey was of silk, embroidered with golden eagles, and the rich pall which he ordered to be laid over the tomb of edmund ironside, was "embroidered with the likeness of golden apples and ornamented with pearls." from this, we see that the needle played an important part in the ornamentation of clothing, and to it we also owe the splendid bayeux tapestry, worked by matilda, wife of william the conqueror. this priceless curiosity is not only remarkable as a magnificent piece of workmanship, but affords a good idea of the dress of that period--the 11th century. a tunic reaching to the ankle, leg bandages and shoes, a flowing mantle and flat cap, were the chief characteristics of the civil dress of this and succeeding reigns. the normans, however, were clean-shaven. [illustration: william the norman, from bayeux tapestry.] [illustration: gentleman of the 14th century.] [illustration: parliament assembled in the reign of richard ii.] [illustration: a capuchon or hood, time of edward ii.] during the middle ages extravagance prevailed in both male and female costume. handsome furs were in great request, and several times sumptuary laws were passed. men wore eight indispensable articles of dress, the shirt, breeches, stockings, shoes, coat, surcoat or cotehardie, mantle, and head dress. the coat or under-dress corresponded with the tunic of the ancients, and was entirely hidden, with the exception of the sleeves, by the surcoat. there were two kinds of mantles, one open in the front, the two sides connected by a strap resting on the chest, the other was open on the right side and had one end thrown over the left shoulder. head coverings were of various descriptions; but many adopted hoods with long points, which were used to attach them to the belt when not in use. the assembling of parliament in the reign of richard ii. gives the lay, spiritual, and legal peers in their usual costumes, and is reproduced from planché's "history of british costume." the bishops are in cowls near the throne, the judges in coifs and furred robes, the earls of westmorland and northumberland stand in front. the duke of hereford, in high cap, is to the left of the throne, and exeter, salisbury, and other peers are seated opposite the judges. during the reign of richard ii., which lasted over twenty years (1377 to 1399), there were many curious fashions in masculine attire. the peaked shoes, chained to the knee, were not more ridiculous than the deep, wide sleeves commonly called pokeys, which were shaped like a bagpipe and were worn by all classes. many writers refer to them as the devil's receptacles, as whatever could be stolen was hidden away in their folds. some were wide and reached to the feet, others to the knee, and they were full of slits. hose were often of different colours. parti-coloured suits were also in favour, and these were frequently scalloped at the edges and embroidered with mottoes and other devices. chaucer, who wrote the "canterbury tales" towards the end of richard's reign, describes in the most graphic manner the apparel of his contemporaries. "the haberdasher, carpenter, weaver, dyer, and tapestry worker, all wealthy burghers of the city of london, were clothed in a livery, and the handles of their knives, pouches, and girdles were ornamented with silver. the clergy were not to be distinguished from the laity, and rode on horseback, glittering with gold, in gowns of scarlet and green, fine with cut work. their mitres embellished with pearls like the head of a queen, and staffs of precious metals set with jewels." even the parish clerk is said to be "spruce and foppish in his dress." the author of an anonymous work called the "eulogium," of this date, says:--"the commoners were besotted in excess of apparel. some in wide surcoats reaching to their loins, some in a garment reaching to their heels, closed before and sticking out at the sides, so that at the back they make men seem like women, and this they call by the ridiculous name _gowne_. their hoods are little, and tied under the chins. their lirri-pipes (tippets) pass round the neck, and hanging down before, reach to the heels." towards the end of the 14th century men began to wear short clothes made to fit the body so closely that it often required the assistance of two people to remove them, and it is from this period we can distinctly trace the difference between ancient and modern dress; in fact, our present fashions--masculine and feminine--resemble to a certain extent those worn during mediæval times. then, as now, men wore overcoats with tight sleeves, felt hats also with feathers, worn over a skull cap, and slung behind the back, and closely-fitting shoes and boots. the tudor monarchs paid considerable attention to the adornment of their persons, and were responsible for stringent legal enactments calculated to encourage home manufacturers. felt hat-making--one of our oldest industries--was introduced into this country from spain and holland. a great impetus was given to this branch of trade by a law passed in 1571 which enjoined "every person above the age of seven years to wear on sundays or holidays a cap of wool, knit made, thickened, and dressed in england by some of the trade of cappers, under the forfeiture of three farthings for every day's neglect." in 1603 the felt makers became a corporation with grants and many privileges. throughout the middle ages the upper classes frequently engaged in commerce. bishops, abbots, and nobles personally superintended the disposal of the produce of their estates, and a considerable number of the younger sons of good families were the leading traders of the 15th and 16th centuries. [illustration: costume of the reign of henry vii.] the "frocke" frequently mentioned, and of which the modern frock coat is the degenerate descendant, was a sort of jacket or jerkin made occasionally with skirts, a style associated especially, with holbein's portraits of henry viii. and his contemporaries. the uniform worn at the present day by the yeomen of the guard stationed at the tower of london, gives us the military costume of the tudor period. it is the oldest corps in her majesty's service, and was instituted by henry vii. as the bodyguard of the sovereign. in the dress of the bluecoat boys at christ's hospital we have that of the citizens of london during the reign of edward vi. and mary, when blue coats were habitually used by apprentices and serving men, yellow stockings also were in common use. the badges on the jackets of firemen and watermen date from this time; they were made of metal and placed on the sleeve, in the 16th century, instead of being embroidered on the back or breast of the garment as they had been previously. retainers in the households of the wealthy, were provided with surcoats and mantles twice a year, of their patron's favourite colour, and this was called the _livrée_, from a french word signifying to distribute. trade guilds and members of the learned professions, also adopted a distinct style of costume. lawyers, who were originally priests, of course wore the tonsure; but when the clergy ceased to interfere with secular affairs the lay lawyer continued this sign of office, and also wore a coif. their gowns were capacious and lined with fur: and the justices of the king's bench were allowed liveries by the king, of cloth and silk. budge, or lambskin, and miniver were provided for the trimming thereof, and the colour appears to have varied in different reigns, but for a long time green prevailed. [illustration: courtier in the reign of elizabeth.] the courtiers of elizabeth discarded the "frocke cote" for quilted and stuffed doublets and trunk hose, slashed and ornamented in the most quaint and extravagant manner. below these were worn stockings embroidered with birds, beasts, and other devices, "sewed up close thereto as though they were all of one piece." trunk hose were appropriately named, as they were often filled with wool, bran, and other materials. at last they became of such enormous size that it was necessary to construct swings in the houses of parliament in place of the ordinary fixed seats, for the accommodation of those wearing this singular article of attire. enormous ruffs of muslin and lace encircled the necks of dandies of the elizabethan era, and they appear to have had waists which would excite the envy of the belles of the latter part of the 19th century. in fact, the gallants of that day were even in advance of the fair sex, in their love of fantastic costume; and as hollingshead, in _the chronicle_, justly states in reference to the fashions of the period: "nothing was more constant in england than inconstancy of attire." [illustration: earl of surrey, time of henry viii.] a few years since, behind some ancient panelling at haddon hall, derbyshire, was discovered a washing bill (with other things appertaining to the 16th and 17th centuries) which gives us a good idea of the various articles of dress then worn. reference is made to the _ruff_, which is too well known to need description; to _bandes_ made of linen and cambric, from which those now used by the clergy took their origin, and from which we derive the modern word bandbox. there were three kinds--some that stood upright, others were allowed to lie flat upon the shoulders, as shown in the drawings of charles i. and ii., and those which were embroidered and trimmed with lace. the _shirt_ applied to the under-garment of both sexes, and the half-shirt referred to the stomacher over which the dress was laced. _boot hose_ were made of a variety of materials, and were occasionally called nether stocks; _socks_ were sometimes put over them; and _tops_ were of holland linen or lace, and formed the lining of the full hanging boots of the cavaliers. [illustration: charles i.] during the civil war the dress worn by the king's adherents, consisted of a doublet of silk or satin with loose sleeves, slashed up the front; the collar was generally of point lace, and a short cloak rested carelessly on one shoulder. the hat was a broad-brimmed beaver with a plume of feathers, and trunk hose gave way to breeches. the roundheads or republican party went to the opposite extreme. they cut their hair close, avoided lace and jewels, had plain linen or cloth suits of a grey or brown tint, with a hat somewhat resembling the modern chimney pot. [illustration: charles ii. and his queen (1662).] [illustration: william iii. (1694)] [illustration: gentleman and lady of 18th century.] * * * * * about this period we also hear of the waistcoat, which was cut high at the neck, and was made with sleeves. neckcloths and cravats of brussels and flanders lace were tied in a knot under the chin, and had square ends. another peculiar feature of masculine costume towards the end of the 17th century consisted of petticoat breeches with drooping lace ruffles, such as adorn the nether limbs of charles ii. patches and perukes were also adopted, and the former fashion, a revival of an old roman custom, had political significance according to where they were placed on the face, and were bitterly ridiculed by numerous satirical writers. "i know many young gentlemen," says middleton, in one of his plays, "who wear longer hair than their mistresses." the beard was worn in different ways, but the most usual shape was what beaumont and fletcher, in their "queen of corinth," call the t beard, consisting of a moustache and imperial:- "his beard, which now he put i' the form of a t, the roman t; your t beard is the fashion, and two-fold doth express the enamoured courtier." shakespeare also tells us, it was often dyed different colours. [illustration: walking dress, 1830.] everyone tried to rival his neighbour in the size of his peruke, till they became so preposterous that charles ii. showed his disfavour by writing a letter to the university of cambridge forbidding the members to wear periwigs, smoke tobacco, or read their sermons. history does not relate what effect the king's censure had upon the head-gear of students attending the colleges, but it is absolutely proved that they paid no heed to his latter commands. it was the fashion for men to comb their perukes in public, and curiously-chased combs of bone and tortoise-shell, were carried in the pocket with the snuff-box, another indispensable appendage of a fine gentleman. in the 18th century the broad hat brims were turned up at the sides, and, in the racy vernacular of the day, "each gallant cocked his hat according to his fancy." shoe buckles became general in the reign of queen anne, and displaced the ribbon rosettes formerly worn. planché accurately describes the fashions of that day. "the square-cut coat was stiffened with wires and buckram, and the long-flapped waistcoat with pockets almost met the stockings. there were hanging cuffs with lace ruffles, square-toed shoes with red heels, and hats laced with gold or silver galloon." at the beginning of the 19th century many important changes took place. excepting for court dress, cloth was substituted for velvet and other rich fabrics. the coat was open, displaying an elaborate shirt-front, stock and flowered waistcoat; and the skirt, though full, fell in natural folds. trousers were very tight, and held in place by a strap beneath the foot, and hats displayed narrow curved brims. we have only to cast our eyes down the vista of ages to find that british costume has been suited to the needs, habits, and customs of the people, and periods at which it was worn. skins of animals were appropriate to the hardy cave dwellers who inhabited this country at an early period in the world's history. the simple dress of the anglo-saxons fulfilled the requirements of a primitive race; and the furs and rich fabrics brought home by the crusaders were adapted to the higher state of civilization which prevailed in the middle ages. in the 16th century the renaissance (of art and culture) was specially noted for richness of attire. during the 18th century a mixture of styles which had found favour with previous generations was the most marked feature in the costume of that period, and this equally applies to the two first decades of the present one. masculine attire at the present day, though simple and practical, has few points of beauty to recommend it. briefly, it resolves itself into a series of woollen cylinders which changeth not from generation to generation. chapter viii. a chat about children and their clothing. "the childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day."--_milton._ of children's dress in olden times we have singularly few details, and, as a rule, it may be concluded that their raiment was fashioned on similar lines to that worn by the men and women of the country in which they lived, and was more or less ornamented, according to their station in life. [illustration: children of charles i. (_after a painting by vandyck._)] one or two biblical references enlighten us as to eastern customs. on the authority of st. luke, our saviour in infancy was wrapped in swaddling clothes. "samuel," we are told, "being a child, was girded with a linen ephod," which appears to have been a close robe or vest reaching from the shoulders to the loins, and confined by a girdle. considering the climate and the habits of the people, it was probably the only garment used in summer, but in cold weather was supplemented, we presume, by the little coat his mother bought him from year to year, when she and her husband came to offer the annual sacrifice, at shiloh, where eli, the high priest, lived. a coat of many colours was also presented to joseph in his youth as a mark of jacob's affection for the child of his old age. greek and roman children of the gentler sex are usually represented in the chiton, or loose classical gown, combined with a shawl or himation weighted at the four corners, so as to assist the wearer in adjusting it. how to put on this garment was carefully taught as part of a girl's education. the long end was first thrown over the left shoulder. the front part was arranged in folds across the body, passed under the right arm and over the left shoulder or forearm. the girdle sometimes consisted of a cord, at others of metal bands, and by drawing the chiton over it, a double thickness of the fabric covered the vital organs of the body. boys wore the tunic and toga, and the latter is supposed to have been oblong, with the corners rounded off, so as to give a semicircular effect. hats were not commonly worn, except by the poor or when on a journey, a fold of the toga or mantle serving for a head covering, and sandals protected the feet. the egyptian labouring classes allowed their children to be nude, and infants were unfamiliar with swaddling clothes. the working man and boy had simply a loin cloth and girdle, and the girl a loose tunic fastened with strings at the neck and reaching to her feet. on the other hand, children of the upper classes in egypt were repetitions of their elders on a small scale. girls wore a linen skirt embroidered in colours and fastened with a bright sash, or suspended from the shoulders, and over this a loose transparent robe with long sleeves. the male costume consisted of a loin cloth, and a full robe with short sleeves, or a tunic, and both sexes had elaborately curled or plaited wigs, as the natural hair was only allowed to grow in times of mourning. the roman occupation of britain left its impress for a long period on the costume of the anglo-saxon race. the long-sleeved banded tunic was the usual habit of the industrial classes through the middle ages and leg bandages and cross gartering preceded breeches. quite young boys appear in this dress, and little girls are seen in ancient mss. in the kirtle and gunna, the equivalents of the modern petticoat and dress. their hair, however, was allowed to fall naturally, or was dressed with two pendant plaits, and was not concealed, as was so often the case with adult females, by means of the head-rail. the materials used in clothing were to a great extent the produce of household industry. the women servants were employed in spinning, weaving, and sewing, and ladies of the highest rank did not disdain to participate in such labours. several articles of dress were derived from the tanner, who worked up his leather into shoes, ankle leathers, and leathern hose. the art of tanning skins with the wool or hair on, was also practised, and dyeing was in great request, for in a rude age a love of gaudy colours is a natural characteristic of the people. the most skilful artificers were found in the religious houses, but under each landowner serfs were trained in the mechanical arts. silk was worn by the wealthy, but the common materials for wearing apparel in this country were cotton, linen, and woollen. [illustration: children's costume, present day.] among the anglo-saxons and their pagan ancestors the desertion of children sometimes occurred, but as the influence of christianity increased, it was regarded as a crime, and a law was passed for its repression. for fostering a foundling the state allowed 6s. the first year; 12s. the second; and 30s. for the third year; and afterward the foster parent was to receive a sum varying according to the appearance of the child. children bereft of their father, remained under the mother's care, but until the eldest child became of age were subject to the guardianship of the husband's relations. mothers usually nursed their own children, cradles were used, and for the first few months their clothing was swathed with a bandage. in this compact form they were more easily carried, though the constraint to which they were subjected, probably prevented that free development of the limbs, which we now consider so essential to health and beauty. if very poor, the father was allowed to sell his son into slavery for seven years, providing the consent of the child was obtained, and one ten years old could give evidence. until a daughter was fifteen years of age, her father could marry her as he pleased, but afterwards had no power to do so. a boy of fifteen could enter the monastic life if so disposed, and a girl at a somewhat later period. monasteries offered the best education then procurable, and the clergy were directed to "teach youth with care, and to draw them to some craft." schoolboys appear to have been kept in order, by the dread of personal chastisement, and great respect and reverence was exacted by their elders. [illustration] in the dress of the blue-coat school (christ's hospital), we see the ordinary costume of boys of the tudor period. it consisted of a long coat reaching to the heels and knee-breeches, a striped vest, yellow stockings, and a small round cap placed on the side of the head. the dress of little girls may be found on various monumental effigies, in which they appear like their mothers, in full skirts, sometimes distended by a fardingale, the body imprisoned in whalebone to the hips, a folded ruff encircling the neck, and their stockings (according to stubbs) were of the finest yarn, silk, thread, or cloth that could possibly be had, of changeable colours, cunningly knit, with curiously indented points, clocks, and open seams. the shoes were of black, green, white and yellow velvet, or of leather stitched with silk and embroidered with gold and silver all over the foot. [illustration] the paintings of vandyck bring graphically before us the picturesque elements of the dress of the stuart era. there is an air of richness and refinement about the long skirted silken frocks embellished with lace, the pointed collars, and beaver hats with trailing feathers universally worn, and the quaint lace caps, which, by a turn of fashion's wheel, have been remodelled for the children of today. [illustration] at no period in the history of costume were the styles so offensive to those with a true conception of colour and form than in the first half of the nineteenth century. we have only to turn to the sketches of leech and contemporary artists to find bare necks and arms, conspicuous underwear, very short skirts distended by a stiffened petticoat or crinoline, white cotton stockings, low shoes fastened by a strap and single button, mushroom hats, aprons and pinafores devoid of elegance and grace, and the hair cut close to the head or arranged in rows of stiff ringlets. nor did the boys of england, in trousers buttoned high on short jackets, or with tunics worn with frilled linen collars and leathern belts, show to greater advantage. queen victoria inaugurated a new system of clothing for boys, when she dressed the young princes in scotch and sailor suits, and the wardrobes of all classes have been considerably extended of late, by the open-air life and outdoor sports in which every self-respecting lad indulges. cricket, tennis, boating, football, and cycling, all imperatively demand appropriate apparel, and tailors now give reasonable attention to this important branch of their business, and provide fabrics and designs suited to the needs of the rising generation. [illustration] habits of personal cleanliness and the influence of dress on the minds of growing girls is hardly realized except by those directly concerned in education. many a sensitive child's character has been warped by the thoughtless jeers of schoolfellows, who were quick to perceive that her clothing was not up-to-date or of such good material as their own. on the other hand, vanity, envy, and uncharitableness have been engendered by foolish mothers, who have provided their daughters with inappropriate and extravagant outfits. [illustration] though many advocate uniforms with distinctive trimmings for girls' colleges, there are drawbacks to the scheme being adopted. such a course would probably destroy the individuality which we all desire to see applied to the choice of clothing, and it would leave no field for original ideas. children must be _trained_ to select and wear their clothes to the best advantage, and it is folly to think that they will do so by intuition. some may possess naturally an artistic sense and a keen eye for colour, but they are certainly in the minority, and rational dress reformers have pushed sensible ideas to the verge of absurdity, till now the name is almost regarded as a term of reproach. [illustration] [illustration] how much we owe to pioneers of children's dress reform, and especially to messrs. liberty, who evolved what is generally known as the æsthetic style in dress. from sketches courteously placed at my disposal, i am enabled to put before the reader examples of children's clothing which are artistic in form, light of texture, and which in no way impede the physical development. those who have the care of children should remember what a sacred charge is imposed upon them, and that their future health mainly depends, upon the manner in which they are clothed during the first few years of life. there must be no tight bands, belts, or garters to prevent circulation and to cause organic troubles; and where corsets are dispensed with, as happily they are in many cases where growing girls are concerned, the weight of the clothing should be borne by the shoulders, not the waist, and this is ensured by cutting undergarments in the princess or combination forms. many young people suffer from being carelessly shod, and hideous malformations of the feet arise in consequence, while obscure diseases of the brain can sometimes be traced to heavy head-gear, and the strain of over-study. hats should be of light construction, and afford a grateful shade to the eyes, if that far-reaching ailment of civilisation, short sight, is to be successfully combatted; and special attention must be paid to infants, who may often be seen in public thoroughfares with a hot sun beating down upon them, and the nurse oblivious to the fact. the sight of a tender infant entrusted to the care of a young woman, who has not the glimmering of a notion of how to look after its fragile body, must fill any right-minded person with indignation. is it unreasonable to expect those who undertake the charge of children to acquaint themselves with at least an elementary knowledge of the construction and functions of the human body? the ignorance of the average nursemaid is appalling; and though a board school education may have acquainted her with the mysteries of the first book of euclid, or the rudiments of music, the curriculum rarely includes the simplest instruction on the healthy training of children; and, in consequence, the high rate of infant mortality in this country is a national disgrace. chapter ix. fancy costume of various periods. "the dome, where pleasure holds her midnight reign, here richly decked, admits the gorgeous train; tumultuous grandeur crowds the blazing square, the rattling chariots clash, the torches glare." during the roman occupation of britain, many sports and pastimes, with their appropriate costumes, were introduced into this country from southern europe and the east, and at a very early period mummings were popular with the people. these were primitive masquerades, where the actors, if we may judge from antique illuminations, generally mimicked the brute creation rather than human beings. they often appeared between the courses at banquets, and on important occasions elaborate pageants were arranged. ships filled with mariners were sometimes introduced, or towers garrisoned with armed men, while the actors portrayed some allegorical lesson or historical incident. a well-known event intimately connected with masking was the narrow escape from death by fire of charles vi. of france, on january 29th, 1392. the king, with eleven of his knights, for the amusement of the court, dressed like savages, in tight-fitting garments of linen covered with flax, and were dancing before the queen and the duchess de berri, when the duc d'orléans with a torch accidentally ignited the inflammable costume of a masker, who was chained to four others. the duchess protected the king by wrapping him in the train of her mantle, but four persons died in great agony. edward iii. issued an ordinance against vagrants who exhibited scandalous masquerades in low ale-houses, and directed that such persons should be whipped out of london. the feast of fools was one of the most singular of these exhibitions. it somewhat resembled the roman saturnalia, and was enacted at christmas. in england the celebration of this festival does not appear to have been attended with the same excesses as were commonly practised on the continent, but it was nevertheless a season of licence, in which order and discipline were reversed. the churl was elected to represent the pope; the buffoon was made a cardinal; and the lowest of the mob assumed for the time being the garb of the priesthood, and took possession of churches, where they parodied every part of the sacred service, and sang masses composed of obscene songs. dramatic representations were so tainted by the grossness and licentiousness of the age, that priests were prohibited from attending them, till the church introduced religious plays, founded on scriptural incidents, and which were known as miracles and mysteries. for these the actors were trained by the clergy, and sacred edifices and vestments were placed at their disposal, to give truth and lustre to the representations. there were frequent tournaments after the norman invasion, and these were patronized and encouraged by richard c[oe]ur de lion. from this era they occupied a prominent place in the national institutions and history, and afforded many opportunities for the display of picturesque costume. ladies on these occasions were conspicuous, and sometimes rode in parti-coloured tunics with short hoods and tippets wrapped about their heads. their girdles were decorated with gold and silver, and they carried small swords. the space marked out for the combat was surrounded by raised seats for high-born dames, princes, and the judges of the conflict. knights wore their ladies' colours on their helmets, emblazoned on their clothing, and on the trappings of their horses; and throngs of troubadours, heralds, and minstrels dressed in gorgeous attire, were present to discharge their duties, and to give importance to the spectacle. the ancient english morris dance, performed with other quaint usages on the 1st of may, is supposed to be of moorish origin. it is depicted on an antique stained glass window at betley, in staffordshire. the may-pole and the man with the hobby horse (who represents a moorish king, and is the consort of the may queen), occupy a prominent position. the other characters are the fool, the lesser fool, tom the piper, a spaniard, the franklin or private gentleman, a churl or peasant, the may queen, a nobleman, and a friar. the dresses were adorned with bells, intended to sound the measure of the dancers. they were of different sizes, and were called the fore bell, the second bell, the treble, the tenor, and the great bell. planché, in his valuable work, the "cyclopædia of costume," states the earliest illustration of a _bal costumé_ is in a ms. of the fifteenth century, in the ambrosian library at milan, and he gives a reproduction from an old painting on wood dating from 1463, representing a dance by torchlight at the court of burgundy. each person holds a long lighted taper, and this dance, up to the sixteenth century, was usually reserved for wedding festivities. in england masked balls were rare before the reign of william iii., and in france they first took place during the regency of philip, duke of orleans, when the opera house was converted into a ball-room. father sebastian, a carmelite friar, devised a means of elevating the floor of the pit to the level of the stage, and of lowering it at pleasure. ranelagh and vauxhall gardens, and belsize house, hampstead, were also places of popular resort, and scenes of many entertainments during the eighteenth century. there were pyrotechnic displays, bands of music, frequent balls, and facilities for dinner and supper parties. the lawns were dotted with arbours, lakes, and artificial cascades; the trees were festooned with coloured lamps, and the costumes of those who frequented these gatherings were elaborate and costly. from the writings of horace walpole and others, we learn that private open-air galas were of common occurrence among the aristocracy, and he gives a description of a _festino_ at northumberland house in honour of the marquess of tavistock and his bride; when arches and pyramids of lights alternately surrounded the enclosure, and festoons of lamps edged the railings. in 1761 her majesty queen charlotte surprised her husband on his birthday with a splendid garden party, followed by fireworks, a cold supper of a hundred dishes, and an illuminated dessert. the duke of richmond celebrated a similar occasion with a masked ball and music--the vocal parts performed by many of the nobility, in fancy dress. here, too, there was a display of fireworks in the garden and from the river. almack's new subscription and assembly room was opened in february, 1765, under distinguished patronage; and gibbon mentions a masquerade at a rival establishment, the pantheon, which he states was above par in magnificence, and below par in humour, and cost £5000. five o'clock was the dinner hour of fashionable people during the eighteenth century, and three for those of lower rank. at eleven p.m. supper was usually served, and breakfast was from nine to eleven a.m. the house of commons commenced sitting at two, and the opera began at seven. at this period the domino (evolved from the priestly cowl) was in great request, and was used in the boxes of theatres for purposes of concealment, and by those of questionable morals. though the large hoop towards the close of the eighteenth century was only worn at court, or in full dress, the pocket hoop for distending the panniers was still in vogue. for the abolition of the court hoop, we are indebted to george iv., whose taste in dress was unimpeachable. powder and patches maintained their ground till 1793, when they were discarded by queen charlotte and the princesses. aprons were regarded as a necessary item of a fashionable costume up to 1750, and the watch and etui adorned the waist, necklaces sparkled on the bosom, and bracelets were worn over long gloves. the french revolution affected masculine costume; and in 1789 were introduced into this country the muslin cravat, in which the chin was partially concealed, stand-up collars, hessian boots, and round hats of beaver. scarlet coats were much in vogue about 1784, and an anecdote in "the life of sir astley cooper" represents him as returning from a dancing academy in a scarlet coat, a three-cocked hat, a black glazed stock, nankeen knee-breeches, and silk stockings. this may be regarded as the ordinary costume of a gentleman at that period. wigs had begun to go out of fashion as early as 1763, in which year the wigmakers petitioned king george iii. to support the trade by his example. "the hair," says malcolm, "was dressed high on the head, whitened with powder, and alternately plaited and turned up or queued behind." when the hair powder tax--one guinea per annum--was enforced in 1795, thousands of heads reverted to their natural colour. some brilliant fancy dress balls (with a view to encouraging home trade) have taken place during the victorian era. of the first, which was given by the queen and prince consort at buckingham palace in 1842, a permanent memorial exists in two handsome volumes compiled by j. r. planché, containing carefully coloured illustrations of the various dresses, and autograph portraits of the wearers. they form an invaluable book of reference for those desiring accurate representations of the costume of the period of edward iii. (1327-1377). a special feature of this ball was a series of costume quadrilles, arranged by ladies of the court and others of high rank. they were danced in the following order:-french quadrille, led by h. r. h. the duchess of cambridge. spanish quadrille, led by the duchess of buccleuch. german quadrille, led by the duchess of sutherland. crusaders' quadrille, led by the marchioness of londonderry. waverley quadrille, led by the countess de la warr. scotch quadrille, led by the duchess of buccleuch. cossack quadrille, led by baroness bremon. greek quadrille, led by the duchess of leinster. [illustration: prince albert as edward iii.] prince albert, as edward iii., wore a costume copied from the effigy of that king in westminster abbey. it consisted of a long tunic of gold and blue brocade, reaching to the ankles. the collar, which fitted close round the neck, was bordered with purple velvet, thickly studded with jewels. the tunic, which had an opening up the centre to the height of the knee, was bordered and enriched with jewels to correspond with the collar, as were the wristbands. the hose were scarlet, also the shoes, which were embroidered with gold. over the tunic, his royal highness wore a mantle reaching to the heels, composed of the richest scarlet velvet, bordered by a broad gold figured lace, set on each side with large pearls. it was lined with ermine, and connected across the breast by a band of purple velvet, studded with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, and in the centre was a turquoise of immense size and perfect colour. the band was fastened to the mantle on either side by a massive gold ornament enriched with precious stones. [illustration: queen victoria as philippa, wife of edward iii.] her majesty the queen as philippa of hainault, wife of edward iii., was attired in a demi-trained skirt of crimson velvet, edged with miniver. over this was worn a surcoat of blue and gold brocade, trimmed with fur to match, and embellished with a stomacher of jewels valued at £60,000. the other portions of the costume were also studded with jewels. the mantle was of gold brocade, with a floral design in silver. the hair was encased in a gold net, enriched with precious stones, and was surmounted by a crown. princess augusta of cambridge personated princess claude, daughter of anne of bretagne, queen of france. her dress of silver tissue was bordered with ermine, and the tunic was of light blue velvet, worked with the fleur-de-lis in silver. the low bodice was bordered with diamonds. the sleeves of silver tissue reached to the wrist, and were trimmed with rows of pearls. the gloves were jewelled, and a white tulle veil with silver embroideries depended from a turquoise and pearl diadem. by her majesty's command, her own dress, that of prince consort, and most of the costumes worn at this ball, were manufactured by the silk-weavers of spitalfields. for the second royal ball in june, 1845, the period of george ii. (1727-1760) was selected, and 1200 guests were invited. the queen looked extremely well in powder, and her dress is described as of cloth of gold and cloth of silver, with daisies and poppies worked in silk, and shaded in natural colours. the trimmings and ruffles of exquisite point lace--had belonged to queen charlotte--and the stomacher was trimmed with lace and jewels. the sacque was ornamented with ribbons, caught with diamonds. on the powdered coiffure was a diamond crown; her majesty's white shoes had red rosettes with diamond centres, and she wore the star and ribbon of the order of the garter. prince albert had a costume of the same period, with the star of the garter, and the order of the golden fleece in brilliants. the marchioness of douro, the duke of wellington's daughter-in-law, was the acknowledged belle of this ball, and wore £60,000 worth of diamonds. miss--now the baroness--burdett coutts was also present, her dress trimmed with jewels once the property of marie antoinette. in 1871 the princess of wales attended the waverley ball at willis' rooms, with several other members of the royal family, and was much admired in the character of the ill-fated mary stuart. on july 22nd, 1874, a fancy dress ball was given by their royal highnesses the prince and princess of wales at marlborough house, for which some beautiful costumes were prepared. the princess wore a handsome venetian dress, and danced in the first quadrille with the present duke of devonshire. the prince in a cavalier costume opened the ball with the late duchess of sutherland. the chief costume quadrilles on this occasion were the venetian, the vandyck, characters in fairy tales, and a pack of cards. another historic _bal costumé_ was given in february, 1895, at warwick castle, by the earl and countess of warwick. no more fitting background for such a function can be imagined than this stately mansion, which has been a centre of hospitality for countless generations, but has never been presided over by no more gracious and popular châtelaine than the present countess. lady warwick looked very beautiful as marie antoinette (the consort of louis xvi. of france) in a petticoat and corsage of exquisite english brocade, with a design of shaded roses, enriched with gold thread on a pearl-coloured ground. the train of royal blue velvet, embroidered in gold thread with the fleur-de-lis, was attached to the shoulders by a band of diamonds; and the warwick jewels, diamond stars, were arranged on the corsage veiled with gold flecked gauze, which was also employed for the puffed sleeves. her elaborate white coiffure was surmounted by a white muslin cap edged with blue velvet and adorned with diamond aigrettes and plumes of pink, white, and blue feathers. lady marjorie greville (the only daughter of lord and lady warwick) with miss hamilton acted as train-bearers. they wore the daintiest white costumes of the period, composed of broché silk, with fichus of white chiffon, and silk hats trimmed with feathers. each carried a long crook tied with white ribbons and bunches of flowers, and the effect was charming. the earl of warwick wore a french court costume, the coat of ruby velvet profusely trimmed with gold lace, white cloth cuffs, and revers. the long white kerseymere waistcoat was braided in gold, and the white knee-breeches and low shoes were ornamented with diamond buckles. the earl's wig, _a la mousquetaire_, was tied with a bow of black ribbon, and he carried a tricorne hat with white ostrich plumes, and white gauntlet gloves. lady warwick's two sisters, the duchess of sutherland and lady angela forbes, represented marie letzinka, consort of louis xv., and lady mary campbell. the former wore a magnificent gown of white satin de lyon. the skirt embroidered with a flight of swallows in silver and crystals, a deep bertha of point de flandre, with ruffles of the same on the short sleeves. the train of crimson velvet was embroidered with the french emblem, and her grace had a stomacher of splendid diamonds. lady angela forbes' dress was of white muslin, with a blue sash, and picturesque hat of turquoise silk, trimmed with feathers and roses. princess henry of pless, as la duchesse de polignac, had a dress of rich white satin, the skirt embroidered 18in. deep, with turquoises and brilliants, a powdered wig, and the same jewels in her hair. lady eva dugdale, sister to the earl of warwick, and lady-in-waiting to her royal highness the duchess of york, wore a louis quinze white satin dress, covered with pink roses, corsage _en suite_ fastened with large diamond ornaments. a silver trellis pattern was worked round the hem of the skirt, and white silk mittens and shoes completed the costume. lady rosslyn chose a white embroidered muslin petticoat, the overdress of pink and red striped silk, fichu and ruches of black lisse, and a picturesque hat. lady flo sturt, as madame la marquise de pompadour, was in rich cream satin, with bodice and sleeves of antique lace, and stomacher of diamonds. a black satin toque, with aigrette of diamonds, contrasted well with the white wig. count deym, the austrian ambassador, was in english court dress. prince henry of pless, in mousquetaire costume, represented the vicomte de bragelonne. the duke of manchester was in white satin breeches, waistcoat to match, bordered with gold, and coat of white and silver brocade with moss roses and foliage. the scene inside the castle was one of unparalleled brilliancy, while those who glanced from the mullioned windows saw by bright moonlight the avon frozen, the ancient cedars glistening with frost, and the surrounding country wrapped in a snowy mantle. the entire ground floor of the castle was thrown open, and no pains were spared to give as complete a representation as possible of the gorgeous fêtes which made the court of marie antoinette famous throughout europe. the finest spectacle presented itself when the guests assembled at supper in the oak-lined hall, where the light of a thousand candles was reflected in the bright steel armour which surrounded the walls. several high screens, hung with beauvais tapestry and shaded by huge palms, filled the angles of the hall, and the stone walls were partially concealed by yellow and silver embroideries. in the huge fireplace logs crackled, and on small round tables were placed silver candelabra with crimson shades and floral decorations, consisting of scarlet geraniums and maiden-hair fern. the centre table was reserved for marie antoinette and her court, and here was the choicest display of family plate, including, amongst other valuable specimens of the goldsmith's art, a golden cup modelled by benvenuto cellini. from the hall you entered the red drawing room, which contains a marble table, inlaid with flowers and fruit, and formerly the property of marie antoinette. next is the cedar drawing-room, used as the ball-room, on whose walls are many family portraits and other paintings by vandyck; the remainder of the suite of state apartments were used as withdrawing-rooms between the dances; and at the opposite end of the castle is the library, the billiard-room, and the countess's lovely louis seize boudoir, in ivory tints, with festoons of delicately-shaded flowers. dancing was carried on with great spirit till early morning, and the tardy winter sun had risen ere the last carriage drove away from one of the most successful balls of the nineteenth century. among the many important entertainments given by members of the english aristocracy in honour of the sixtieth year of the reign of queen victoria, was a costume ball at devonshire house, piccadilly, on july 2nd, 1897, when the duke and duchess of devonshire received nearly all the members of the royal family, many distinguished guests from the colonies, and members of the corps diplomatique. this historic mansion was built for the third duke of devonshire, and it was here that georgiana, the beautiful duchess of devonshire, held her court. it contains a fine suite of reception rooms on the first floor; a gallery of pictures, in which the old masters are well represented; and extensive grounds in the rear, which on this occasion were decorated with thousands of chinese lanterns and fairy lamps. the principal feature of the ball was a grand procession of the guests, headed by the duke and duchess of devonshire, the former personating charles v. of germany, and the latter attired with oriental magnificence as zenobia, queen of palmyra, in a robe of silver tissue wrought with jewels. the mantle was of cloth of gold similarly treated, and the bodice was also studded with precious stones. the head-dress consisted of white ostrich plumes and a golden and jewelled crown, from which depended chains of pearls. h.r.h. the princess of wales, as margaret of valois, was surrounded by the ladies of her court, their royal highnesses princess charles of denmark, princess victoria of wales, the duchess of fife, and the duchess of york. the princess of wales wore a gown of white satin wrought with silver, and a train of cloth of gold lined with silver and superbly jewelled. h.r.h. the prince of wales, as grand master of the knights hospitallers of st. john of jerusalem and chevalier of malta, wore a rich elizabethan costume carried out in black and silver, and bearing the white cross of the order on one shoulder. the duke of york represented the earl of cumberland, one of queen elizabeth's courtiers. prince charles of denmark was a danish student. the duke of connaught wore the uniform of a military commander during the reign of elizabeth, and the duchess looked charming as queen anne of austria in a picturesque gown with puffed sleeves. the eastern queens were magnificently arrayed and blazing with jewels. lady de trafford was semiramis, empress of assyria, in a dress copied from a vase in the british museum. princess henry of pless was queen of sheba, in a robe and train of shot purple and gold tissue, elaborately embroidered with turquoises and other stones, and wore an assyrian jewelled head-dress, decorated with a diamond bird and aigrette. another queen of sheba was lady cynthia graham, and there were two cleopatras--lady de grey and mrs. arthur paget. the husband of the latter accompanied her as mark antony. lady elcho was a byzantine queen, miss muriel wilson was queen vashti, and the countess of dudley, as queen esther, wore a dress of white crêpe, embroidered with gold and studded with amethysts, turquoises, and pearls. the elizabethan court was represented by lady tweedmouth as queen elizabeth, in a gown copied from a picture in the national portrait gallery. her canopy was carried by four yeomen in uniforms of crimson, black, and gold, copied from holbein's picture of "the field of the cloth of gold," in the hampton court collection. lord tweedmouth was the earl of leicester, in slashed doublet and hose of ruby velvet and satin, enriched with gold embroidery. lady edmondstone, as mary queen of scots, wore a dress of pale blue velvet, and tulle veil head-dress and ruff worked with pearls. she was attended by the duchess of hamilton, dressed in the character of mary hamilton, the queen's favourite maid of honour. the countess of warwick, as marie antoinette, was beautifully dressed in a petticoat of rich white satin and a court gown of english brocade, with a train of royal blue velvet. the hair was powdered, and she was attended by four pages in white satin suits and three-cornered hats, bearing over her ladyship a canopy of blue velvet. this group included the duchess of sutherland, as charlotte corday in a gown of red _crêpe de chine_, a muslin fichu and cap, trimmed with point d'alençon lace, and dagger at waist. lady westmorland made a lovely hebe, and lady angela forbes, as the queen of naples, wore an empire gown of ivory duchesse satin, embroidered with silver and diamonds, and a train of lilac velvet, edged with jewelled embroidery and lined with satin. the head-dress consisted of a small jewelled crown and two white feathers. among many other notable costumes should be mentioned the marchioness of tweedale's, as the empress josephine, as she appears in the coronation picture at the louvre, paris; the marchioness of londonderry, as the empress marie thérèse, of austria, and the marchioness of zetland's, as queen henrietta maria, wife of charles i. of england; viscountess raincliffe, as the empress catherine ii. of russia, wore white satin, and her dress was an exact copy of the picture in the british museum by lambi. the court gown of the duchess of portland, as duchesse de savoia, who headed the venetian procession, was composed of white satin veiled, with lisse wrought with silver, partially covered by a silver cloth mantle, embroidered with pearls and diamonds, and diamonds and emeralds were introduced in the coiffure. chapter x stage and floral costume. "all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players, they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts." garrick was one of the first of our english actors to realize how much the success of a piece depended upon appropriate costume, and, on his taking the management of drury lane theatre in 1747, at once turned his attention to this important branch of dramatic art. he refused to tolerate the absurdity of a heterogeneous mixture of the foreign and ancient modes, which had hitherto debased tragedies by representing, for instance, greek soldiers in full-bottomed wigs, and the king of an oriental nation in trunk hose. the improvement, however, must have been very gradual, for garrick is said to have played the part of macbeth ten years later in a gold-laced suit of sky blue and scarlet; while mrs. yates as lady macbeth appeared in a hooped court petticoat of enormous dimensions, with tight-fitting pointed bodice and elbow sleeves, and her powdered hair dressed over a high cushion. garrick's suits for the characters of king lear and hamlet also followed the fashions of the 18th century, though he played richard iii. in a fancy dress designed with some regard to correctness of detail. even during the present century, an equally absurd anachronism may be recorded. the late mr. charles mathews made his first appearance in public, at the theatre royal, richmond, as richmond in richard iii., wearing the helmet and jacket of a modern light horse soldier. [illustration: a turkish maiden.] the first pantomime or harlequinade was played in england in 1717, and the earliest illustration of an english harlequin in the dress now familiar to us, is to be found in a sketch of bartholomew fair, dated 1721. of the characters of columbine, pantaloon, and clown, we have no contemporary drawings. of the french ballet dancers of this period there are some carefully-executed plates in planché's "cyclopædia of costume." they are all represented in long, and sometimes in trained skirts. the first example of the abbreviated ballet skirt, reaching to the knee, is given in the portrait of an actress personating le zephyr, about the middle of the 18th century. the peasant costume of various nations has also been adapted to stage purposes with excellent effect. the late hon. lewis wingfield devoted much time to designing the stage dresses of the victorian era, and madame alias--who has also passed away--provided the costumes in mr. calvert's revival of henry viii., and was also responsible for dressing many of the alhambra ballets and the plays at london and provincial theatres. madame bernhardt, miss ellen terry, mrs. langtry, sir henry irving, and the late sir augustus harris have also brought their influence, money, and taste to bear on correct stage costume, with the result that we have had many sumptuously-dressed revivals and new plays, which otherwise might have sunk into oblivion. such spectacles as are often to be seen at our leading metropolitan theatres and music halls, if they fail to touch the public fancy, mean absolute and irretrievable ruin to their promoters; and when it is remembered that many thousands are spent annually in staging theatrical enterprises, before a single seat is booked, it will at once be seen what enormous sums must be involved in furthering dramatic interests. the public, who have for the last sixty years been catered for so generously, are sometimes apt to overlook the difficulties with which the scenic artist has to contend. it would be impossible within the circumscribed limit of a single volume to minutely describe even the most notable theatrical costumes of the last half century, but a few of the most effective floral costumes will be appended for the benefit of those who desire to introduce them into various entertainments. the steady patronage of her majesty the queen and the royal family have done much to remove any prejudices which existed against the drama, and as a powerful auxiliary to education the stage is rapidly gaining ground. dull, indeed, must the theatre-goer be if he leaves without having assimilated some valuable lesson. to shakespeare we owe many ideal types of womanhood, all the more precious now that some of the weaker sex, in an insatiable desire for progress, sometimes neglect those lesser arts which in the past proved to them a shield and buckler. the classical and historical pieces allow us to live again in scenes which occurred when the world was young, and convince us, though the tastes of the people were simpler, human nature, with its passions and aspirations, has changed but little. who can deny the moral influence of such plays as "the sign of the cross," "hypatia," "the daughters of babylon," "virginius," or those of the robertson school, of which "caste" and "ours" are examples? a love of music is not considered a marked trait of the english nation, yet have not italian and comic opera stimulated a desire for a concord of sweet sounds among all classes of the community? such plays as "patience" and the "mikado" have developed our instinct for colour and form, and we are taught the value of industry and restraint when we watch well-trained actors, capable of controlling every gesture, and of charming us with their well-modulated voices. our lives are cheered by viewing the comic side of things, and on our clothing and household possessions, the stage has also laid a refining hand. floral costumes. a poppy. the bodice and skirt of red accordion, pleated _mousseline de soie_, the petals of the flower and belt in bright red silk. large silk poppies appear on the shoulders and bust, and one of extra size is used for a head-dress. with this costume neat black shoes and silk stockings should be worn, and a palm-leaf fan covered with poppies and foliage should be carried. [illustration: a poppy.] lily of the valley. corsage and skirt of white pleated valenciennes lace mounted on green silk. a full berthe of the flowers. white lace hat entirely covered with these blooms, and fan to correspond. moss rose. gown of pink satin, veiled with tulle and flecked with rose buds. a ruche of moss roses at the hem of the skirt and on the bodice. a dolly varden hat trimmed with moss roses and pink ribbon. wild rose. dress of shot pink and white satin, embroidered or painted with clusters and trails of wild roses and foliage. skirt edged with full ruche of pink tulle studded with roses, and corsage trimmed to correspond. _coiffure poudré_ dressed with small basket of roses and pink ribbon. white rose. gown with watteau train of white satin edged with leaveless roses, chains of the same flowers carried across the front of the dress, and outlining the square-cut bodice, and elbow sleeves. ruffles of lace. a wreath of white roses in the powdered hair, and a crook decorated with flowers and ribbon streamers. summer roses. gown of cream-coloured brocade, with design in shaded roses and foliage, trimmed with garland of roses of different tints embedded in tulle. décolleté corsage trimmed to correspond, and a damask rose worn in the hair. wild flowers. dress of pale blue satin, veiled with green tulle. trails of forget-me-nots, poppies, marguerites, buttercups, and grass depending from the waist-belt to edge of skirt, and bodice trimmed to correspond. a leghorn hat garnished with wild flowers, grass, and blue ribbons. gardenia. greek dress of white crêpe de chine, embroidered in classical design with silver. in front diagonal trails of gardenias and their dark foliage arranged from the right shoulder to left side of dress. the hair bound with silver bands. a shower bouquet to correspond. the shamrock. gown of emerald green satin appliquéd with velvet shamrocks of a darker shade. the stomacher a large trefoil in emeralds, and the short sleeves cut to resemble the irish emblem. corsage veiled with green tulle strewn with tiny shamrocks, and a coronet of the same in the hair. the thistle. high dress of eau de nil satin. the skirt edged with a wreath of thistles, which are also embroidered in a bold design on the front of gown and bodice. satin hat trimmed with thistles and ribbon, and black staff tied with thistles and ribbon streamers. dandelion. gown of yellow accordion, pleated chiffon finished on the skirt with trails of flowers from the waist to hem of the skirt, interspersed with the seed pods commonly known as blow-aways. the bodice of pleated yellow chiffon with dandelions across the berthe and clusters on the shoulders. a wreath and aigrette to correspond. iris. dress of white satin, veiled with mauve chiffon, flecked with iris petals. trails of mauve and white flowers tied with bows of satin in alternate shades, and carried across the skirt. square cut corsage to correspond, and elbow sleeves. a muslin cap trimmed with the same flowers. powdered hair. lilac. gown of cream satin brocaded with mauve and white lilac, marie antoinette, white chiffon fichu, and cap trimmed with clusters of shaded lilac and foliage. elbow sleeves with chiffon ruffles. the white satin fan painted to correspond, and caught by a flower châtelaine. the hair dressed with the same flowers, and a twisted scarf of mauve and white chiffon. page images generously made available by home economics archive: research, tradition and history, albert r. mann library, cornell university (http://hearth.library.cornell.edu/) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see 18901-h.htm or 18901-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/8/9/0/18901/18901-h/18901-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/8/9/0/18901/18901-h.zip) images of the original pages are available through the home economics archive: research, tradition and history, albert r. mann library, cornell university. see http://hearth.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=hearth;idno=4221758 woman as decoration by emily burbank illustrated [illustration] new york dodd, mead and company 1917 copyright, 1917 by dodd, mead and company, inc. dedicated to v. b. g. plate i madame geraldine farrar as thaïs in the opera of that name. it is a sketch made from life for this book. observe the gilded wig and richly embroidered gown. they are after descriptions of a costume worn by the real thaïs. it is a greek type of costume but not the familiar classic greek of sculptured story. thaïs was a reigning beauty and acted in the theatre of alexandria in the early christian era. [illustration: _sketched for "woman as decoration" by thelma cudlipp mme. geraldine farrar in greek costume as thaïs_] foreword woman as decoration is intended as a sequel to _the art of interior decoration_ (grace wood and emily burbank). having assisted in setting the stage for woman, the next logical step is the consideration of woman, herself, as an important factor in the decorative scheme of any setting,--the vital spark to animate all interior decoration, private or public. the book in hand is intended as a brief guide for the woman who would understand her own type,--make the most of it, and know how simple a matter it is to be decorative if she will but master the few rules underlying all successful dressing. as the costuming of woman is an art, the history of that art must be known--to a certain extent--by one who would be an intelligent student of our subject. with the assistance of thirty-three illustrations to throw light upon the text, we have tried to tell the beguiling story of decorative woman, as she appears in frescoes and bas reliefs of ancient egypt, on greek vases, the gothic woman in tapestry and stained glass, woman in painting, stucco and tapestry of the renaissance, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century woman in portraits. contemporary woman's costume is considered, not as fashion, but as decorative line and colour, a distinct contribution to the interior decoration of her own home or other setting. in this department, woman is given suggestions as to the costuming of herself, beautifully and appropriately, in the ball-room, at the opera, in her boudoir, sun-room or on her shaded porch; in her garden; when driving her own car; by the sea, or on the ice. woman as decoration has been planned, in part, also to fill a need very generally expressed for a handbook to serve as guide for beginners in getting up costumes for fancy-dress balls, amateur theatricals, or the professional stage. we have tried to shed light upon period costumes and point out ways of making any costume effective. costume books abound, but so far as we know, this is the first attempt to confine the vast and perplexing subject within the dimensions of a small, accessible volume devoted to the principles underlying the planning of all costumes, regardless of period. the author does not advocate the preening of her feathers as woman's sole occupation, in any age, much less at this crisis in the making of world history; but she does lay great emphasis on the fact that a woman owes it to herself, her family and the public in general, to be as decorative in any setting, as her knowledge of the art of dressing admits. this knowledge implies an understanding of line, colour, fitness, background, and above all, one's own type. to know one's type, and to have some knowledge of the principles underlying all good dressing, is of serious economic value; it means a saving of time, vitality and money. the watchword of to-day is efficiency, and the keynote to modern costuming, appropriateness. and so the spirit of the time records itself in the interesting and charming subdivision of woman's attire. one may follow woman decorative in the orient on vase, fan, screen and kakemono; as she struts in the stiff manner of egyptian bas reliefs, across walls of ancient ruins, or sits in angular serenity, gazing into the future through the narrow slits of egyptian eyes, oblivious of time; woman, beautiful in the european sense, and decorative to the superlative degree, on greek vase and sculptured wall. here in rhythmic curves, she dandles lovely cupid on her toe; serves as vestal virgin at a woodland shrine; wears the bronze helmet of minerva; makes laws, or as penelope, the wife, wearily awaits her roving lord. she moves in august majesty, a sore-tried queen, and leaps in merry laughter as a care-free slave; pipes, sings and plies the distaff. sauntering on, down through gothic europe, tudor england, the adolescent renaissance, bourbon france, into the picturesque changes of the eighteenth century, we ask, can one possibly escape our theme--woman as decoration? no, for she is carved in wood and stone; as mother of god and queen of heaven gleams in the jeweled windows of the church, looks down in placid serenity on lighted altar; is woven in tapestry, in fact dominates all art, painting, stucco or marble, throughout the ages. if one would know the story of woman's evolution and retrogression--that rising and falling tide in civilisation--we commend a study of her as she is presented in art. a knowledge of her costume frequently throws light upon her age; a thorough knowledge of her age will throw light upon her costume. a study of the essentials of any costume, of any period, trains the eye and mind to be expert in planning costumes for every-day use. one learns quickly to discriminate between details which are ornaments, because they have meaning, and those which are only illiterate superfluities; and one learns to master many other points. it is not within the province of this book to dwell at length upon national costume, but rather to follow costume as it developed with and reflected caste, after human society ceased to be all alike as to occupation, diversion and interest. in the world of caste, costume has gradually evolved until it aims through appropriateness, at assisting woman to fulfil her rôle. with peasants who know only the traditional costume of their province, the task must often be done in spite of the costume, which is picturesque or grotesque, inconvenient, even impossible; but long may it linger to divert the eye! russia, germany, france, spain, italy, poland, scandinavia,--all have an endless variety of costumes, rich in souvenirs of folk history, rainbows of colour and bizarre in line, but it is costuming the woman of fashion which claims our attention. the succeeding chapters will treat of woman, the vital spark which gives meaning to any setting--indoors, out of doors, at the opera, in the ball-room, on the ice--where you will. each chapter has to do with modern woman and the historical paragraphs are given primarily to shed light upon her costume. it is shown that woman's decorative appearance affects her psychology, and that woman's psychology affects her decorative appearance. some chapters may, at first glance, seem irrelevant, but those who have seriously studied any art, and then undertaken to tell its story briefly in simple, direct language, with the hope of quickly putting audience or reader in touch with the vital links in the chain of evidence, will understand the author's claim that no detour which illustrates the subject can in justice be termed irrelevant. in the detours often lie invaluable data, for one with a mind for research--whether author or reader. this is especially true in connection with our present task, which involves unravelling some of the threads from the tangled skein of religion, dancing, music, sculpture and painting--that mass of bright and sombre colour, of gold and silver threads, strung with pearls and glittering gems strangely broken by age--which tells the epic-lyric tale of civilisation. while we state that it is not our aim to make a point of fashion as such, some of our illustrations show contemporary woman as she appears in our homes, on our streets, at the play, in her garden, etc. we have taken examples of women's costumes which are pre-eminently characteristic of the moment in which we write, and as we believe, illustrate those laws upon which we base our deductions concerning woman as decoration. these laws are: appropriateness of her costume to the occasion; consideration of the type of wearer; background against which costume is to be worn; and all decoration (which includes jewels), as detail with _raison d'être_. the body should be carried with form (in the sporting sense), to assist in giving line to the costume. the _chic_ woman is the one who understands the art of elimination in costumes. wear your costumes with conviction--by which we mean decide what picture you will make of yourself, make it and then enjoy it! it is only by letting your personality animate your costume that you make yourself superior to the lay figure or the sawdust doll. contents chapter page foreword xi i a few hints for the novice who would plan her costumes 1 rules having economic value while aiming at decorativeness.--lines and colouring emphasised or modified by costuming.--temperaments affect carriage of the body.--line of body affects costume.--technique of controlling the physique.--the highly sensitised woman.--costuming an art.--studying types.--starring one's own good points.--beauty not so fleeting as is supposed if costume is adapted to its changing aspects.--masters in art of costuming often discover and star previously unrecognised beauty.--establishing the habit of those lines and colours in gowns, hats, gloves, parasols, sticks, fans and jewels which are your own.--the intelligent purchaser.--the best dressed women.--value of understanding one's background.--learning the art of understanding one's background.--learning the art of costuming from masters of the art.--how to proceed with this study.--successful costuming not dependent upon amount of money spent upon it.--an example ii the laws underlying all costuming of woman 23 appropriateness keynote of costuming to-day.--five salient points to be borne in mind when planning a costume.--where english, french, and american women excel in art of costuming.--feeling for line.--to make our points clear constant reference to the stage is necessary.--bakst and poiret.--turning to the orient for line and colour.--keeping costume in same key as its settings.--how to know your period; its line, colours and characteristic details.--studying costumes in gothic illuminations iii how to dress your type 46 a few points applying to all costumes.--background.--line and colour of costumes to bring out the individuality of wearer.--the chic woman defined.--intelligent expressing of self in _mise-en-scène_.--selecting one's colour scheme iv the psychology of clothes 54 effect of clothes upon manners.--the natural instinct for costuming, "clothes sense."--costuming affecting psychology of wearer.--clothes may liberate or shackle the spirit of women, be a tyrant or magician's wand.--follow colour instinct in clothes as well as housefurnishings v establish habits of carriage which create good line 66 woman's line result of habits of a mind controlled by observations, conventions, experiences and attitudes which make her personality.--training lines of physique from childhood; an example.--a knowledge of how to dress appropriately leads to efficiency vi colour in woman's costume 74 colour hall-mark of to-day.--bakst, rheinhardt and granville barker, teachers of the new colour vocabulary.--portable backgrounds vii footwear 85 importance of carefully considering extremities.--what constitutes a costume.--importance of learning how to buy, put on and wear each detail of costume if one would be a decorative picture.--spats.--stockings.--slippers.--buckles viii jewelry as decoration 94 considered as colour and line not with regard to intrinsic worth.--to complete a costume or furnish keynote upon which to build a costume.--distinguished jewels with historic associations worn artistically; examples.--know what jewels are your affair as to colour, size, and shape.--to know what one can and cannot wear in all departments of costuming prepares one to grasp and make use of expert suggestions. how fashions come into being.--one of the rules as to how jewels should be worn.--gems and paste ix woman decorative in her boudoir 111 negligée or tea-gown belongs to this intimate setting.--fortuny the artist designer of tea-gowns.--sibyl sanderson.--the decorative value of a long string of beads.--beauty which is the result of conscious effort.--_bien soiné_ a hall-mark of our period x woman decorative in her sun-room 116 since a winter sun-room is planned to give the illusion of summer, one's costuming for it should carry out the same idea.--the sun-room provides a means for using up last summer's costumes.--the hat, if worn, should suggest repose, not action.--the age and habits of those occupying a sun-room dictate the exact type of costume to be worn.--colour scheme xi i. woman decorative in her garden 124 in the garden the costume should have a decorative outline but simple colour scheme which harmonises with background of flowers.--white, grey, or one note of colour preferable.--the flowers furnish variety and colour.--lady de bathe (mrs. langtry) in her garden at newmarket, england ii. woman decorative on the lawn one may be a flower or a bunch of flowers for colour against the unbroken sweep of green underfoot and background of shrubs and trees.--chic outline and interesting detail, as well as colour, of distinct value in a costume for lawn.--how to cultivate an unerring instinct for what is a successful costume for any given occasion iii. woman decorative on the beach if one would be a contribution to the picture, figure as white or vivid colour on beach, deck of steamer or yacht xii woman as decoration when skating 134 line of the body all important.--the necessity of mastering _form_ to gain efficiency in any line; examples.--the traditional skating costume has the lead xiii woman decorative in her motor car 145 the colour of one's car inside and out important factor in effect produced by one's carefully chosen costume xiv how to go about planning a period costume 154 period.--background.--outline.--materials.--colour scheme.--detail with meaning.--authorities.--consulting portraits by great masters.--geraldine farrar.--distinguished collection of costume plates.--one result of planning period costumes is the opening up of vistas in history.--every detail of a period costume has its fascinating story worth the knowing.--brief historic outline to serve as key to the rich storehouse of important volumes on costumes and the distinguished textless books of costume plates.--period of fashions in costumes developing without nationality.--nationality declared in artistry of workmanship and the modification or exaggeration of an essential detail according to national or individual temperament.--evolution of woman's costume.--assyria.--egypt.--byzantium.- greece.--rome.--gothic europe.--europe of the renaissance,--seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century through mid-victorian period.--cord tied about waist origin of costumes for women and men xv the story of period costumes 172 a résumé. woman as seen in egyptian sculpture-relief; on greek vase; in gothic stained glass; carved stone; tapestry; stucco; and painting of the renaissance; eighteenth and nineteenth century portraits.--art throughout the ages reflects woman in every rôle; as companion, ruler, slave, saint, plaything, teacher, and voluntary worker.--evolution of outline of woman's costume, including change in neck; shoulder; evolution of sleeve; girdle; hair; head-dress; waist line; petticoat.--gradual disappearance of long, flowing lines characteristic of greek and gothic periods.--demoralisation of nature's shoulder and hip-line culminates in the velasquez edition of spanish fashion and the marie antoinette extravaganzas xvi development of gothic costume 192 gothic outline first seen as early as fourth century.--costume of roman-christian women.--ninth century.--the gothic cape of twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries made familiar on the virgin and saints in sacred art.--the tunic.--restraint in line, colour, and detail gradually disappear with increased circulation of wealth until in fifteenth century we see humanity over-weighted with rich brocades, laces, massive jewels, etc. the virgin in art late middle ages.--sovereignty of the virgin as explained in "the cathedrals of mont st. michel and chartres," by henry adams.--woman as the virgin dominates art of twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries.--the girdle.--the round neck.--the necklace, etc. xvii the renaissance 214 sixteenth and seventeenth centuries pointed and other head-dresses with floating veils.--neck low off shoulders.--skirts part as waist-line over petticoat.--wealth of roman empire through new trade channels had led to importation of richly coloured oriental stuffs.--same wealth led to establishing looms in europe.--clothes of man like his over-ornate furniture show debauched and vulgar taste.--the good gothic lines live on in costumes of nuns and priests.--the davanzati palace collection, florence, italy.--long pointed shoes of the middle ages give way to broad square ones.--gorgeous materials.--hats.--hair.--sleeves.- skirts.--crinolines.--coats.--overskirts draped to develop into panniers of marie antoinette's time.--directoire reaction to simple lines and materials xvii eighteenth century 233 political upheavals.--scientific discoveries.--mechanical inventions.--chemical achievements.--chintz or stamped linens of jouy near versailles.--painted wall-papers after the chinese.--simplicity in costuming of woman and man xix woman in the victorian period 241 first seventy years of nineteenth century.--"historic dress in america" by elizabeth mcclellan.--hoops, wigs, absurdly furbished head-dresses, paper-soled shoes, bonnets enormous, laces of cobweb, shawls from india, rouge and hair-grease, patches and powder, laced waists, and "vapours."--man still decorative xx sex in costuming 244 "european dress."--progenitor of costume worn by modern men.--the time when no distinction was made between materials used for man and woman.--velvets, silks, satins, laces, elaborate cuffs and collars, embroidery, jewels and plumes as much his as hers xxi line and colour of costumes in hungary 252 in a sense colour a sign of virility.--examples.--studying line and colour in magyar land.--in krakau, poland,--a highly decorative polish peasant and her setting xxii studying line and colour in russia 265 kiev our headquarters.--slav temperament an integral part of russian nature expressed in costuming as well as folk songs and dances of the people.--russian woman of the fashionable world.--the russian pilgrims as we saw them tramping over the frozen roads to the shrines of kiev, the holy city and ancient capital of russia at the close of the lenten season.--their costumes and their psychology xxiii mark twain's love of colour in all costuming 276 wrapped in a crimson silk dressing-gown on a balcony of his italian villa in connecticut, mark twain dilated on the value of brilliant colour in man's costuming.--his creative, picturing-making mind in action.--other themes followed xxiv the artist and his costume 283 a god-given sense of the beautiful.--the artist nature has always assumed poetic license in the matter of dress.--many so-called affectations have _raison d'être_.--responding to texture, colour and line as some do to music and scenery.--how japanese actors train themselves to act women's parts by wearing woman's costumes off the stage.--this cultivates the required _feeling_ for the costumes.--the woman devotee to sports when costumed.--richard wagner's responsiveness to colour and texture.--clyde fitch's sensitiveness to the same.--the wearing of jewels by men.--king edward vii.--a remarkable topaz worn by a spaniard.--its undoing as a decorative object through its resetting xxv idiosyncrasies in costume 292 fashions in dress all powerful because they seize upon the public mind.--they become the symbol of manners and affect human psychology.--affectations of the youth of athens.--les merveilleux, les encroyables, the illuminati.--schiller during the storm and stress period.--venetian belles of the sixteenth century.--the _cavalier servente_ of the seventeenth century.--mme. récamier scandalised london in eighteenth century by appearing costumed à la greque.--mme. jerome bonaparte, a baltimore belle, followed suit in philadelphia.--hour-glass waist-line and attendant "vapours" were thought to be in the rôle of a high-born victorian miss.--appropriateness the contribution of our day to the story of woman's costuming xxvi nationality in costume 296 when seen with perspective the costumes of various periods appear as distinct types though to the man or woman of any particular period the variations of the type are bewildering and misleading.--having followed the evolution of the costume of woman of fashion which comes under the general head of european dress, before closing we turn to quite another field, that of national costumes.--progress levels national differences, therefore the student must make the most of opportunities to observe.--experiences in hungary xxvii models 306 historical interest attaches to fashions in woman's costuming.--one of the missions of art is to make subtle the obvious.--examples as seen in 1917 xxviii woman costumed for her war job 313 the pageant of life shows that woman has played opposite man with consistency and success throughout the ages.--apropos of this, we quote from philadelphia _public ledger_, for march 25, 1917, an impression of a woman of to-day costumed appropriately to get efficiency in her war work in conclusion 324 a brief review of the chief points to be kept in mind by those interested in the costuming of woman so that she figures as a decorative contribution to any setting illustrations i mme. geraldine farrar in greek costume as thaïs (_frontispiece_) vi sketched by thelma cudlipp ii woman in ancient egyptian sculpture-relief 9 iii woman in greek art 19 iv woman on greek vase 29 v woman in gothic art 39 portrait showing pointed head-dress vi woman in art of the renaissance 49 sculpture-relief in terra-cotta: the virgin vii woman in art of the renaissance 59 sculpture-relief in terra-cotta: holy women viii tudor england 69 portrait of queen elizabeth ix spain--velasquez portrait 79 x eighteenth century england 89 portrait by thomas gainsborough xi bourbon france 99 portrait of marie antoinette by madame vigée le brun xii costume of empire period 109 an english portrait xiii eighteenth century costume 119 portrait by gilbert stuart xiv victorian period (about 1840) 129 mme. adeline genée in costume xv late nineteenth century (about 1890) 139 a portrait by john s. sargent xvi a modern portrait 149 by john w. alexander xvii a portrait of mrs. philip m. lydig 159 by i. zuloaga xviii mrs. langtry (lady de bathe) in evening wrap 169 xix mrs. condé nast in street dress 179 photograph by baron de meyer xx mrs. condé nast in evening dress 189 xxi mrs. condé nast in garden costume 199 xxii mrs. condé nast in fortuny tea gown 209 xxiii mrs. vernon castle in ball costume 219 xxiv mrs. vernon castle in afternoon costume--winter 229 xxv mrs. vernon castle in afternoon costume--summer 239 xxvi mrs. vernon castle costumed à la guerre for a walk 249 xxvii mrs. vernon castle--a fantasy 259 xxviii modern skating costume--1917 269 winner of amateur championship of fancy skating xxix a modern silhouette--1917 279 tailor-made drawn from life by elisabeth searcy xxx tappé's creations 289 sketched for _woman as decoration_ by thelma cudlipp xxxi miss elsie de wolfe in costume of red cross nurse 299 xxxii mme. geraldine farrar in spanish costume as carmen 309 from photograph by courtesy of _vanity fair_ xxxiii mme. geraldine farrar in japanese costume as madame butterfly 319 sketched by thelma cudlipp "the communion of men upon earth abhors identity more than nature does a vacuum. nothing so shocks and repels the living soul as a row of exactly similar things, whether it consists of modern houses or of modern people, and nothing so delights and edifies as distinction." coventry patmore. "whatever piece of dress conceals a woman's figure, is bound, in justice, to do so in a picturesque way." _from an early victorian fashion paper._ "when was that 'simple time of our fathers' when people were too sensible to care for fashions? it certainly was before the pharaohs, and perhaps before the glacial epoch." w. g. sumner, in _folkways_. chapter i a few hints for the novice who would plan her costumes there are a few rules with regard to the costuming of woman which if understood put one a long way on the road toward that desirable goal--decorativeness, and have economic value as well. they are simple rules deduced by those who have made a study of woman's lines and colouring, and how to emphasise or modify them by dress. temperaments are seriously considered by experts in this art, for the carriage of a woman and her manner of wearing her clothes depends in part upon her temperament. some women instinctively _feel_ line and are graceful in consequence, as we have said, but where one is not born with this instinct, it is possible to become so thoroughly schooled in the technique of controlling the physique--poise of the body, carriage of the head, movement of the limbs, use of feet and hands, that a sense of line is acquired. study portraits by great masters, the movements of those on the stage, the carriage and positions natural to graceful women. a graceful woman is invariably a woman highly sensitised, but remember that "alive to the finger tips"--or toe tips, may be true of the woman with few gestures, a quiet voice and measured words, as well as the intensely active type. the highly sensitised woman is the one who will wear her clothes with individuality, whether she be rounded or slender. to dress well is an art, and requires concentration as any other art does. you know the old story of the boy, who when asked why his necktie was always more neatly tied than those of his companions, answered: "i put my whole mind on it." there you have it! the woman who puts her whole mind on the costuming of herself is naturally going to look better than the woman who does not, and having carefully studied her type, she will know her strong points and her weak ones, and by accentuating the former, draw attention from the latter. there is a great difference, however, between concentrating on dress until an effect is achieved, and then turning the mind to other subjects, and that tiresome dawdling, indefinite, fruitless way, to arrive at no convictions. this variety of woman never gets dress off her chest. the catechism of good dressing might be given in some such form as this: are you fat? if so, never try to look thin by compressing your figure or confining your clothes in such a way as to clearly outline the figure. take a chance from your size. aim at long lines, and what dressmakers call an "easy fit," and the use of solid colours. stripes, checks, plaids, spots and figures of any kind draw attention to dimensions; a very fat woman looks larger if her surface is marked off into many spaces. likewise a very thin woman looks thinner if her body on the imagination of the public _subtracting_ is marked off into spaces absurdly few in number. a beautifully proportioned and rounded figure is the one to indulge in striped, checked, spotted or flowered materials or any parti-coloured costumes. * * * * * never try to make a thin woman look anything but thin. often by accentuating her thinness, a woman can make an effect as _type_, which gives her distinction. if she were foolish enough to try to look fatter, her lines would be lost without attaining the contour of the rounded type. there are of course fashions in types; pale ash blonds, red-haired types (auburn or golden red with shell pink complexions), dark haired types with pale white skin, etc., and fashions in figures are as many and as fleeting. artists are sometimes responsible for these vogues. one hears of the rubens type, or the sir joshua reynolds, hauptner, burne-jones, greuse, henner, zuloaga, and others. the artist selects the type and paints it, the attention of the public is attracted to it and thereafter singles it out. we may prefer soft, round blonds with dimpled smiles, but that does not mean that such indisputable loveliness can challenge the attractions of a slender serpentine tragedy-queen, if the latter has established the vogue of her type through the medium of the stage or painter's brush. a woman well known in the world of fashion both sides of the atlantic, slender and very tall, has at times deliberately increased that height with a small high-crowned hat, surmounted by a still higher feather. she attained distinction without becoming a caricature, by reason of her obvious breeding and reserve. here is an important point. a woman of quiet and what we call conservative type, can afford to wear conspicuous clothes if she wishes, whereas a conspicuous type _must_ be reserved in her dress. by following this rule the overblown rose often makes herself beautiful. study all types of woman. beauty is a wonderful and precious thing, and not so fleeting either as one is told. the point is, to take note, not of beauty's departure, but its gradually changing aspect, and adapt costume, line and colour, to the demands of each year's alterations in the individual. make the most of grey hair; as you lose your colour, soften your tones. always star your points. if you happen to have an unusual amount of hair, make it count, even though the fashion be to wear but little. we recall the beautiful and unique madame x. of paris, blessed by the gods with hair like bronze, heavy, long, silken and straight. she wore it wrapped about her head and finally coiled into a french twist on the top, the effect closely resembling an old roman helmet. this was design, not chance, and her well-modeled features were the sort to stand the severe coiffure, madame's husband, always at her side that season on lake lucerne, was curator of the louvre. we often wondered whether the idea was his or hers. she invariably wore white, not a note of colour, save her hair; even her well-bred fox terrier was snowy white. worth has given distinction to more than one woman by recognising her possibilities, if kept to white, black, greys and mauves. a beautiful englishwoman dressed by this establishment, always a marked figure at whatever embassy her husband happens to be posted, has never been seen wearing anything in the evening but black, or white, with very simple lines, cut low and having a narrow train. plate ii woman in ancient egyptian sculpture-relief about 1000 b.c. we have here a husband and wife. (metropolitan museum.) [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman in ancient egyptian sculpture-relief_] it may take courage on the part of dressmaker, as well as the woman in question, but granted you have a distinct style of your own, and understand it, it is the part of wisdom to establish the habit of those lines and colours which are yours, and then to avoid experiments with _outré_ lines and shades. they are almost sure to prove failures. taking on a colour and its variants is an economic, as well as an artistic measure. some women have so systematised their costuming in order to be decorative, at the least possible expenditure of vitality and time (these are the women who dress to live, not live to dress), that they know at a glance, if dress materials, hats, gloves, jewels, colour of stones and style of setting, are for them. it is really a joy to shop with this kind of woman. she has definitely fixed in her mind the colours and lines of her rooms, all her habitual settings, and the clothes and accessories best _for her_. and with the eye of an artist, she passes swiftly by the most alluring bargains, calculated to undermine firm resolution. in fact one should not say that this woman shops; she buys. what is more, she never wastes money, though she may spend it lavishly. some of the best dressed women (by which we always mean women dressed fittingly for the occasion, and with reference to their own particular types) are those with decidedly limited incomes. there are women who suggest chiffon and others brocade; women who call for satin, and others for silk; women for sheer muslins, and others for heavy linen weaves; women for straight brims, and others for those that droop; women for leghorns, and those they do not suit; women for white furs, and others for tawny shades. a woman with red in her hair is the one to wear red fox. if you cannot see for yourself what line and colour do to you, surely you have some friend who can tell you. in any case, there is always the possibility of paying an expert for advice. allow yourself to be guided in the reaching of some decision about yourself and your limitations, as well as possibilities. you will by this means increase your decorativeness, and what is of more serious importance, your economic value. a marked example of woman decorative was seen on the recent occasion when miss isadora duncan danced at the metropolitan opera house, for the benefit of french artists and their families, victims of the present war. miss duncan was herself so marvelous that afternoon, as she poured her art, aglow and vibrant with genius, into the mould of one classic pose after another, that most of her audience had little interest in any other personality, or effect. some of us, however, when scanning the house between the acts, had our attention caught and held by a charmingly decorative woman occupying one of the boxes, a quaint outline in silver-grey taffeta, exactly matching the shade of the woman's hair, which was cut in florentine fashion forming an aureole about her small head,--a becoming frame for her fine, highly sensitive face. the deep red curtains and upholstery in the box threw her into relief, a lovely miniature, as seen from a distance. there were no doubt other charming costumes in the boxes and stalls that afternoon, but none so successful in registering a distinct decorative effect. the one we refer to was suitable, becoming, individual, and reflected personality in a way to indicate an extraordinary sensitiveness to values, that subtle instinct which makes the artist. with very young women it is easy to be decorative under most conditions. almost all of them are decorative, as seen in our present fashions, but to produce an effect in an opera box is to understand the _carrying power_ of colour and line. the woman in the opera box has the same problem to solve as the woman on the stage: her costume must be effective at a distance. such a costume may be white, black and any colour; gold, silver, steel or jet; lace, chiffon--what you will--provided the fact be kept in mind that your outline be striking and the colour an agreeable contrast against the lining of the box. here, outline is of chief importance, the silhouette must be definite; hair, ornaments, fan, cut of gown, calculated to register against the background. in the stalls, colour and outline of any single costume become a part of the mass of colour and black and white of the audience. it is difficult to be a decorative factor under these conditions, yet we can all recall women of every age, who so costume themselves as to make an artistic, memorable impression, not only when entering opera, theatre or concert hall, but when seated. these are the women who understand the value of elimination, restraint, colour harmony and that chic which results in part from faultless grooming. to-day it is not enough to possess hair which curls ideally: it must, willy nilly, curl conventionally! if it is necessary, prudent or wise that your purchases for each season include not more than six new gowns, take the advice of an actress of international reputation, who is famous for her good dressing in private life, and make a point of adding one new gown to each of the six departments of your wardrobe. then have the cleverness to appear in these costumes whenever on view, making what you have fill in between times. to be clear, we would say, try always to begin a season with one distinguished evening gown, one smart tailor suit, one charming house gown, one tea gown, one negligée and one sport suit. if you are needing many dancing frocks, which have hard wear, get a simple, becoming model, which your little dressmaker, seamstress or maid can copy in inexpensive but becoming colours. you can do this in summer and winter alike, and with dancing frocks, tea gowns, negligées and even sport suits. that is, if you have smart, up-to-date models to copy. one woman we know bought the finest quality jersey cloth by the yard, and had a little dressmaker copy exactly a very expensive skirt and sweater. it seems incredible, but she saved on a ready made suit exactly like it forty dollars, and on one made to measure by an exclusive house, one hundred dollars! remember, however, that there was an artist back of it all and someone had to pay for that perfect model, to start with. in the case we cite, the woman had herself bought the original sport suit from an importer who is always in advance with paris models. if you cannot buy the designs and workmanship of artists, take advantage of all opportunities to see them; hats and gowns shown at openings, or when your richer friends are ordering. in this way you will get ideas to make use of and you will avoid looking home-made, than which, no more damning phrase can be applied to any costume. as a matter of fact it implies a hat or gown lacking an artist's touch and describes many a one turned out by long-established and largely patronised firms. plate iii a greek vase. dionysiac scenes about 460 b.c. interesting costumes. (metropolitan museum.) [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman on greek vase_] the only satisfactory copy of a fortuny tea gown we have ever seen accomplished away from the supervision of fortuny himself, was the exquisite hand-work of a young american woman who lives in new york, and makes her own gowns and hats, because her interest and talent happen to be in that direction. she told a group of friends the other day, to whom she was showing a dainty chiffon gown, posed on a form, that to her, the planning and making of a lovely costume had the same thrilling excitement that the painting of a picture had for the artist in the field of paint and canvas. this same young woman has worked constantly since the european war began, both in london and new york, on the shapeless surgical shirts used by the wounded soldiers. in this, does she outrank her less accomplished sisters? yes, for the technique she has achieved by making her own costumes makes her swift and economical, both in the cutting of her material and in the actual sewing and she is invaluable as a buyer of materials. chapter ii the laws underlying all costuming of woman that every costume is either right or wrong is not a matter of general knowledge. "it will do," or "it is near enough" are verdicts responsible for beauty hidden and interest destroyed. who has not witnessed the mad mental confusion of women and men put to it to decide upon costumes for some fancy-dress ball, and the appalling ignorance displayed when, at the costumer's, they vaguely grope among battered-looking garments, accepting those proffered, not really knowing how the costume they ask for should look? absurd mistakes in period costumes are to be taken more or less seriously according to temperament. but where is the fair woman who will say that a failure to emerge from a dressmaker's hands in a successful costume is not a tragedy? yet we know that the average woman, more often than not, stands stupefied before the infinite variety of materials and colours of our twentieth century, and unless guided by an expert, rarely presents the figure, _chez-elle_, or when on view in public places, which she would or could, if in possession of the few rules underlying all successful dressing, whatever the century or circumstances. six salient points are to be borne in mind when planning a costume, whether for a fancy-dress ball or to be worn as one goes about one's daily life: * * * * * first, appropriateness to occasion, station and age; second, character of background you are to appear against (your setting); third, what outline you wish to present to observers (the period of costume); fourth, what materials of those in use during period selected you will choose; fifth, what colours of those characteristic of period you will use; sixth, the distinction between those details which are obvious contributions to the costume, and those which are superfluous, because meaningless or line-destroying. * * * * * let us remind our reader that the woman who dresses in perfect taste often spends far less money than she who has contracted the habit of indefiniteness as to what she wants, what she should want, and how to wear what she gets. where one woman has used her mind and learned beyond all wavering what she can and what she cannot wear, thousands fill the streets by day and places of amusement by night, who blithely carry upon their persons costumes which hide their good points and accentuate their bad ones. the _rara avis_ among women is she who always presents a fashionable outline, but so subtly adapted to her own type that the impression made is one of distinct individuality. one knows very well how little the average costume counts in a theatre, opera house or ball-room. it is a question of background again. also you will observe that the costume which counts most individually, is the one in a key higher or lower than the average, as with a voice in a crowded room. the chief contribution of our day to the art of making woman decorative is the quality of appropriateness. i refer of course to the woman who lives her life in the meshes of civilisation. we have defined the smart woman as she who wears the costume best suited to each occasion when that occasion presents itself. accepting this definition, we must all agree that beyond question the smartest women, as a nation, are english women, who are so fundamentally convinced as to the invincible law of appropriateness that from the cradle to the grave, with them evening means an evening gown; country clothes are suited to country uses and a tea-gown is not a bedroom negligée. not even in rome can they be prevailed upon "to do as the romans do." apropos of this we recall an experience in scotland. a house party had gathered for the shooting,--english men and women. among the guests were two americans; done to a turn by redfern. it really turned out to be a tragedy, as they saw it, for though their cloth skirts were short, they were silk-lined; outing shirts were of crêpe--not flannel; tan boots, but thinly soled; hats most chic, but the sort that drooped in a mist. well, those two american girls had to choose between long days alone, while the rest tramped the moors, or to being togged out in borrowed tweeds, flannel shirts and thick-soled boots. plate iv greek kylix. signed by hieron, about 400 b.c. athenian. the woman wears one of the gowns fortuny (paris) has reproduced as a modern tea gown. it is in two pieces. the characteristic short tunic reaches just below waist line in front and hangs in long, fine pleats (sometimes cascaded folds) under the arms, the ends of which reach below knees. the material is not cut to form sleeves; instead two oblong pieces of material are held together by small fastenings at short intervals, showing upper arm through intervening spaces. the result in appearance is similar to a kimono sleeve. (metropolitan museum.) [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman in greek art about 400 b.c._] that was some years back. we are a match for england to-day, in the open, but have a long way to go before we wear with equal conviction, and therefore easy grace, tea-gown and evening dress. both _how_ and _when_ still annoy us as a nation. on the street we are supreme when _tailleur_. in carriage attire the french woman is supreme, by reason of that innate latin coquetry which makes her _feel_ line and its significance. the ideal pose for any hat is a french secret. the average woman is partially aware that if she would be a decorative being, she must grasp conclusively two points: first, the limitations of her natural outline; secondly, a knowledge of how nearly she can approach the outline demanded by fashion without appearing a caricature, which is another way of saying that each woman should learn to recognise her own type. the discussion of silhouette has become a popular theme. in fact it would be difficult to find a maker of women's costumes so remote and unread as not to have seized and imbedded deep in her vocabulary that mystic word. to make our points clear, constant reference to the stage is necessary; for from stage effects we are one and all free to enjoy and learn. nowhere else can the woman see so clearly presented the value of having what she wears harmonise with the room she wears it in, and the occasion for which it is worn. not all plays depicting contemporary life are plays of social life, staged and costumed in a chic manner. what is taught by the modern stage, as shown by bakst, reinhardt, barker, urban, jones, the portmanteau theatre and washington square players, is _values_, as the artist uses the term--not fashions; the relative importance of background, outline, colour, texture of material and how to produce harmonious effects by the judicious combination of furnishings and costumes. to-day, when we want to say that a costume or the interior decoration of a house is the last word in modern line and colour, we are apt to call it à la bakst, meaning of course leon bakst, whose american "poster" was the russian ballet. if you have not done so already, buy or borrow the wonderful bakst book, showing reproductions in their colours of his extraordinary drawings, the originals of which are owned by private individuals or museums, in paris, petrograd, london, and new york. they are _outré_ to a degree, yet each one suggests the whole or parts of costumes for modern woman--adorable lines, unbelievable combinations of colour! no wonder poiret, the paris dressmaker, seized upon bakst as designer (or was it bakst who seized upon poiret?). bakst got his inspiration in the orient. as a bit of proof, for your own satisfaction, there is a book entitled _six monuments of chinese sculpture_, by edward chauvannes, published in 1914, by g. van oest & cie., of brussels and paris. the author, with a highly commendable desire to perpetuate for students a record of the most ancient speciments of chinese sculpture, brought to paris and sold there, from time to time, to art-collectors, from all over the world; selected six fine speciments as theme of text and for illustrations. plate 23 in this collection shows a woman whose costume in _outline_ might have been taken from bakst or even vogue. but put it the other way round: the vogue artist to-day--we use the word as a generic term--finds inspiration through museums and such works as the above. this is particularly true as our little handbook goes into print, for the reason that the great war between the central powers and the entente has to a certain extent checked the invention and material output of europe, and driven designers of and dealers in costumes for women, to china and japan. our great-great-grandmothers here in america wore paris fashions shown on the imported fashion dolls and made up in brocades from china, by the colonial mantua makers. so we are but repeating history. to-day, war, which means horror, ugliness, loss of ideals and illusions, holds most of the world in its grasp, and we find creative artists--apostles of the beautiful, seeking the orient because it is remote from the great world struggle. we hear that edmund dulac (who has shown in a superlative manner, woman decorative, when illustrating the _arabian nights_ and other well-known books), is planning a flight to the orient. he says that he longs to bury himself far from carnage, in the hope of wooing back his muse. if this subject of background, line and colour, in relation to costuming of woman, interests you, there are many ways of getting valuable points. one of them, as we have said, is to walk through galleries looking at pictures only as decorations; that is, colour and line against the painter's background. fashions change, in dress, arrangement of hair, jewels, etc., but this does not affect values. it is _la ligne_, the grand gesture, or line fraught with meaning and balance and harmony of colour. the reader knows the colour scheme of her own rooms and the character of gowns she is planning, and for suggestions as to interesting colour against colour, she can have no higher authority than the experience of recognised painters. some develop rapidly in this study of values. if your rooms are so-called period rooms, you need not of necessity dress in period costumes, but what is extremely important, if you would not spoil your period room, nor fail to be a decorative contribution when in it, is that you make a point of having the colour and texture of your house gowns in the same key as the hangings and upholstery of your room. white is safe in any room, black is at times too strong. it depends in part upon the size of your room. if it is small and in soft tones, delicate harmonising shades will not obtrude themselves as black can and so reduce the effect of space. this is the case not only with black, but with emerald green, decided shades of red, royal blue, and purple or deep yellows. if artistic creations, these colours are all decorative in a room done in light tones, provided the room is large. a louis xvi salon is far more beautiful if the costumes are kept in louis xvi colouring and all details, such as lace, jewelry, fans, etc., kept strictly within the picture; fine in design, delicate in colouring, workmanship and quality of material. beyond these points one may follow the outline demanded by the fashion of the moment, if desired. but remember that a beautiful, interesting room, furnished with works of art, demands a beautiful, interesting costume, if the woman in question would sustain the impression made by her rooms, to the arranging of which she has given thought, time and vitality, to say nothing of financial outlay; she must take her own decorative appearance seriously. plate v example of the pointed head-dress, carefully concealed hair (in certain countries at certain periods of history, a sign of modesty), round necklace and very long close sleeves characteristic of fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. observe angle at which head-dress is worn. [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman in gothic art portrait showing pointed head-dress_] the writer has passed wonderful hours examining rare illuminated manuscripts of the middle ages (twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries), missals, "hours" of the virgin, and breviaries, for the sole purpose of studying woman's costumes,--their colour, line and details, as depicted by the old artists. gothic costumes in gothic interiors, and early renaissance costumes in renaissance interiors. the art of moderns in various media, has taken from these creations of mediæval genius, more than is generally realized. we were looking at a rare illuminated gothic manuscript recently, from which william morris drew inspirations and ideas for the books he made. it is a monumental achievement of the twelfth century, a mass book, written and illuminated in flanders; at one time in the possession of a cistercian monastery, but now one of the treasures in the noted private collection made by the late j. pierpont morgan. the pages are of vellum and the illuminations show the figures of saints in jewel-like colours on backgrounds of pure gold leaf. the binding of this book,--sides of wood, held together by heavy white vellum, hand-tooled with clasps of thin silver, is the work of morris himself and very characteristic of his manner. he patterned his hand-made books after these great models, just as he worked years to duplicate some wonderful old piece of furniture, realising so well the magic which lies in consecrated labour, that labour which takes no account of time, nor pay, but is led on by the vision of perfection possessing the artist's soul. we know women who have copied the line, colour and material of costumes depicted in gothic illuminations that they might be in harmony with their own gothic rooms. one woman familiar with this art, has planned a frankly modern room, covering her walls with gold japanese fibre, gilding her woodwork and doors, using the brilliant blues, purples and greens of the old illuminations in her hangings, upholstery and cushions, and as a striking contribution to the decorative scheme, costumes herself in white, some soft, clinging material such as crêpe de chine, liberty satin or chiffon velvet, which take the mediæval lines, in long folds. she wears a silver girdle formed of the hand-made clasps of old religious books, and her rings, neck chains and earrings are all of hand-wrought silver, with precious stones cut in the ancient way and irregularly set. this woman got her idea of the effectiveness of white against gold from an ancient missal in a famous private collection, which shows the saints all clad in marvellous white against gold leaf. whistler's house at 2 cheyne road, london, had a room the dado and doors of which were done in gold, on which he and two of his pupils painted the scattered petals of white and pink chrysanthemums. possibly a persian or japanese effect, as whistler leaned that way, but one sees the same idea in an illumination of the early sixteenth century; "hours" of the virgin and breviary, made for eleanor of portugal, queen of john ii. the decorations here are in the style of the renaissance, not gothic, and some think memling had a hand in the work. the borders of the illumination, characteristic of the bruges school, are gold leaf on which is painted, in the most realistic way, an immense variety of single flowers, small roses, pansies, violets, daisies, etc., and among them butterflies and insects. this border surrounds the pictures which illustrate the text. always the marvellous colour, the astounding skill in laying it on to the vellum pages, an unforgettable lesson in the possibility of colour applied effectively to costumes, when background is kept in mind. this breviary was bound in green velvet and clasped with hand-wrought silver, for cardinal rodrigue de castro (1520-1600) of spain. it is now in the private collection of mr. morgan. the cover alone gives one great emotion, genuine ancient velvet of the sixteenth century, to imitate which taxes the ingenuity of the most skilful of modern manufacturers. chapter iii how to dress your type _a few points applying to all costumes_ needless to say, when considering woman's costumes, for ordinary use, in their relation to background, unless some chameleon-like material be invented to take on the colour of _any_ background, one must be content with the consideration of one's own rooms, porches, garden, opera-box or automobile, etc. for a gown to be worn when away from home, when lunching, at receptions or dinners, the first consideration must be _becomingness_,--a careful selection of line and colour that bring out the individuality of the wearer. when away from one's own setting, personality is one of the chief assets of every woman. remember, individuality is nature's gift to each human being. some are more markedly different than others, but we have all seen a so-called colourless woman transformed into surprising loveliness when dressed by an artist's instinct. a delicate type of blond, with fair hair, quiet eyes and faint shell-pink complexion, can be snuffed out by too strong colours. remember that your ethereal blond is invariably at her best in white, black (never white and black in combination unless black with soft white collars and frills) and delicate pastel shades. plate vi fifteenth-century costume. "virgin and child" in painted terra-cotta. it is by andrea verrocchio, and now in metropolitan museum. we have here an illustration of the costume, so often shown on the person of the virgin in the art of the middle ages. [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman in art of the renaissance sculpture-relief in terra-cotta: the virgin_] the richly-toned brunette comes into her own in reds, yellows and low-tones of strong blue. colourless jewels should adorn your perfect blond, colourful gems your glowing brunette. what of those betwixt and between? in such cases let complexion and colour of eyes act as guide in the choice of colours. one is familiar with various trite rules such as match the eyes, carry out the general scheme of your colouring, by which is meant, if you are a yellow blond, go in for yellows, if your hair is ash-brown, your eyes but a shade deeper, and your skin inclined to be lifeless in tone, wear beaver browns and content yourself with making a record in _harmony_, with no contrasting note. just here let us say that the woman in question must at the very outset decide whether she would look pretty or chic, sacrificing the one for the other, or if she insists upon both, carefully arrange a compromise. as for example, combine a semi-picture hat with a semi-tailored dress. the strictly chic woman of our day goes in for appropriateness; the lines of the latest fashion, but adapted to bring out her own best points, while concealing her bad ones, and an insistance upon a colour and a shade of colour, sufficiently definite to impress the beholder at a glance. this type of woman as a rule keeps to a few colours, possibly one or two and their varieties, and prefers gowns of one material rather than combinations of materials. though she possess both style and beauty, she elects to emphasise style. in the case of the other woman, who would star her face at the expense of her _tout ensemble_, colour is her first consideration, multiplication of detail and intelligent expressing of herself in her _mise-en-scène_. _seduisant_, instead of _chic_ is the word for this woman. your black-haired woman with white skin and dark, brilliant eyes, is the one who can best wear emerald green and other strong colours. the now fashionable mustard, sage green, and bright magentas are also the _affaire_ of this woman with clear skin, brilliant colour and sparkling eyes. these same colours, if subdued, are lovely on the middle-aged woman with black hair, quiet eyes and pale complexion, but if her hair is grey or white, mustard and sage green are not for her, and the magenta must be the deep purplish sort, which combines with her violets and mauves, or delicate pinks and faded blues. she will be at her best in shades of grey which tone with her hair. chapter iv the psychology of clothes has the reader ever observed the effect of clothes upon manners? it is amazing, and only proves how pathetically childlike human nature is. put any woman into a marie antoinette costume and see how, during an evening she will gradually take on the mannerisms of that time. this very point was brought up recently in conversation with an artist, who in referring to one of the most successful costume balls ever given in new york--the crinoline ball at the old astor house--spoke of how our unromantic wall street men fell to the spell of stocks, ruffled shirts and knickerbockers, and as the evening advanced, were quite themselves in the minuette and polka, bowing low in solemn rigidity, leading their lady with high arched arm, grasping her pinched-in waist, and swinging her beruffled, crinolined form in quite the 1860 manner. some women, even girls of tender years, have a natural instinct for costuming themselves, so that they contribute in a decorative way to any setting which chance makes theirs. watch children "dressing up" and see how among a large number, perhaps not more than one of them will have this gift for effects. it will be she who knows at a glance which of the available odds and ends she wants for herself, and with a sure, swift hand will wrap a bright shawl about her, tie a flaming bit of silk about her dark head, and with an assumed manner, born of her garb, cast a magic spell over the small band which she leads on, to that which, without her intense conviction and their susceptibility to her mental attitude toward the masquerade, could never be done. this illustrates the point we would make as to the effect of clothes upon psychology. the actor's costume affects the real actor's psychology as much or more than it does that of his audience. he _is_ the man he has made himself appear. the writer had the experience of seeing a well-known opera singer, when a victim to a bad case of the grippe, leave her hotel voiceless, facing a matinee of _juliet_. arrived in her dressing-room at the opera, she proceeded to change into the costume for the first act. under the spell of her rôle, that prima donna seemed literally to shed her malady with her ordinary garments, and to take on health and vitality with her _juliet_ robes. even in the waltz song her voice did not betray her, and apparently no critic detected that she was indisposed. in speaking of periods in furniture, we said that their story was one of waves of types which repeated themselves, reflecting the ages in which they prevailed. with clothes we find it is the same thing: the scarlet, and silver and gold of the early jacobeans, is followed by the drabs and greys of the commonwealth; the marvellous colour of the church, where beauty was enthroned, was stamped out by the iron will of cromwell who, in setting up his standard of revolt, wrapped soul and body of the new faith in penal shades. new england was conceived in this spirit and as mind had affected the colour of the puritans' clothes, so in turn the drab clothes, prescribed by their new creed, helped to remove colour from the new england mind and nature. plate vii fifteenth-century costumes on the holy women at the tomb of our lord. the sculpture relief is enamelled terra-cotta in white, blue, green, yellow and manganese colours. it bears the date 1487. note character of head-dresses, arrangement of hair, capes and gowns which are early renaissance. (metropolitan museum.) [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _woman in art of the renaissance sculpture-relief in terra-cotta: holy women_] but observe how, as prosperity follows privation, the mind expands, reaching out for what the changed psychology demands. it is the old story of rome grown rich and gay in mood and dress. there were of course, villains in puritan drab and grecian white, but the child in every man takes symbol for fact. so it is that to-day, some shudder with the belief that beauty, re-enthroned in all her gorgeous modern hues, means near disaster. the progressives claim that into the world has come a new hope; that beneath our lovely clothes of rainbow tints, and within our homes where beauty surely reigns, a new psychology is born to radiate colour from within. our advice to the woman not born with clothes sense, is: employ experts until you acquire a mental picture of your possibilities and limitations, or buy as you can afford to, good french models, under expert supervision. you may never turn out to be an artist in the treatment of your appearance, instinctively knowing how a prevailing fashion in line and colour may be adapted to you, but you can be taught what your own type is, what your strong points are, your weak ones, and how, while accentuating the former, you may obliterate the latter. there are two types of women familiar to all of us: the one gains in vital charm and abandon of spirit from the consciousness that she is faultlessly gowned; the other succumbs to self-consciousness and is pitifully unable to extricate her mood from her material trappings. for the darling of the gods who walks through life on clouds, head up and spirit-free, who knows she is perfectly turned out and lets it go at that, we have only grateful applause. she it is who carries every occasion she graces--indoors, out-of-doors, at home, abroad. may her kind be multiplied! but to the other type, she who droops under her silks and gold tissue, whose pearls are chains indeed, we would throw out a lifeline. submerged by clothes, the more she struggles to rise above them the more her spirit flags. the case is this: the woman's _mind_ is wrong; her clothes are right--lovely as ever seen; her jewels gems; her house and car and dog the best. it is her _mind_ that is wrong; it is turned _in_, instead of _out_. now this intense and soul-, as well as line-destroying self-consciousness, may be prenatal, and it may result from the puritan attitude toward beauty; that old new england point of view that the beautiful and the vicious are akin. every young child needs to have cultivated a certain degree of self-reliance. to know that one's appearance is pleasing, to put it mildly, is of inestimable value when it comes to meeting the world. every child, if normal, has its good points--hair, eyes, teeth, complexion or figure; and we all know that many a stage beauty has been built up on even two of these attributes. star your good points, clothes will help you. be a winner in your own setting, but avoid the fatal error of damning your clothes by the spirit within you. the writer has in mind a woman of distinguished appearance, beauty, great wealth, few cares, wonderful clothes and jewels, palatial homes; and yet an envious unrest poisons her soul. she would look differently, be different and has not the wisdom to shake off her fetters. her perfect dressing helps this woman; you would not be conscious of her otherwise, but with her natural equipment, granted that she concentrated upon flashing her spirit instead of her wealth, she would be a leader in a fine sense. the beauty doctor can do much, but show us one who can put a gleam in the eye, tighten the grasp, teach one that ineffable grace which enables woman, young or old, to wear her clothes as if an integral part of herself. this quality belongs to the woman who knows, though she may not have thought it out, that clothes can make one a success, but not a success in the enduring sense. dress is a tyrant if you take it as your god, but on the other hand dress becomes a magician's wand when dominated by a clever brain. gown yourself as beautifully as you can afford, but with judgment. what we do, and how we do it, is often seriously and strangely affected by what we have on. the writer has in mind a literary woman who says she can never talk business except in a linen collar! mark twain, in his last days, insisted that he wrote more easily in his night-shirt. richard wagner deliberately put on certain rich materials in colours and hung his room with them when composing the music of the ring. chopin says in a letter to a friend: "after working at the piano all day, i find that nothing rests me so much as to get into the evening dress which i wear on formal occasions." in monarchies based on militarism, royal princes, as soon as they can walk, are put into military uniforms. it cultivates in them the desired military spirit. we all associate certain duties with certain costumes, and the extraordinary response to colour is familiar to all. we talk about feeling colour and say that we can or cannot live in green, blue, violet or red. it is well to follow this colour instinct in clothes as well as in furnishing. you will find you are at your best in the colours and lines most sympathetic to you. we know a woman who is an unusual beauty and has distinction, in fact is noted for her chic when in white, black or the combination. she once ventured a cerise hat and instantly dropped to the ranks of the commonplace. fine eyes, hair, skin, teeth, colour and carriage were still hers, but her effectiveness was lessened as that of a pearl might be if set in a coral circle. chapter v establish habits of carriage which create good line woman's line is the result of her costume, in part only. far more is woman's costume affected by her line. by this we mean the line she habitually falls into, the pose of torso, the line of her legs in action, and when seated, her arms and hands in repose and gesture, the poise of her head. it is woman's line resulting from her habit of mind and the control which her mind has over her body, a thing quite apart from the way god made her, and the expression her body would have had if left to itself, ungoverned by a mind stocked with observations, conventions, experience and attitudes. we call this the physical expression of _woman's personality_; this personality moulds her bodily lines and if properly directed determines the character of the clothes she wears; determines also whether she be a decorative object which says something in line and colour, or an undecorative object which says nothing. plate viii queen elizabeth in the absurdly elaborate costume of the late renaissance. then crinoline, gaudy materials, and ornamentations without meaning reached their high-water mark in the costuming of women. [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _tudor england portrait of queen elizabeth_] woman to be decorative, should train the carriage of her body from childhood, by wearing appropriate clothing for various daily rôles. there is more in this than at first appears. the criticism by foreigners that americans, both men and women, never appear really at home in evening clothes, that they look as if they felt _dressed_, is true of the average man and woman of our country and results from the lax standards of a new and composite social structure. america as a whole, lacks traditions and still embodies the pioneer spirit, equally characteristic of australia and other offshoots from the old world. the little american girl who is brought up from babyhood to change for the evening, even though she have a nursery tea, and be allowed only a brief good-night visit to the grown-ups, is still the exception rather than the rule. a wee english maiden we know, created a good deal of amused comment because, on several occasions, when passing rainy afternoons indoors, with some affluent little new york friends, whose luxurious nurseries and marvellous mechanical toys were a delight, always insisted upon returning home,--a block distant,--to change into white before partaking of milk toast and jam, at the nursery table, the american children keeping on their pink and blue linens of the afternoon. the fact of white or pink is unimportant, but our point is made when we have said that the mother of the american children constantly remarked on the unconscious grace of the english tot, whether in her white muslin and pink ribbons, her riding clothes, or accordion-plaited dancing frock. the english woman-child was acquiring decorative lines by wearing the correct costume for each occasion, as naturally as a bird wears its feathers. this is one way of obviating self-consciousness. the eton boy masters his stick and topper in the same way, when young, and so more easily passes through the formless stage conspicuous in the american youth. call it technique, or call it efficiency, the object of our modern life is to excel, to be the best of our kind, and appropriate dress is a means to that end, for it helps to liberate the spirit. we of to-day make no claim to consistency or logic. some of us wear too high heels, even with strictly tailored suits, which demand in the name of consistency a sensible shoe. also our sensible skirt may be far too narrow for comfort. but on the whole, women have made great strides in the matter of costuming with a view to appropriateness and efficiency. chapter vi colour in woman's costume colour is the hall-mark of our day, and woman decoratively costumed, and as decorator, will be largely responsible for recording this age as one of distinct importance--a transition period in decoration. colour is the most marked expression of the spirit of the times; colour in woman's clothes; colour in house furnishing; colour on the stage and in its setting; colour in prose and verse. speaking of colour in verse, rudyard kipling says (we quote from an editorial in the philadelphia _public ledger_, jan. 7, 1917): "several songs written by tommy and the poilu at the front, celebrate the glories of camp life in such vivid colors they could not be reproduced in cold, black, leaden type." it is no mere chance, this use of vivid colour. man's psychology to-day craves it. a revolution is on. did not the strong red, green, and blue of napoleon's time follow the delicate sky-blues, rose and sunset-yellows of the louis? colour pulses on every side, strong, clean, clear rainbow colour, as if our magicians of brush and dye-pot held a prism to the sun-beam; violet, orange and green, magentas and strong blue against backgrounds of black and cold grey. we had come to think of colour as vice and had grown so conservative in its use, that it had all but disappeared from our persons, our homes, our gardens, our music and our literature. more than this, from our point of view! the reaction was bound to come by reason of eternal precedent. half-tones, antique effects, and general monotony,--the material expression of complacent minds, has been cast aside, and the blasé man of ten years ago is as keen as any child with his first linen picture book,--and for the same reason. colour, as we see it to-day, came out of the east via persia. bakst in russia translated it into terms of art, and made the ballet russe an amazing, enthralling vision! then poiret, wizard among french couturières, assisted by bakst, adapted this oriental colour and line to woman's uses in private life. this supplemented the good work of _le gazette du bon ton_ of paris, that effete fashion sheet, devoted to the decoration of woman, whose staff included many of the most gifted french artists, masters of brush and pen. always irregular, no issue of the _bon ton_ has appeared of late. it is held up by the war. the men who made it so fascinating a guide to woman "who would be decorative," are at the front, painting scenery for the battlefield--literally that: making mock trees and rocks, grass and hedges and earth, to mislead the fire of the enemy, and doubtless the kindred munich art has been diverted into similar channels. this oriental colour has made its way across europe like some gorgeous bird of the tropics, and since the war has checked the output of europe's factories, another channel has supplied the same wonderful colours in silks and gauze. they come to us by way of the pacific, from china and from japan. there is no escaping the colour spell. writers from the front tell us that it is as if the gods made sport with fate's anvil, for even the blackened dome of the war zone is lurid by night, with sparks of purple, red, green, yellow and blue; the flare of the world-destroying projectiles. plate ix a velasquez portrait of the renaissance, when the human form counted only as a rack on which was heaped crinoline and stiff brocades and chains and gems and wigs and every manner of elaborate adornment, making mountains of poor tottering human forms, all but lost beneath. [illustration: _vienna hofmuseum_ _spain-velasquez portrait_] the present costuming of woman, when she treats herself as decoration, owes much to the prophets of the "new" theatre and their colour scale. these men have demonstrated, in an unforgettable manner, the value of colour; the dependence of every decorative object upon background; shown how fraught with meaning can be an uncompromising outline, and the suggestiveness of really significant detail. bakst, rheinhardt and granville barker have taught us the new colour vocabulary. gordon craig was perhaps the first to show us the stage made suggestive by insisting on the importance of clever lighting to produce atmosphere and elimination of unessential objects, the argument of his school being that the too detailed reproducing of nature (on the stage) acts as a check to the imagination, whereas by the judicious selection of harmonics, the imagination is stimulated to its utmost creative capacity. one detects this creed to-day in certain styles of home decoration (woman's background), as well as in woman's costumes. _portable backgrounds_ the staging of a recent play showed more plainly than any words, the importance of background. in one of the scenes, beautiful, artistic gowns in delicate shades were set off by a room with wonderful green walls and woodwork (mignonette). now, so long as the characters moved about the room, they were thrown into relief most charmingly, but the moment the women seated themselves on a very light coloured and characterless chintz sofa, they lost their decorative value. it was lacking in harmony and contrast. the two black sofa cushions intended possibly to serve as background, being small, instantly disappeared behind the seated women. a sofa of contrasting colour, or black, would have looked better in the room, and served as immediate background for gowns. it might have been covered in dark chintz, a silk damask in one or several tones, or a solid colour, since the gowns were of delicate indefinite shades. one of the sofas did have a dark chinese coat thrown over the back, with the intent, no doubt, of serving as effective background, but the point seemed to escape the daintily gowned young woman who poured tea, for she failed to take advantage of it, occupying the opposite end of the sofa. a modern addition to a woman's toilet is a large square of chiffon, edged with narrow metal or crystal fringe, or a gold or silver flexible cord. this scarf is always in beguiling contrast to the costume, and when not being worn, is thrown over the chair or end of sofa against which our lady reclines. to a certain degree, this portable background makes a woman decorative when the wrong colour on a chair might convert her lovely gown into an eyesore. one woman we know, who has an empire room, admires the lines of her sofa as furniture, but feels it ineffective unless one reclines á la mme. récamier. to obviate this difficulty, she has had made a square (one and a half yards), of lovely soft mauve silk damask, lined with satin charmeuse of the same shade, and weighted by long, heavy tassels, at the corners; this she throws over the empire roll and a part of the seat, which are done in antique green velvet. now the woman seated for conversation with arm and elbow resting on the head, looks at ease,--a part of the composition. the square of soft, lined silk serves at other times as a couvrepied. chapter vii footwear footwear points the costume; every child should be taught this. give most careful attention to your extremities,--shoes, gloves and hats. the genius of fashion's greatest artist counts for naught if his costume may not include hat, gloves, shoes, and we would add, umbrella, parasol, stick, fan, jewels; in fact every detail. if you have the good sense to go to one who deservedly ranks as an authority on line and colour in woman's costume, have also the wisdom to get from this man or woman not merely your raiment; go farther, and grasp as far as you are able the principles underlying his or her creations. common sense tells one that there must be principles which underlie the planning of every hat and gown,--serious reasons why certain lines, colours and details are employed. principles have evolved and clarified themselves in the long journey which textiles, colours and lines have made, travelling down through the ages. a great cathedral, a beautiful house, a perfect piece of furniture, a portrait by a master, sculpture which is an object of art, a costume proclaimed as a success; all are the results of knowing and following laws. the clever woman of slender means may rival her friends with munition incomes, if only she will go to an expert with open mind, and through the thoughtful purchase of a completed costume,--hat, gown and all accessories,--learn an artist-modiste's point of view. then, and we would put it in italics; _take seriously, with conviction, all his or her instructions as to the way to wear your clothes_. anyone can _buy_ costumes, many can, perhaps own far more than you, but it is quite possible that no one can more surely be a picture--a delightfully decorative object on every occasion, than you, who knows instinctively (or has been taught), beyond all shadow of doubt, how to put on and then how to sit or walk in, your one tailored suit, your one tea gown, your one sport suit or ball gown. plate x an ideal example of the typical costume of fashionable england in the eighteenth century, when picturesqueness, not appropriateness, was the demand of the times. this picture is known as the morning promenade: squire hallet with his lady. painted by thomas gainsborough and now in the private collection of lord rothschild, london. [illustration: _courtesy of braun & co., new york, london & paris_ _eighteenth century england portrait by thomas gainsborough_] if you want to wear light spats, stop and think whether your heavy ankles will not look more trim in boots with light, glove-fitting tops and black vamps. we have seen women with such slender ankles and shapely insteps, that white slippers or low shoes might be worn with black or coloured stockings. but it is playing safe to have your stockings match your slippers or shoes. buckles and bows on slippers and pumps can destroy the line of a shoe and hence a foot, or continue and accentuate line. there are fashions in buckles and bows, but unless you bend the fashion until it allows nature's work to appear at its best, it will destroy artistic intention. some people buy footwear as they buy fruit; they like what they see, so they get it! you know so many women, young and old, who do this, that our advice is, try to recall those who do not. yes, now you see what we aim at; the women you have in mind always continue the line of their gowns with their feet. you can see with your mind's eye how the slender black satin slippers, one of which always protrudes from the black evening gown, carry to its eloquent finish the line from her head through torso, hip to knee, and knee down through instep to toe,--a line so frequently obstructed by senseless trimmings, lineless hats, and footwear wrong in colour and line. if your gown is white and your object to create line, can you see how you defeat your purpose by wearing anything but white slippers or shoes? at a recent dinner one of the young women who had sufficient good taste to wear an exquisite gown of silk and silver gauze, showing a pale magenta ground with silver roses, continued the colour scheme of her designer with silver slippers, tapering as cinderella's, but spoiled the picture she might have made by breaking her line and enlarging her ankles and instep with magenta stockings. this could have been avoided by the use of silver stockings or magenta slippers with magenta stockings. when brocades, in several colours, are chosen for slippers, keep in mind that the ground of the silk must absolutely match your costume. it is not enough that in the figure of brocade is the colour of the dress. because so distorting to line, figured silks and coloured brocades for footwear are seldom a wise choice. to those who cannot own a match in slippers for each gown, we would suggest that the number of colours used in gowns be but few, getting the desired variety by varying shades of a colour, and then using slippers a trifle higher in shade than the general colour selected. chapter viii jewelry as decoration the use of jewelry as colour and line has really nothing to do with its intrinsic worth. just as when furnishing a house, one selects pictures for certain rooms with regard to their decorative quality alone, their colour with relation to the colour scheme of the room (the art of interior decoration), so jewels should be selected either to complete costumes, or to give the keynote upon which a costume is built. a woman whose artist-dressmaker turns out for her a marvellous green gown, would far better carry out the colour scheme with some semi-precious stones than insist upon wearing her priceless rubies. on the other hand, granted one owns rubies and they are becoming, then plan a gown entirely with reference to them, noting not merely the shade of their colour, but the character of their setting, should it be distinctive. one of the most picturesque public events in vienna each year, is a bazaar held for the benefit of a charity under court patronage. to draw the crowds and induce them to give up their money, it has always been the custom to advertise widely that the ladies of the austro-hungarian court would conduct the sale of articles at the various booths and that the said noble ladies would wear their family jewels. also, that there be no danger of confusing the various celebrities, the names of those selling at each booth would be posted in plain lettering over it. programmes are sold, which also inform patrons as to the name and station of each lovely vendor of flowers and sweets. it is an extraordinary occasion, and well worth witnessing once. the jewels worn are as amazing and fascinating as is hungarian music. there is a barbaric sumptuousness about them, an elemental quality conveyed by the oriental combining of stones, which to the western european and american, seem incongruous. enormous pearls, regular and irregular, are set together in company with huge sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds, cut in the antique way. looking about, one feels in an arabian nights' dream. on the particular occasion to which we refer, the most beautiful woman present was the princess metternich, and in her jewels decorative as any woman ever seen. the women of the austrian court, especially the hungarian women, are notably beautiful and fascinating as well. it is the magyar élan, that abandon which prompts a woman to toss her jewelled bangle to a gypsy leader of the orchestra, when his violin moans and flashes out a czardas. but the rule remains the same whether your jewels are inherited and rich in souvenirs of european courts, or the last work of cartier. they must be a harmonious part of a carefully designed costume, or used with discretion against a background of costumes planned with reference to making them count as the sole decoration. we recall a spanish beauty, representative of several noble strains, who was an artist in the combining of her gems as to their class and colour. hers was that rare gift,--infallible good taste, which led her to contribute an individual quality to her temporary possessions. she counted in madrid, not only as a beautiful and brilliant woman, but as a decorative contribution to any room she entered. it was not uncommon to meet her at dinner, wearing some very chic blue gown, often of velvet, the sole decoration of which would be her sapphires, stones rare in themselves, famous for their colour, their matching, the manner in which they were cut, and their setting,--the unique hand-work of some goldsmith of genius. it is impossible to forget her distinguished appearance as she entered the room in a princess gown, made to show the outline of her faultless figure, and cut very low. against the background of her white neck and the simple lines of her blue gown, the sapphires became decoration with artistic restraint, though they gleamed from a coronet in her soft, black hair, encircled her neck many times and fell below her waist line, clasped her arms and were suspended from her ears in long, graceful pendants. they adorned her fingers and they composed a girdle of indescribable beauty. plate xi marie antoinette in a portrait by madame vigée le brun, one of the greatest portrait painters of the eighteenth century. here we see the lovely queen of louis xvi in the type of costume she made her own which is still referred to as the marie antoinette style. this portrait is in the musée national, versailles. [illustration: _courtesy of braun & co., new york, london & paris_ _bourbon france marie antoinette portrait by madame vigée le brun_] later, the same night, one would meet this woman at a ball, and discover that she had made a complete change of costume and was as elegant as before, but now all in red, a gown of deep red velvet or some wonderful soft satin, unadorned save by her rubies, as numerous and as unique as her sapphires had been. there were other women in madrid wearing wonderful jewels, one of them when going to court functions always had a carriage follow hers, in which were detectives. how strange this seems to americans! but this particular woman in no way illustrated the point we would make, for she had lost control of her own lines, had no knowledge of line and colour in costume, and when wearing her jewels, looked very much like the show case of a jeweller's shop. jewelry must be worn to make lines, continue or terminate lines, accentuate a good physical point, or hide a bad one. remember that a jewel like any other _object d'art_, is an ornament, and unless it is ornamental, and an added attraction to the wearer, it is valueless in a decorative way. for this reason it is well to discover, by experimenting, what jewelry is your affair, what kind of rings for example, are best suited to your kind of hands. it may be that small rings of delicate workmanship, set with colourless gems, will suit your hands; while your friend will look better in the larger, heavier sort, set with stones of deeper tones. this finding out what one can and cannot wear, from shoe leather to a feather in the hat (and the inventory includes even width of hem on a linen handkerchief), is by no means a frivolous, fruitless waste of time; it is a wise preparedness, which in the end saves time, vitality and money. and if it does not make one independent of expert advice (and why should one expect to be that, since technique in any art should improve with practice?) it certainly prepares one to grasp and make use of, expert suggestions. we have often been told, and by those whose business it is to know such things, that the models created by great paris dressmakers are not always flashes of genius which come in the night, nor the wilful perversion of an existing fashion, to force the world of women into discarding, and buying everything new. it may look suspiciously like it when we see a mere swing of the pendulum carrying the straight sheath out to the ten-yard limit of crinoline skirts. as a matter of fact, decorative woman rules the fashions, and if decorative woman makes up her mind to retain a line or a limit, she does it. the open secret is that every great paris house has its chic clientele, which in returning from the riviera--europe's peacock alley--is full of knowledge as to how the last fashions (line and colour), succeeded in scoring in the rôle designated. those points found to be desirable, becoming, beautiful, comfortable, appropriate, _séduisant_--what you will--are taken as the foundation of the next wardrobe order, and with this inside information from women who _know_ (know the subtle distinction between daring lines and colours, which are _good form_, and those which are not), the men or women who give their lives to creating costumes proceed to build. these are the fashions for the exclusive few this year, for the whole world the next year. in conclusion, to reduce one of the rules as to how jewels should be worn to its simplest form, never use imitation pearl trimming if you are wearing a necklace and other ornaments of real pearls. the pearl trimming may be very charming in itself, but it lessens the distinction of your real pearls. in the same way rhinestones may be decidedly decorative, but only a woman with an artist's instinct can use her diamonds at the same time. it can be done, by keeping the rhinestones off the bodice. an artist can conceive and work out a perfect adjustment of what in the mind and hand of the inexperienced is not to be attempted. your french dressmaker combines real and imitation laces in a fascinating manner. that same artist's instinct could trim a gown with emerald pastes and hang real gems of the same in the ears, using brooch and chain, but you would find the green glass garniture swept from the proximity of the gems and used in some telling manner to score as _trimming_,--not to compete as jewels. we have seen the skirt of french gowns of black tulle or net, caught up with great rhinestone swans, and at the same time a diamond chain and diamond earrings worn. nothing could have been more chic. we recall another case of the discreet combining of gems and paste. it was at the spring races, longchamps, paris. the decorative woman we have never forgotten, had marvellous gold-red hair, wore a costume of golden brown chiffon, a close toque (to show her hair) of brown; long topaz drops hung from her ears, set in hand-wrought etruscan gold, and her shell lorgnettes hung from a topaz chain. now note that on her toque and her girdle were buckles made of topaz glass, obviously not real topaz and because made to look like milliner's garniture and not jeweler's work, they had great style and were as beautiful of their kind as the real stones. plate xii the portrait of an englishwoman painted during the napoleonic period. she wears the typical empire gown, cloak, and bonnet. the original of this portrait is the same referred to elsewhere as having moistened her muslin gowns to make them cling to her, in grecian folds. among her admiring friends was lord byron. a descendant who allows the use of the charming portrait, explains that the fair lady insisted upon being painted in her bonnet because her curling locks were short--a result of typhoid fever. [illustration: _costume of empire period an english portrait_] chapter ix woman decorative in her boudoir by the way, do you know that boudoir originally meant pouting room, a place where the ceremonious grande dame of the louis might relax and express a ruffled mood, if she would? which only serves to prove that even the definition of words alter with fashion, for we imagine that our supinely relaxed modern beauty, of the country club type, has on the whole more self-control than she of the boudoir age. since a boudoir is of all rooms the most personal, we take it for granted that its decoration is eloquent with the individuality and taste of its owner. walls, floors, woodwork, upholstery, hangings, cushions and _objects d'art_ furnish the colour for my lady's background, and will naturally be a scheme calculated to set off her own particular type. here we find woman easily made decorative in negligée or tea gown, and it makes no difference whether fashion is for voluminous, flowing robes, ruffled and covered with ribbons and lace, or the other extreme, those creations of fortuny, which cling to the form in long crinkled lines and shimmer like the skin of a snake. the fortuny in question, son of the great spanish painter, devotes his time to the designing of the most artistic and unique tea gowns offered to modern woman. we first saw his work in 1910 at his paris atelier. his gowns, then popular with french women, were made in venice, where m. fortuny was at that time employing some five hundred women to carry out his ideas as to the dyeing of thin silks, the making and colouring of beads used as garniture, and the stenciling of designs in gold, silver or colour. the lines are grecian and a woman in her fortuny tea gown suggests a tanagra figure, whether she goes in for the finely pleated sort, kept tightly twisted and coiled when not in use, to preserve the distinguishing fine pleats, or one with smooth surface and stenciled designs. these fortuny tea gowns slip over the head with no opening but the neck, with its silk shirring cord by means of which it can be made high or low, at will; they come in black, gold and the tones of old venetian dyes. one could use a dozen of them and be a picture each time, in any setting, though for the epicure they are at their best when chosen with relation to a special background. the black fortunys are extraordinarily chic and look well when worn with long oriental earrings and neck chains of links or beads, which reach--at least one strand of them--half-way to the knees. the distinction which this long line of a chain or string of pearls gives to the figure of any woman is a point to dwell upon. real pearls are desirable, even if one must begin with a short necklace; but where it can be afforded, woman cannot be urged too strongly to wear a string extending as near to and as much below the waist-line as possible. a long string of pearls gives great elegance, whether wearer is standing or seated. you can use your short string of pearls, too, but whatever your figure is, if you are not a young girl it will be improved by the long line, and if you would be decorative above everything, we insist that a long chain or string of less intrinsic value is preferable to one of meaningless length and priceless worth. very young girls look best in short necklaces; women whose throats are getting lined should take to jeweled dog-collars, in addition to their strings of pearls or diamond chains. the woman with firm throat and perfect neck was made for pearls. for those less blessed there are lovely things too, jewels to match their eyes, or to tone in with skin or hair; settings to carry out the line of profile, rings to illuminate the swift gesture or nestle into the soft, white, dimpled hand of inertia. every type has its charm and followers, but we still say, avoid emphasising your lack of certain points by wearing unsuitable costumes and accessories, and by so doing lose the chance of being decorative. sibyl sanderson, the american prima donna, whose career was in paris, was the most irresistibly lovely vision ever seen in a tea gown. she was past-mistress at the art of making herself decorative, and the writer recalls her as she last saw her in a doucet model of chiffon, one layer over another of flesh, palest pink and pinkish mauve that melted into the creamy tones of her perfect neck and arms. sibyl sanderson was lovely as nature turned her out, but paris taught her the value of that other beauty, the beauty which comes of art and attained like all art, only through conscious effort. an artistic appearance once meant letting nature have its way. it has come to mean, nature directed and controlled by art, and while we do not resort to the artificiality (in this moment) of hoops, crinoline, pyramids of false hair, monstrous head-dresses, laced waists, low neck and short sleeves for all hours and all seasons, paper-soled shoes in snow-drifts, etc., we do insist that woman be _bien soiné_--hair, complexion, hands, feet, figure, perfection _par tout_. woman's costumes, her jewels and all accessories complete her decorative effect, but even in the age of powder and patches, hair oil and wigs, no more time nor greater care was given to her grooming, and what we say applies to the average woman of affairs and not merely to the parasite type. chapter x woman decorative in her sun-room a sun-room as the name implies, is a room planned to admit as much sun as is possible. an easy way to get the greatest amount of light and sun is to enclose a steam heated porch with glass which may be removed at will. sometimes part of a conservatory is turned into a sun-room, awnings, rugs, chairs, tables, couches, making it a fascinating lounge or breakfast room, useful, too, at the tea hour. often when building a house a room on the sunny side is given one, two, or three glass sides. to trick the senses, ferns and flowering plants, birds and fountains are used as decorations, suggesting out-of-doors. plate xiii portrait by gilbert stuart of doña matilda, stoughton de jaudenes. (metropolitan museum.) we use this portrait to illustrate the period when woman's line was obliterated by the excessive decoration of her costume. the interest attached to this charming example of her time lies in colour and detail. it is as if the bewitching doña matilda were holding up her clothes with her person. her outline is that of a ruffled canary. how difficult for her to forget her material trappings, when they are so many, and yet she looks light of heart. for sharp contrast we suggest that our reader turn at once to the portrait by sargent (plate xv) which is distinguished for its clean-cut outline and also the distinction arrived at through elimination of detail in the way of trimming. the costume hangs on the woman, suspended by jewelled chains from her shoulders. the sargent has the simplicity of the classic greek; the gilbert stuart portrait, the amusing fascination of marie antoinette detail. the gown is white satin, with small gold flowers scattered over its surface. the head-dress surmounting the powdered hair is of white satin with seed-pearl ornaments. the background is a dead-rose velvet curtain, draped to show blue sky, veiled by clouds. the same dead-rose on table and chair covering. the book on table has a softly toned calf cover. gilbert stuart was fond of working in this particular colour note. [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _eighteenth century costume portrait by gilbert stewart_] the woman who would add to the charm of her sun-room in winter by keeping up the illusion of summer, will wear summer clothes when in it, that is, the same gowns, hats and footwear which she would select for a warm climate. to be exquisite, if you are young or youngish, well and active, you would naturally appear in the sun-room after eleven, in some sheer material of a delicate tint, made walking length, with any graceful summer hat which is becoming, and either harmonises with colour of gown or is an agreeable contrast to it. by graceful hat we mean a hat suggesting repose, not the close, tailored hat of action. one woman we know always uses her last summer's muslins and wash silks, shoes, slippers and hats in her sun-room during the winter. in her wardrobe there are invariably a lot of sheer muslins, voiles and wash silks in white, mauve, greys, pinks, or delicate stripes, the outline following the fashion, voluminous, straight or clinging, the bodice tight with trimmings inset or full, beruffled, or kerchiefed. her hats are always entirely black or entirely white, in type the variety we know as _picturesque_, made very light in weight and with no thought of withstanding the elements. the woman who knows how, can get the effect of a picture hat with very little outlay of money. it is a matter of line when on the head, that look of lightness and general airiness which gives one the feeling that the wearer has just blown in from the lawn! the artist's hand can place a few simple loops of ribbon on a hat, and have success, while a stupid arrangement of costly feathers or flowers may result in failure. the effect of movement got by certain line manipulation, suggesting arrested motion, is of inestimable value, especially when your hat is one with any considerable width of brim. the hat with movement is like a free-hand sketch, a hat without movement like a decalcomania. if the owner of the sun-room is resting or invalided then away with out-of-door costume. for her a tea-gown and satin slippers are in order, as they would be under similar conditions on her furnished porch. if the mistress of the sun-room is young and athletic, one who never goes in for frou-frous, but wears linen skirts and blouses when pouring tea for her friends, let her be true to her type in the sun-room, but always emphasising immaculate daintiness, rather than the ready-for-sport note. a sheer blouse and french heels on white pumps will transpose the plain linen skirt into the key of picturesque relaxation, the hall-mark of sun-rooms. more than any other room in the house, the sun-room is for drifting. one cannot imagine writing a cheque there, or going over one's monthly accounts. we assume that the colour scheme in the sun-room was dictated by the owner and is therefore sympathetic to her. if this be true, we can go farther and assume that the delicate tones of her porch gowns and tea gowns will harmonise. if her sun-room is done in yellows and orange and greens, nothing will look better than cream-white as a costume. if the walls, woodwork and furniture have been kept very light in tone, relying on the rugs and cushions and dark foliage of plants to give character, then a costume of sheer material in any one of the decided colours in the chintz cushions, will be a welcome contribution to the decoration of the sun-room. additional effect can be given a costume by the clever choice of colour and line in a work-bag. chapter xi i. woman decorative in her garden in your garden, if you would count as decoration, keep to white or one colour; the flowers furnish a variegated background against which your costume of colour, grey or white stands out. the great point is that your outline be one with pictorial value, from the artist's point of view. if merely strolling through your garden to admire it, keeping to the well-made paths, a fragile gown of sheer material and dainty shoes, with perishable hat or fragile sunshade, is in order. but if yours is the task to gather flowers, then wear stout linen or pretty, bright ginghams, good to the eye and easily laundered, while resisting the briars and branches. smocks, those loose over-all garments of soft-toned linens, reaching from neck half-way to the knees and unbelted, are ideal for garden work, and to the young and slender, add a distinct charm, for one catches the movement of the lithe form beneath. you can be decorative in your garden in a large enveloping apron of gingham, if you are wise in choosing a colour which becomes you. one lover of flowers, who has an instinct for fitness and colour, may be seen on a summer morning, trimming her porch-boxes in snowy white,--shoes and all,--over which she wears a big, encircling apron, extending from neck to skirt hem; deep pockets cross the entire front, convenient for clippers, scissors and twine. this apron is low-necked with shoulder straps and no sleeves. the woman in question is tall and fair, and on her soft curling hair she wears sun hats of peanut straw, the edges sewn over and over with wool to match her gingham apron, which is a solid pink, pale green or lavender. dark women look uncommonly well in khaki colour, and so do some blonds. here is a shade decorative against vegetation and serviceable above all. garden costumes for actual work vary according to individual taste and the amount and character of the gardening indulged in. lady de bathe (mrs. langtry) owns one of the most charming gardens in england, though not as famous as some. it is attached to regal lodge, her place at newmarket. the blue walk is something to remember, with its walls of blue lavender flanking the blue paving stones, between the cracks of which lovely bluebells and larkspur spring up in irrelevant, poetic license. lady de bathe digs and climbs and clips and gathers, therefore she wears easily laundered garments; a white linen or cotton skirt and blouse, a chinese coat to the knees, of pink cotton crêpe and an isle-of-jersey sun-bonnet, a poke with curtain, to protect the neck and strings to tie it on. so while she claims never to have consciously considered being a decorative note in her own garden, her trained instinct for costuming herself appropriately and becomingly brings about the desirable decorative effect. plate xiv madame adeline genée, the greatest living exponent of the art of toe dancing. she wears an early victorian costume (1840) made for a ballet she danced in london several seasons ago. the writer did not see the costume and neglected, until too late, to ask madame genée for a description of its colouring, but judging by what we know of 1840 colours and textures as described by miss mcclellan (_historic dress in america_) and other historians of the period as well as from portraits, we feel safe in stating that it may well have been a bonnet of pink uncut velvet, trimmed with silk fringe and a band of braided velvet of the same colour; or perhaps a white shirred satin; or dove-coloured satin with pale pink and green figured ribbon. for the dress, it may have been of dove-grey satin, or pink flowered silk with a black taffeta cape and one of black lace to change off with. [illustration: _victorian period about 1840_ _mme. adeline genée in costume_] ii. woman decorative on the lawn when on your lawn with the unbroken sweep of green under foot and the background of shrubs and trees, be a flower or a bunch of flowers in the colour of your costume. white,--hat, shoes and all, cannot be excelled, but colour has charm of another sort, and turning the pages of memory, one realises that not a shade or artistic combination but has scored, if the outline is chic. since both outline and colour scheme vary with fashion we use the word chic or smart to imply that quality in a costume which is the result of restraint in the handling of line, colour and all details, whatever the period. a chic outline is very telling on the lawn; gown or hat must be appropriate to the occasion, becoming to the wearer, its lines following the fashion, yet adapted to type, and the colour, one sympathetic to the wearer. the trimming must accentuate the distinctive type of the gown or hat instead of blotting out the lines by an overabundance of garniture. the trimming must follow the constructive lines of gown, or have meaning. a buckle must buckle something, buttons must be used where there is at least some semblance of an opening. let us repeat: to be chic, the trimming of a hat or gown must have a _raison d'être_. when in doubt omit trimming. as in interior decoration, too much detail often defeats the original idea of a costume. an observing woman knows that few of her kind understand the value of restraint. when turned out by an artist, most women recognise when they look their best, but how to achieve it alone, is beyond them. this sort of knowledge comes from carefully and constantly comparing the gown which is a success with those which are failures. elimination characterises the smart costume or hat, and the smart designer is he or she who can make one flower, one feather, one bow of ribbon, band of fur, bit of real lace or hand embroidery, say a distinct something. it is the decorative value gained by the judicious placing of one object so that line and colour count to the full. as we have said in _interior decoration_, one pink rose in a slender venetian glass vase against a green silk curtain may have far more decorative value than dozens of costly roses used without knowledge of line and background. so it is with ornaments on wearing apparel. iii. woman decorative on the beach with a background of grey sand, steel-blue water and more or less blue sky, woman is given a tempting opportunity to figure as colour when by the sea. that it is gay colour or white which makes decorative effects on the beach, even the least knowing realise. _plein air_ artists have stamped on our mental visions impressions of smart society disporting itself on the sands of dieppe, trouville, brighton, and where not. whatever the period, hence outline, white and the gay colours impress one. most conspicuous is white on woman (and man); then each colour in the rainbow with its half-tones, figures as sweaters, veils, hats and parasols; the striped marquise and gay wares of the venders of nosegays, balloons and lollypops. the artist picks out the telling notes when painting, learn from him and figure as one of these. on the beach avoid being a dull note; dead greys and browns have no charm there. what is true of costuming for the beach applies equally to costumes to be worn on the deck of a steamer or yacht. chapter xii woman as decoration when skating to be decorative when skating, two things are necessary: first, know how to skate; then see to it that you are costumed with reference to appropriateness, becomingness and the outline demanded by the fashion of the moment. the woman who excels in the technique of her art does not always excel in dressing her rôle. it is therefore with great enthusiasm that we record miss theresa weld of boston, holder of woman's figure skating championship, as the most chicly costumed woman on the ice of the hippodrome (new york) where amateurs contested for the cup offered by mr. charles b. dillingham, on march 23, 1917, when miss weld again won,--this time over the men as well as the women. miss weld combined good work with perfect form, and her edges, fronts, ins, outs, threes, double-threes, etc., etc., were a delight to the eye as she passed and repassed in her wine-coloured velvet, trimmed with mole-skin, a narrow band on the bottom of the full skirt (full to allow the required amount of leg action), deep cuffs, and a band of the same fur encircling the close velvet toque. this is reproduced as the ideal costume because, while absolutely up-to-date in line, material, colour and character of fur, it follows the traditional idea as to what is appropriate and beautiful for a skating costume, regardless of epoch. we have seen its ancestors in many parts of europe, year after year. some of us recall with keen pleasure, the wonderful skating in vienna and berlin on natural and artificial ice, invariably hung with flags and gaily lighted by night. we can see now, those german girls,--some of them trim and good to look at, in costumes of sapphire blue, deep red, or green velvet, fur trimmed,--gliding swiftly across the ice, to the irresistible swing of waltz music and accompanied by flashing uniforms. in the german-speaking countries everyone skates: the white-bearded grandfather and the third generation going hand in hand on sunday mornings to the nearest ice-pond. with them skating is a communal recreation, as beer garden concerts are. with us in america most sports are fashions, not traditions. the rage for skating during the past few seasons is the outcome of the exhibition skating done by professionals from austria, germany, scandinavian countries and canada, at the new york hippodrome. those who madly danced are now as madly skating. and out of town the young women delight the eye in bright wool sweaters, broad, long wool scarfs and bright wool caps, or small, close felt hats,--fascinating against the white background of ice and snow. the boots are high, reaching to top of calf, a popular model having a seam to the tip of the toe. no sport so perfectly throws into relief _command of the body_ as does skating. watch a group of competitors for honours at any gathering of amateur women skaters and note how few have command of themselves--know absolutely what they want to do, and then are able to do it. one skater, in the language of the ice, can do the actual work, but has no form. it may be she lacks temperament, has no abandon, no rhythm; is stiff, or, while full of life, has bad arms. it is as necessary that the fancy skater should learn the correct position of the arms as that the solo dancer should. certain lines must be preserved, say, from fingers of right arm through to tip of left foot, or from tip of left hand through to tip of right foot. plate xv a portrait by john s. sargent. (metropolitan museum, painted about 1890.) we have here a distinguished example of the dignity and beauty possible to a costume characteristic of the period when extreme severity as to outline and elimination of detail followed the elaboration of victorian ruffles, ribbons and lace over hoops and bustle; curled hair and the obvious cameo brooch, massive bracelets and chains. [illustration: _metropolitan museum of art_ _late nineteenth century costume about 1890 a portrait by john s. sargent_] "form" is the manipulation of the lines of the body to produce perfect balance, perfect freedom and, when required, perfect control in arrested motion. this is the mastery which produces in free skating that "melting" of one figure into another which so hypnotises the onlooker. it is because miss weld has mastered the above qualifications that she is amateur champion in fancy skating. she has mastered her medium; has control of every muscle in her body. in consequence she is decorative and delightful to watch. to be decorative when not on skates, whether walking, standing or sitting, a woman must have cultivated the same feeling for line, her form must be good. it is not enough to obey the a. b. c.'s of position; head up, shoulders back, chest out, stomach in. one must study the possibilities of the body in acquiring and perfecting poses which have line, making pictures with one's self. in the _art of interior decoration_ we insist that every room be a beautiful composition. what we would now impress upon the mind of the reader is that she is a part of the picture and must compose with her setting. to do this she should acquire the mastery of her body, and then train that body until it has acquired "good habits" in the assuming of line, whether in action or repose. this can be done to an astonishing degree, even if one lacks the instinct. to be born with a sense of line is a gift, and the development of this sense can give artistic delight to those who witness the results and thrill them quite as sculpture or music, or any other art does. the greek idea of regarding the perfectly trained body as a beautiful temple is one to keep in mind, if woman would fulfil her obligation to be decorative. form means efficiency, if properly understood and carried out according to the spirit, not the letter of the law. form implies the human body under control, ready for immediate action. the man or woman with _form_, will be the first to fall into action when required, because, so to speak, no time is lost in collecting and aiming the body. one of the great points in the teaching of the late theodore leschetizky, the world's greatest master in the art of piano playing, was that the hand should immediately assume the correct position for the succeeding chord, the instant it was lifted from the keys;--preparedness! the crack regiments of europe, noted for their form, have for years been the object of jests in those new worlds where brawn and muscle, with mental acumen, have converted primeval forests into congested commercial centers. but that form, so derided by the pioneer spirit, has proved its worth during the present european war. the united states and the central powers are now at war and military guards have been stationed at vulnerable points. only to-day we saw one of uncle sam's soldiers, one of three, patrolling the front of a big armory,--standing in an absolutely relaxed position, his gun held loosely in his hand, and its bayonet propped against the iron fence. one could not help thinking; _no_ form, no preparedness, no efficiency. it goes without saying that prompt obedience cannot be looked for where there is lack of form, no matter how willing the spirit. the modern woman when on parole,--walking, dancing, driving, riding or engaged in any sport, to be efficient must have trained the body until it has form, and dress it appropriately, if she would be efficient as well as decorative in the modern sense of the term. no better illustration of our point can be found than in the popular sport cited at the beginning of this chapter. chapter xiii woman decorative in her motor car it is not easy to be decorative in your automobile now that the manufacturers are going in for gay colour schemes both in upholstery and outside painting. a putty-coloured touring car lined with red leather is very stunning in itself, but the woman who would look well when sitting in it does not carelessly don any bright motor coat at hand. she knows very well that to show up to advantage against red, and be in harmony with the putty-colour paint, her tweed coat should blend with the car, also her furs. black is smart with everything, but fancy how impossible mustard, cerise and some shades of green would look against that scarlet leather! an orange car with black top, mud-guards and upholstery calls for a costume of white, black, brown, tawny grey, or, if one would be a poster, royal blue. some twenty-five years ago the writer watched the first automobile in her experience driven down the champs elysées. it seemed an uncanny, horseless carriage, built to carry four people and making a good deal of fuss about it. a few days later, while lunching at the café de reservoir, versailles, we were told that some men were starting back to paris by automobile, and if we went to a window giving on to the court, we might see the astonishing vehicle make its start. it was as thrilling as the first near view of an aëroplane, and all-excitement we watched the two frenchmen getting ready for the drive. their elaborate preparation to face the current of air to be encountered en route was not unlike the preparation to-day for flying. it was spring--june, at that--but those frenchmen wearing very english tweeds and smoking english pipes, each drew on extra cloth trousers and coats and over these a complete outfit of leather! we saw them get into the things in the public courtyard, arrange huge goggles, draw down cloth caps, and set out at a speed of about fifteen miles an hour! plate xvi a portrait of mrs. thomas hastings of new york painted by the late john w. alexander. we have chosen this--one of the most successful portraits by one of america's leading portrait painters--as a striking example of colour scheme and interesting line. also we have here a woman who carries herself with form. mrs. hastings is an accomplished horsewoman. her fine physique is poised so as to give that individual movement which makes for type; her colour--wonderful red hair and the complexion which goes with it--are set off by a dull gold background; a gown in another tone of gold, relieved by a note or two of turquoise green; and the same green appearing as a shadow on the victory in the background. we see the sitter, as she impressed an observer, transferred to the canvas by the consummate skill of our deeply lamented artist. [illustration: _a modern portrait by john w. alexander_] the above seems incredible, now that we have passed through the various stages of motor car improvements and motor clothes creations. the rapid development of the automobile, with its windshields, limousine tops, shock absorbers, perfected engines and springs, has brought us to the point where no more preparation is needed for a thousand-mile run across country with an average speed of thirty miles an hour, than if we were boarding a train. one dresses for a motor as one would for driving in a carriage and those dun-colored, lineless monstrosities invented for motor use have vanished from view. more than this, woman to-day considers her decorative value against the electric blue velvet or lovely chintz lining of her limousine, exactly as she does when planning clothes for her salon. and why not? the manufacturers of cars are taking seriously their interior decoration as well as outside painting; and many women interior decorators specialise along this line and devote their time to inventing colour schemes calculated to reflect the personality of the owner of the car. special orders have raised the standard of the entire industry, so that at the recent new york automobile show, many effects in cars were offered to the public. besides the putty-coloured roadster lined with scarlet, black lined with russet yellow, orange lined with black; there were limousines painted a delicate custard colour, with top and rim of wheels, chassis and lamps of the same nattier blue as the velvet lining, cushions and curtains. a beautiful and luxurious background and how easy to be decorative against it to one who knows how! another popular colour scheme was a mauve body with top of canopy and rims of wheels white, the entire lining of mauve, like the body. imagine your woman with a decorative instinct in this car. so obvious an opportunity would never escape her, and one can see the vision on a summer day, as she appears in simple white, softest blue or pale pink, or better still, treating herself as a quaint nosegay of blush roses, for-get-me-nots, lilies and mignonette, with her chiffons and silks or sheerest of lawns. "but how about me?" one hears from the girl of the open car--a racer perhaps, which she drives herself. you are easiest of all, we assure you; to begin with, your car being a racer, is painted and lined with durable dark colours--battleship grey, dust colour, or some shade which does not show dirt and wear. the consequence is, you will be decorative in any of the smart coats, close hats and scarfs in brilliant and lovely hues,--silk or wool. chapter xiv how to go about planning a period costume here is a plan to follow when getting up a period costume: we will assume that you wish to wear a spanish dress of the time of philip iv (early seventeenth century). the first thing to give your attention to is the station in life which you propose to represent. granted that you decide on a court costume, one of those made so familiar by the paintings of the great velasquez, let your first step be to get a definite impression of the _outline_ of such a costume. go to art galleries and look at pictures, go to libraries and ask for books on costumes, with plates. you will observe that under the head of crinoline and hoop-skirt periods, there are a variety of outlines, markedly different. the slope of the hip line and the outline of the skirt is the infallible hall-mark of each of these periods. let it be remembered that the outline of a woman includes hair, combs, head-dress, earrings, treatment of neck, shoulders, arms, bust and hips; line to the ankles and shoes; also fan, handkerchief or any other article, which if a silhouette were made, would appear. the next step is to ascertain what materials were available at the time your costume was worn and what in vogue. were velvets, satins or silks worn, or all three? were materials flowered, striped, or plain? if striped, horizontal or perpendicular? for these points turn again to your art gallery, costume plates, or the best of historical novels. if you are unable to resort to the sources suggested, two courses lie open to you. put the matter into the hands of an expert; there are many to be approached through the columns of first-class periodicals or newspapers (we do not refer to the ordinary dealer in costumes or theatre accessories); or make the effort to consult some authority, in person or by letter: an actor, historian or librarian. it is amazing how near at hand help often is, if we only make our needs known. if the reader is young and busy, dancing and skating and sleeping, and complains, in her winsome way, that "days are too short for such work," we would remind her that as already stated, to carefully study the details of any costume, of any period, means that the mind and the eye are being trained to discriminate between the essentials and non-essentials of woman's costume in every-day life. the same young beauty may be interested to know that at the beginning of geraldine farrar's career the writer, visiting with her, an exhibition of pictures in munich, was amazed at the then, very young girl's familiarity with the manner of artists--ancient and modern,--and exclaimed "i did not know you were so fond of pictures." "it's not that," farrar said, "i get my costumes from them, and a great many of my poses." plate xvii portrait of mrs. philip m. lydig, patron of the arts, exhibited in new york at duveen galleries during winter of 1916-1917 with the zuloaga pictures. the exhibition was arranged by mrs. lydig. this portrait has been chosen to illustrate two points: that a distinguished decorative quality is dependent upon line which has primarily to do with form of one's own physique (and not alone the cut of the costume); and the great value of knowing one's own type. mrs. lydig has been transferred to the canvas by the clever technique of one of the greatest modern painters, ignacio zuloaga, an artistic descendant of velasquez. the delightful movement is that of the subject, in this case kept alive through its subtle translation into terms of art. [illustration: _a portrait of mrs. philip m. lydig. by i. zuloaga_] outline and material being decided, give your attention to the character of the background against which you are to appear. if it is a ball-room, and the occasion a costume-ball, is it done in light or dark colours, and what is the prevailing tone? see to it that you settle on a colour which will be either a harmonious note or an agreeable, hence impressive contrast, against the prevailing background. if you are to wear the costume on a stage or as a living picture against a background arranged with special reference to you, and where you are the central figure, be more subtle and combine colours, if you will; go in for interesting detail, provided always that you make these details have meaning. for example, if it be trimming, pure and simple, be sure that it be applied as during your chosen period. trimming can be used so as to increase effectiveness of a costume by accentuating its distinctive features, and it can be misused so as to pervert your period, whether that be the age of cleopatra, or the winter of 1917. details, such as lace, jewels, head-dresses, fans, snuff-boxes, work baskets and flowers must be absolutely of the period, or not at all. a few details, even one stunning jewel, if correct, will be far more convincing than any number of makeshifts, no matter how attractive in themselves. paintings, plates and history come to our rescue here. if you think it dry work, try it. the chances are all in favour of your emerging from your search spell-bound by the vistas opened up to you; the sudden meaning acquired by many inanimate things, and a new pleasure added to all observations. that spanish comb of great-great-grandmother's is really a treasure now. the antique spanish plaque you own, found to be moorish lustre, and out of the attic it comes! a spanish miracle cross proves the spiritual superstition of the race, so back to the junk-shop you go, hoping to acquire the one that was proffered. yes, carmen should wear a long skirt when she dances, spanish pictures show them; and so on. the collecting of materials and all accessories to a costume, puts one in touch, not only with the dress, but the life of the period, and the customs of the times. once steeped in the tradition of spanish art and artists, how quick the connoisseur is to recognize spanish influence on the art of holland, france and england. lead your expert in costumes of nations into talking of history and we promise you pictures of dynasties and lands that few historical writers can match. this man or woman has extracted from the things people wore the story of where they wore them, and when, and how; for the lover of colour we commend this method of studying history. if any one of our readers is casting about for a hobby and craves one with inexhaustible possibilities, we would advise: try collecting data on periods in dress, as shown in the art treasures of the world, for of this there is verily no end. we warn the novice in advance that each detail of woman's dress has for one in pursuit of such data the allure of the siren. there is the pictured story of head-dresses and hats, and how the hair is worn, from cleopatra's time till ours; the evolution of a woman's sleeve, its ups and downs and ins and outs as shown in art; the separation of the waist from skirt, and ever changing line of both; the neck of woman's gown so variously cut and trimmed and how the necklace changed likewise to accord; the passing of the sandals of the greeks into the poetic glove-fitting slippers of to-day. one sets out gaily to study costumes, full of the courage of ignorance, the joyous optimism of an enthusiast, because it is amusing and looks so simple with all the material,--old and new, lying about one. ah, that is the pitfall--the very abundance of those plates in wondrous books, old coloured prints and portraits of the past. to some students this kaleidoscopic vision of period costumes never falls into definite lines and colour; or if the types are clear, what they come from or merge into remains obscure. for the eager beginner we have tried to evolve out of the whole mass of data a system of origin and development as definite as the anatomy of the human body, a framework on which to build. if our historical outline be clear enough to impress the mental vision as indelibly as those primary maps of the earth did, then we feel persuaded, the textless books of wonderful and beguiling costume plates will serve their end as never before. we humbly offer what we hope may prove a key to the rich storehouse. simplicity, and pure line, were lost sight of when overabundance dulled the senses of the world. we could prove this, for art shows that the costuming of woman developed slowly, preserving, as did furniture, the same classic lines and general characteristics until the fifteenth century, the end of the middle ages. with the opening up of trade channels and the possibilities of easy and quick communication between countries we find, as we did in the case of furniture, periods of fashion developing without nationality. nations declared themselves in the artistry of workmanship, as to-day, and in the modification and exaggeration of an essential detail, resulting from national or individual temperament. if you ask, "where do fashions come from,--why 'periods'?" we would answer that in the last analysis one would probably find in the conception of every fashion some artist's brain. if the period is a good one, then it proves that fate allowed the artist to be true to his muse. if the fashion is a bad one the artist may have had to adapt his lines and colour or detail to hide a royal deformity, or to cater to the whim of some wilful beauty ignorant of our art, but rich and in the public eye. a fashion if started is a demon or a god let loose. as we have said, there is an interesting point to be observed in looking at woman as decoration; whether the medium be fresco, bas relief, sculpture, mosaic, stained glass or painting, the decorative line, shown in costumes, presents the same recurrent types that we found when studying the history of furniture. for our present purposes it is expedient to confine ourselves to the observation of that expression of civilisation which had root, so far as we know, in assyria and egypt, and spread like a branching vine through byzantium, greece, rome, gothic europe and europe of the renaissance, on through the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, down to the present time. costumes for woman and man are supposed to have had their origin in a cord tied about the waist, from which was suspended crude implements (used for the slaying of beasts for food, and in self-defence); trophies of war, such as teeth, scalps, etc. the trophies suspended, partly concealed the body and were for decoration, as was tattooing of the skin. clothes were not the result of modesty; modesty followed the partial covering of the human body. modesty, or shame, was the emotion which developed when man, accustomed to decoration--trophies or tattooing--was deprived of all or part of such covering. what parts of the body require concealment, is purely a matter of the customs prevailing with a race or tribe, at a certain time, and under certain conditions. this is a theme, the detailed development of which lies outside the purpose of our book. it has delightful possibilities, however, if the plentiful data on the subject, given in scientific books, were to be condensed and simplified. plate xviii mrs. langtry (lady de bathe) who has been one of the greatest beauties of modern times and a marked example of a woman who has always understood her own type, to costume it. she agrees that this photograph of her, in an evening wrap, illustrates a point she has always laid emphasis on: that a garment which has good lines--in which one is a picture--continues wearable even when not the dernier cri of fashion. this wrap was worn by mrs. langtry about two years ago. [illustration: _mrs. langtry (lady de bathe) in evening wrap_] chapter xv i. the story of period costumes _a résumé_ "our present modes of dress (aside from the variations imposed by fashion) are the resultant of all the fashions of the last 2000 years." w. g. sumner in _folkways_. the earliest egyptian frescoes, invaluable pre-historic data, show us woman as she was costumed, housed and occupied when the painting was done. on those age-old walls she appears as man's companion, his teacher, plaything, slave, and ruler;--in whatever rôle the fates decreed. the same frescoed walls have pictured records of how egypt tilled the soil, built houses, worked in metals, pottery and sculpture. woman is seen beside her man, who slays the beasts, at times from boats propelled through reeded jungles; and hers is always that rigid outline, those long, quiet eyes depicted in profile, with massive head-dress, and strange upstanding ornaments, abnormally curled wig, and close, straight garments to the feet (or none at all), heavy collar, wristbands and anklets of precious metals with gems inset, or chased in strange designs. about her, the calm mysterious poise and childlike acquiescence of those who know themselves to be the puppets of the gods. in this naïveté lies one of the great charms of egyptian art. as sculptured caryatide, we see woman of egypt clad in transparent sheath-like skirt, nude above the waist, with the usual extinguishing head-dress and heavy collar, bracelets and anklets. we see her as woman, mute, law-abiding, supporting the edifice; woman with steady gaze and silent lips; one wonders what was in the mind of that lotus eater of the nile who carved his dream in stone. those would reproduce egyptian colour schemes for costumes, house or stage settings, would do well to consult the book of egyptian designs, brought out in 1878 by the ecole des beaux arts, paris, and available in the large libraries. on the walls of the necropolis of memphis, thi and his wife (fifth dynasty) appear in a delightful hunting scene. the man in the prow of his boat is about to spear an enormous beast, while his wife, seated in the bottom, wraps her arm about his leg! among the earliest portraits of an egyptian woman completely clothed, is that of queen taia, wife of amenophis, eighteenth dynasty, who wears a striped gown with sleeves of the kimono type and a ribbon tied around her waist, the usual ornamental collar and bracelets of gold, and an elaborate head-dress with deep blue curtain, extending to the waist, behind. full of illuminating suggestions is an example of woman in egyptian decoration, to be seen as a fresco in the necropolis of thebes. it shows the governess of a young prince (eighteenth dynasty) holding the child on her lap. the feet of the little prince rest on a stool, supported by nine crouching human beings--men; each has a collar about his neck, to which a leash is attached, and all nine leashes are held in the hands of the child! the illustrations of the egyptian funeral papyrus, the book of the dead, show woman in the rôle of wife and companion. it is the story of a high-born egyptian woman, tutu, wife of ani, royal scribe and scribe of the sacred revenue of all the gods of thebes. tutu, the long-eyed egyptian woman, young and straight, with raven hair and active form, a kemäit of amon, which means she belonged to the religious chapter or congregation of the great god of thebes. she was what might be described as lady-in-waiting or honorary priestess, to the god amon. she, too, wears the typical egyptian head-dress and straight, long white gown, hanging in close folds to her feet. one vignette shows tutu with arm about her husband's leg. this seems to have been a naïve egyptian way of expressing that eternal womanliness, that tender care for those beloved, that quality inseparable from woman if worthy the name, and by reason of which with man, her mate, she has run the gamut of human experience, meeting the demands of her time. there is no dodging the issue, woman's story recorded in art, shows that she has always responded to fate's call; followed, led, ruled, been ruled, amused, instructed, sent her men into battle as spartan mothers did to return with honour or on their shields, and when fate so decreed, led them to battle, like joan of arc. ii. egypt and assyria in egypt and assyria the lines of the torso were kept straight, with no contracting of body at waist line. woman was clad in a straight sheet-like garment, extending from waist to feet with only metal ornaments above; necklace, bracelets and armlets; or a straight dress from neck to meet the heavy anklets. sandals were worn on the feet. the head was encased in an abnormally curled wig, with pendent ringlets, and the whole clasped by a massive head-dress, following the contour of head and having as part of it, a curtain or veil, reaching down behind, across shoulders and approaching waist line. the sphinx wears a characteristic egyptian head-dress. plate xix mrs. condé nast, artist and patron of the arts, noted for her understanding of her own type and the successful costuming of it. mrs. nast was miss clarisse coudert. her french blood accounts, in part, for her innate feeling for line and colour. it is largely due to the keen interest and active services of mrs. nast that _vogue_ and _vanity fair_ have become the popular mirrors and prophetic crystal balls of fashion for the american woman. mrs. nast is here shown in street costume. the photograph is by baron de meyer, who has made a distinguished art of photography. we are here shown the value of a carefully considered outline which is sharply registered on the background by posing figure against the light, a method for suppressing all details not effecting the outline. [illustration: _photograph by baron de meyer_ _mrs. condé nast in street dress_] iii. egypt, byzantium, greece and rome during the periods antedating christ, when the roman empire was all-powerful, the women of egypt, byzantium, greece and rome, wore gilded wigs (see plate i, frontispiece), arranged in psyche knots, and banded; sandals on their feet, and a one-piece garment, confined at the waist by a girdle, which fell in close folds to the feet, a style to develop later into the classic greek. the greek garment consisted of a great square of white linen, draped in the deft manner of the east, to adapt it to the human form, at once concealing and disclosing the body to a degree of perfection never since attained. there were undraped greek garments left to hang in close, clinging folds, even in the classic period. it is this undraped and finely-pleated robe (see plate xxi) hanging close to the figure, and the two-piece garment (see plate iv) with its short tunic of the same material, extending just below the waist line in front, and drooping in a cascade of ripples at the sides, as low as the knees, that fortuny (paris) has reproduced in his tea gowns. an englishwoman told us recently that her great-great-grandmother used to describe how she and others of her time (empire period) wet their clothes to make them cling to their forms, à la grecque! the classic greek costume was often a sleeveless garment, falling in folds, and when confined at waist line with cord the upper part bloused over it; the material was draped so as to leave the arms free, the folds being held in place by ornamental clasps upon the shoulders. the fitting was practically unaided by cutting; squares or straight lengths of linen being adjusted to the human form by clever manipulation. the adjusting of these folds, as we have said, developed into an art. the use of large squares or shawls of brilliantly dyed linen, wool and later silk, is conspicuous in all the examples showing woman as decoration. the long gothic cape succeeds it, that enveloping circular garment, with and without the hood, and clasped at the throat, in which the mother of god is invariably depicted. her cape is the celestial royal blue. the stained silk gauzes, popular with greek dancers, were made into garments following the same classic lines, and so were the gymnasium costumes of the young girls of greece. isadora duncan reproduces the latter in many of her dances. in the chapter entitled "the story of textiles" in _the art of interior decoration_, we have given a résumé of this branch of our subject. the type of costume worn by woman throughout the entire roman empire during its most glorious period, was classic greek, not only in general outline, but in detail. note that the collarless neck was cut round and a trifle low; the lines of gown were long and followed each other; the trimming followed the hem of neck and sleeves and skirt; the hair, while artificially curled and sometimes intertwined with pearls and other gems, after being gilded, was so arranged as to show the contour of the head, then gathered into a psyche knot. gold bands, plain or jewelled, clasped and held the hair in place. in the gold room of the metropolitan museum; in noted collections in europe; in portraits and costume plates, one sees that the earrings worn at that period were great heavy discs, or half discs, of gold; large gold flowers, in the etruscan style; large rings with groups of pendants,--usually three on each ring, and the drop earrings so much in vogue to-day. necklaces were broad, like collars, round and made of hand-wrought links and beads, with pendants. these filled in the neck of the dress and were evidently regarded as a necessary part of the costume. the simple cord which confined the greek woman's draperies at the waist, in egypt and byzantium, became a sash; a broad strip of material which was passed across the front of body at the waist, crossed behind and then brought tight over the hips to tie in front, low down, the ends hanging square to knees or below. in egypt a shoulder cape, with kerchief effect in front, broadened behind to a square, and reached to the waist line. we would call attention to the fact that when the classic type of furniture and costume were revived by napoleon i and the empress josephine, it was the egyptian version, as well as the greek. one sees egyptian and etruscan styles in the straight, narrow garment of the first empire reaching to ankles, with parallel rows of trimming at the bottom of skirt. the empire style of parted hair, with cascade of curls each side, riotous curling locks outlining face, with one or two ringlets brought in front of ears, and the psyche knot (which later in victorian days lent itself to caricature, in a feather-duster effect at crown of head), were inspired by those curled and gilded creations such as thaïs wore. hats, as we use the term to-day, were worn by the ancients. some will remember the greek hat sibyl sanderson wore with her classic robes when she sang massenet's "phédre," in paris. it was chinese in type. one sees this type of hat on tanagra statuettes in our museums. apropos of hats, designers to-day are constantly resurrecting models found in museums, and some of us recognise the lines and details of ancient head-dresses in hats turned out by our most up-to-date milliners. parasols and umbrellas were also used by assyrians and greeks. sandals which only covered the soles of the feet were the usual footwear, but greeks and etruscans are shown in art as wearing also moccasin-like boots and shoes laced up the front. of course, the strapped slippers of the empire were a version of classic sandals. as we have said, the greek gown and toga are found wherever the roman empire reached. the women of what are now france and england clothed themselves at that time in the same manner as the cultured class of rome. naturally the germanic branch which broke from the parent stem, and drifted northward to strike root in unbroken forests, bordering on untried seas, wore skins and crudely woven garments, few and strongly made, but often picturesque. though but slightly reminiscent of the traditional costume, we know that the women of the third and fourth centuries wore a short, one-piece garment, with large earrings, heavy metal armlets above the elbow and at wrists. the chain about the waist, from which hung a knife, for protection and domestic purposes, is descendent from the savage's cord and ancestor to that lovely bauble, the chatelaine of later days, with its attached fan, snuff-box and jewelled watch. plate xx mrs. condé nast in an evening gown. here again is a costume the beauty of which evades the dictum of fashion in the narrow sense of the term. this picture has the distinction of a well-posed and finely executed old master and because possessing beauty of a traditional sort will continue to give pleasure long after the costume has perished. [illustration: _mrs. condé nast in evening dress_] chapter xvi development of gothic costume to the romans, all who were not of rome and her empire, were foreigners,--outsiders, people with a strange viewpoint, so they were given a name to indicate this; they were called "barbarians." conspicuous among those tribes of barbarians, moved by human lust for gain to descend upon the roman empire and eventually bring about its fall, was the tribe of goths, and in the course of centuries "gothic" has become a generic term, implying that which is not roman. we speak of gothic architecture, gothic art, gothic costumes, when we mean, strictly speaking, the characteristic architecture, art and costuming of the late middle ages (twelfth to fifteenth centuries). but we find the so-called gothic outline in costume as early as the fourth century. over the undraped, one-piece robe of classic type, a second garment is now worn, cut with straight lines. it usually fastens behind, and the uncorseted figure is outlined. the neck is still collarless and cut round, the space filled in with a necklace. the sleeves of the tunic appear to be the logical evolution of the folds of the toga, which fall over the arms when bent. they cling to the outline of the shoulder, broadening at the hand into what is called "angel" sleeves; in art, the traditional angel wears them. roman-christian women wore their hair parted, no psyche knot, and interesting, large earrings. the gowns were not draped, but were in one piece and with no fulness. a tunic, following lines of the form, reached below the knees and was _belted_. this garment was trimmed with bands from shoulders to hem of tunic and kept the same width throughout, if narrow; but if wide, the bands broadened to the hem. the neck continued to be cut round, and filled in with a necklace. the cape, fastening on shoulders or chest, remnant of the greek toga, was worn, and veils of various materials were the usual head coverings. between the fifth and tenth centuries there are examples of the overgarment or tunic having a broad stomacher of some contrasting material, held in place with a cord, which is tied behind, brought around to the front, knotted and allowed to hang to bottom of skirt. byzantine art between 800 and 1000 a. d. still shows women wearing tunics, but hanging straight from neck to hem of skirt, fastened on shoulders and opened at sides to show gown beneath; close sleeves with trimming at the wrists, often large, roughly cut jewels forming a border on tunic, and the hair worn in long braids on each side of the face; the coil of hair, which was wrapped with pearls or other beads, was parted and used to frame the face. this fashion was carried to excess by the franks. we see some of their women between 400 and 600 a. d. wearing these heavy, rope-like braids to the hem of the skirt in front. in the fourteenth century the gothic costume was perhaps at its most beautiful stage. the long robe, the upper part following the lines of the figure, with long close sleeves half covering hands, or flowing sleeves, that touched the floor. about the waist was worn a silk cord or jewelled girdle, finely wrought and swung low on hips; from the end of which was suspended the money bag, fan and keys. the girdle begins now to play an important part as decoration. this theme, the evolution of the girdle, may be indefinitely enlarged upon but we must not dwell upon it here. in some cases we see that the tunic opened in the front and that the large, square, shawl-like outer garment of greece now became the long circular cape, clasped on the chest (one or two clasps), made so familiar by the art of the gothic and renaissance periods. turn to the illuminated manuscripts of those periods, to paintings, on wood, frescoes, stained glass, stucco, carved wood, and stone, and you will find the mother of god invariably costumed in the simple one-piece robe and circular clasped cape. in most of the sacred art of the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the virgin and other saints are depicted in the current costume of woman. the virgin was the most frequent subject of artists in every medium, during the ages when the church dominated the state in europe. the refurnishing of the virgin's wardrobe has long been and still is, a pious task and one clamoured for by adherents to the churches in which the virgin's image is displayed to worshippers. we regret to say, for æsthetic reasons, that there is no effort made on the part of modern devotees to perpetuate the beautiful mediæval type of costume. in some old paintings which come under the head of folk art, the holy family appears in national costume. the writer recalls a bit of eighteenth century painting, showing st. anne holding the virgin as child. st. anne wears the bizarre fête attire of a spanish peasant; a gigantic head-dress and veil, large earrings, wide stiff skirts, showing gay flowers on a background of gold. the skirt is rather short, to display wide trousers below it. her sleeves have filmy frills of deep white lace executed with skill. plate xxi mrs. condé nast in a garden costume. she wears a sun-hat and carries a flower-basket, which are decorative as well as useful. we have chosen this photograph as an example of a costume made exquisitely artistic by being kept simple in line and free from an excess of trimming. this costume is so decorative that it gives distinction and interest to the least pretentious of gardens. [illustration: _mrs. condé nast in garden costume_] to return to the girdle, as we have said, it slipped from its position at the waist line, where it confined the classic folds, and was allowed to hang loosely about the hips, clasped low in front. from this clasp a chain extended, to which were attached the housewife's keys or purse and the dame of fashion's fan. in fact one can tell, to a certain extent, the woman's class and period by carefully inspecting her chatelaine. the absence of waist line, and the long, straight effect produced in the body of gown by wearing the girdle swung about the hips, gives it the so-called moyen age silhouette, revived by the fashion of to-day. in the thirteenth century the round collarless neck, low enough to admit a necklace of links or beads, persists. a new note is the outer sleeve laced across an inner sleeve of white. let us remember that the costume of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was distinguished by a quality of beautiful, sweeping line, massed colour, detail with _raison d'être_, which produced dignity with graceful movement, found nowhere to-day, unless it be on the wagnerian stage or in the boudoir of a woman who still takes time, in our age of hurry, to wear her negligée beautifully. in the fourteenth century the round neck continued, but one sees low necks too, which left the shoulders exposed (our 1830 style). another new note is the tunic grown into a garment reaching to the feet, a one-piece "princess" gown, with belt or girdle. sometimes a juliet cap was worn to merely cover the crown of head, with hair parted and flowing, while on matrons we see head coverings with sides turned up, like ecclesiastical caps, and floating veils falling to the waist. notice that through all the periods that we have named, which means until the fourteenth century, the line of shoulder remains normal and beautiful, sloping and melting into folds of robe or line of sleeve. we see now for the first time an inclination to tamper with the shoulder line. an inoffensive scallop appears,--or some other decoration, as cap to sleeve. no harm done yet! the fifteenth century shows another style, a long sleeveless overgarment, reaching to the floor, fastened on shoulders and swinging loose, to show at sides the undergown. it suggests a priest's robe. here we discover one more of the moyen age styles revived to-day. the fourteenth century gowns, with necks cut out round, to admit a necklace with pendants, are still popular. the gowns are long on the ground, and the most beautiful of the characteristic head-dresses--the long, pointed one, with veil covering it, and floating down from point of cap to hem of flowing skirt behind, continues the movement of costume--the long lines which follow one another. when correctly posed, this pointed head-dress is a delight to the eye. we recently saw a photograph of some fair young women in this type of mediæval or gothic costume worn by them at a costume ball. failing to realise that the _pose_ of any head-dress (this means hats as well) is all-important, they had placed the quaint, long, pointed caps on the very tops of their heads, like fools' caps! the angle at which this head-dress is worn is half the battle. the importance of every woman's cultivating an eye for line cannot be overstated. in the fifteenth century we first see puffs at the elbow, otherwise the outlines of gown are the same. the garment in one piece, the body of it outlining the form, its skirts sweeping the ground; a girdle about the hips, and long, close or flowing sleeves, wide at the hem. despite the fourteenth century innovation of necks cut low and off the shoulders (berated by the church), most necks in the fifteenth century are still cut round at the throat, and the necklace worn instead of collar. some of the gowns cut low off the shoulders are filled in with a puffed tucker of muslin. the pointed cap with a floating veil is still seen. notice that the restraint in line, colour and detail, gradually disappears, with the abnormal circulation of wealth, in those departments of church and state to which the current of material things was diverted. we now see humanity tricked out in rich attire and staggering to its doom through general debaucheries. rich brocades, once from damascus, are now made in venice; and so are wonderful satins, velvets and silks, with jewels many and massive. sometimes a broad jewelled band crossed the breast from shoulder diagonally to under arm, at waist. the development of the petticoat begins now. at first we get only a glimpse of it, when our lady of the pointed cap lifts her long skirts, lined with another shade. it is of a rich contrasting colour and is gradually elaborated. the waist-line, when indicated, is high. a new note is the hair, with throat and neck completely concealed by a white veil, a style we associate with nuns and certain folk costumes. as fashion it had a passing vogue. originally, the habit of covering woman's hair indicated modesty (an idea held among the folk), and the gradual shrinking of the dimensions of her coif, records the progress of the peasant woman's emancipation, in certain countries. this is especially conspicuous in brittany, as m. anatol le braz, the eminent breton scholar, remarked recently to the writer. note the silk bag, quite modern, on the arm; also the jewelled line of chain hanging from girdle down the middle of front, to hem of skirt,--both for use and ornament. to us of a practical era, a mysterious charm attaches to the long-pointed shoes worn at this period. in the fifteenth century, the marked division of costume into waist and skirt begins, the waist line more and more pinched in, the skirt more and more full, the sleeves and neck more elaborately trimmed, the head-dresses multiplied in size, elaborateness and variety. textiles developed with wealth and ostentation. in the sixteenth century the neck was usually cut out and worn low on the shoulders, sometimes filled in, but we see also high necks; necks with small ruffs and necks with large ruffs; ruffs turned down, forming stiff linen-cape collars, trimmed with lace, close to the throat or flaring from neck to show the throat. the hair is parted and worn low in a snood, or by young women, flowing. the ears are covered with the hair. plate xxii mrs. condé nast wearing one of the famous fortuny tea gowns. this one has no tunic but is finely pleated, in the fortuny manner, and falls in long lines, closely following the figure, to the floor. observe the decorative value of the long string of beads. [illustration: _mrs. condé nast in a fortuny tea gown_] _the virgin in art_ when writing of the gothic period in _the art of interior decoration_, we have said "... gothic art proceeds from the christian church and stretches like a canopy over western europe during the late middle ages. it was in the churches and monasteries that christian art, driven from pillar to post by wars, was obliged to take refuge, and there produced that marvellous development known as the gothic style, of the church, for the church and by the church, perfected in countless gothic cathedrals, crystallised glorias, lifting their manifold spires to heaven; ethereal monuments of an intrepid faith which gave material form to its adoration, its fasting and prayer, in an unrivalled art...." "crystallised glorias" (hymns to the virgin) is as concise a defining of the nature and spirit of this highest type of mediæval art--perfected in france--as we can find. here we have deified woman inspiring an art miraculously decorative. chartres cathedral and rheims (before the german invasion in 1914) with mont saint michel, are distinguished examples. if the readers would put to the test our claim that woman as decoration is a beguiling theme worthy of days passed in the broad highways of art, and many an hour in cross-roads and unbeaten paths, we would recommend to them the fascinations of a marvellous story-teller, one who, knowing all there is to know of his subject, has had the genius to weave the innumerable and perplexing threads into a tapestry of words, where the main ideas take their places in the foreground, standing out clearly defined against the deftly woven, intelligible but unobtruding background. the author is henry adams, the book, _the cathedrals of mont st. michel and chartres_. he tells you in striking language, how woman was translated into pure decoration in the middle ages, woman as the virgin mother of god, the manifestation of deity which took precedence over all others during the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; and if you will follow him to the chartres cathedral (particularly if you have been there already), and will stand facing the great east window, where in stained glass of the ancient jewelled sort, woman, as mother of god, is enthroned above all, he will tell you how, out of the chaos of warring religious orders, the priestly schools of abelard, st. francis of assisi and others, there emerged the form of the virgin. to woman, as mother of god and man, the instrument of reproduction, of tender care, of motherhood, the disputatious, groping mind of man agreed to bow, silenced and awed by the mystery of her calling. in view of the recent enrolling of womanhood in the stupendous business of the war now waging in europe, and the demands upon her to help in arming her men or nursing back to life the shattered remains of fair youth, which so bravely went forth, the thought comes that woman will play a large part in the art to arise from the ashes of to-day. woman as woman ready to supplement man, pouring into life's caldron the best of herself, unstinted, unmeasured; woman capable of serving beyond her strength, rising to her greatest height, bending, but not breaking to the end, if only assured she is _needed_. chapter xvii the renaissance _sixteenth and seventeenth centuries_ the marked departure is necks cut square, if low, and elaborate jewelled chains draped from shoulders, outlining neck of gown and describing a festoon on front of waist, which is soon to become independent of skirt to develop on its own account. as in the fifteenth century, when necks were cut low off the shoulders, they were on occasions filled in with tuckers. the skirt now registers a new characteristic; it parts at the waist line over a petticoat, and the opening is decorated by the ornamental, heavy chain which hangs from girdle to hem of gown. one sees the hair still worn coiled low in the neck, concealing the ears and held in a snood or in italy cut "florentine" fashion with fringe on brow. observe how the wealth of the roman empire, through its new trade channels opening up with the east (the result of the crusades) led to the importation of rich and many-coloured oriental stuffs; the same wealth ultimately established looms in italy for making silks and velvets, to decorate man and his home. there was no longer simplicity in line and colour scheme; gorgeous apparel fills the frames of the renaissance and makes amusing reading for those who consult old documents. the clothes of man, like his over-ornate furniture, show a debauched and vulgar taste. instead of the lines which follow one another, solid colours, and trimmings kept to hem of neck and sleeve and skirt, great designs, in satins and velvet brocades, distort the lines and proportions of man and woman. the good gothic lines lived on in the costumes of priests and nuns. jewelry ceased to be decoration with meaning; lace and fringe, tassels and embroidery, with colour combinations to rival the african parrots, disfigured man and woman alike. during november of 1916, new york was so fortunate as to see, at the american art galleries, the great collection of late gothic and early renaissance furniture and other art treasures, brought together in the restored davanzati palace of florence, italy. the collection was sold at auction, and is now scattered. of course those who saw it in its natural setting in florence, were most fortunate of all. but with some knowledge and imagination, at the sight of those wonderful things,--hand-made all of them,--the most casual among those who crowded the galleries for days, must have gleaned a vivid impression of how woman of the early renaissance lived,--in her kitchen, dining-room, bedroom and reception-rooms. they displayed her cooking utensils, her chairs and tables, her silver, glass and earthenware, her bed, linen, satin damask, lace and drawn work; the cushions she rested against; portraits in their gorgeous florentine frames, showing us how those early italians dressed; the colored terra-cottas, unspeakably beautiful presentments of the virgin and child, moulded and painted by great artists under that same exaltation of faith which brought into being the sister arts of the time, imbuing them with something truly divine. there is no disputing that quality which radiates from the face of both the mother and the child. one all but kneels before it. their expression is not of this world. plate xxiii mrs. vernon castle who set to-day's fashion in outline of costume and short hair for the young woman of america. for this reason and because mrs. castle has form to a superlative degree (correct carriage of the body) and the clothes sense (knowledge of what she can wear and how to wear it) we have selected her to illustrate several types of costumes, characteristic of 1916 and 1917. another reason for asking mrs. castle to illustrate our text is, that what mrs. castle's professional dancing has done to develop and perfect her natural instinct for line, the normal exercise of going about one's tasks and diversions can do for any young woman, provided she keep in mind correct carriage of body when in action or repose. here we see mrs. castle in ball costume. [illustration: _mrs. vernon castle in ball costume_] that is woman as the mother of god in art woman as the mother of man, who looked on these inspired works of art, lived for the most part in small houses built of wood with thatched roofs, unpaved streets, dirty interiors, which were cleaned but once a week--on saturdays! the men of the aristocracy hunted and engaged in commerce, and the general rank and file gave themselves over to the gaining of money to increase their power. it sounds not unlike new york to-day. gradually the cities grew large and rich. people changed from simple sober living to elaborate and less temperate ways, and the great families, with their proportionately increased wealth gained through trade, built beautiful palaces and built them well. the gorgeous colouring of the frescoed walls shows byzantine influence. in _the art of interior decoration_ we have described at length the house furnishing of that time. against this background moved woman, man's mate; note her colour scheme and then her rôle. (we quote from jahn rusconi in _les arts_, paris, august, 1911.) "donna francesca dei albizzi's cloak of black cloth ornamented on a yellow background with birds, parrots, butterflies, pink and red roses, and a few other red and green figures; dragons, letters and trees in yellow and black, and again other figures made of white cloth with red and black stripes." extravagance ran high not only in dress, but in everything, laws were made to regulate the amount spent on all forms of entertainment, even on funerals, and the cook who was to prepare a wedding feast had to submit his menu for approval to the city authorities. more than this, only two hundred guests could be asked to a wedding, and the number of presents which the bride was allowed to receive was limited by law. but wealth and fashion ran away with laws; the same old story. as the tide of the renaissance rose and swept over europe (the awakening began in italy), the woman of the gorgeous cloak and her contemporaries, according to the vivid description of the last quoted author, were "subject to their husbands' tyranny, not even knowing how to read in many cases, occupied with their household duties, in which they were assisted by rough and uncouth slaves, with no other mission in life than to give birth to a numerous posterity.... this life ruined them, and their beauty quickly faded away; no wonder, then, that they summoned art to the aid of nature. the custom was so common and the art so perfect that even a painter like taddeo gaddi acknowledged that the florentine women were the best painters in the world!... considering the mental status of the women, it is easy to imagine to what excesses they were given in the matter of dress." the above assertions relate to the average woman, not the great exceptions. the marriage coffers of woman of the renaissance in themselves give an idea of her luxurious tastes. they were about six feet long, three feet high, and two and a half feet deep. some had domed covers opening on hinges--the whole was carved, gilded and painted, the background of reds and blues throwing the gold into relief. scenes taken from mythology were done in what was known as "pastille," composition work raised and painted on a gold background. on one fifteenth century marriage coffer, bacchus and ariadne were shown in their triumphal car drawn by winged griffins, a young bacchante driving them on. another coffer decorated in the same manner had as decoration "the rape of proserpine." women rocked their infants in sumptuous carved and emblazoned walnut cradles, and crimson satin damask covered their beds and cushions. this blaze of gold and silver, crimson and blue we find as the wake of byzantine trade, via constantinople, venice, rome, florence on to france, spain, germany, holland, flanders and england. carved wood, crimson, green and blue velvets, satin damask, tapestries, gold and silver fringe and lace. against all this moved woman, costumed sumptuously. gradually the line of woman's (and man's) neck is lost in a ruff, her sweeping locks, instead of parted on her brow, entwined with pearls or other gems to frame her face and make long lines down the length of her robe, are huddled under grotesque head-dresses, monstrous creations, rising and spreading until they become caricatures, defying art. in some sixteenth century italian portraits we see the ruff flaring from a neck cut out square and low in front, then rising behind to form a head covering. the last half of the sixteenth century is marked by gowns cut high in the neck with a close collar, and the appearance of a small ruff encircling the throat. this ruff almost at once increased to absurd dimensions. the tightly laced long-pointed bodice now appears, with and without padded hips. (the superlative degree of this type is to be seen in portraits by velasquez (see plate ix).) long pointed toes to the shoes give way to broad, square ones. another sixteenth century departure is the absurdly small hat, placed as if by the wind, at a careless angle on the hair, which is curled and piled high. also we see hats of normal size with many plumes, on both men and women. notice the sleeves: some are still flowing, with tight undersleeves, others slashed to show full white sleeve beneath. but most important of all is that the general license, moral and artistic, lays its ruthless hand on woman's beautiful, sweeping shoulder line and distorts it. anne of cleves, or the progressive artist who painted her, shows in a portrait the queen's flowing sleeves with mediæval lines, clasped by a broad band between elbow and shoulder, and then _pushed up_ until the sleeve forms an ugly puff. a monstrous fashion, this, and one soon to appear in a thousand mad forms. its first vicious departure is that small puffy, senselessly insinuated line between arm-hole and top of sleeve in garments for men as well as women. skirts button from point of basque to feet just before we see them, in the seventeenth century, parting down the front and separating to show a petticoat. in queen elizabeth's time the acme of this style was reached by spanish women as we see in velasquez's portraits. gradually the overskirt is looped back, (at first only a few inches), and tied with narrow ribbons. plate xxiv mrs. vernon castle in winter afternoon costume, one which is so suited to her type and at the same time conservative as to outline and detail, that it would have charm whether in style or not. [illustration: _victor georg--chicago_ _mrs. vernon castle in afternoon costume--winter_] the second quarter of the seventeenth century shows the waist line drawn in and bodice with skirts a few inches in depth. these skirts are the hall-mark of a basque. very short, full coats flaring from under arms now appear. after the skirt has been pushed back and held with ribbons, we find gradually all fulness of upper skirt pushed to hips to form paniers, and across the back to form a bustle effect, until we have the marie antoinette type, late eighteenth century. far more graceful and _séduisant_ than the costume of queen elizabeth's time. the figures presented by marie antoinette and her court, powdered wigs and patches, paniers and enormous hats, surmounting the horsehair erections, heavy with powder and grease, lace, ribbon flowers and jewels, are quaint, delightful and diverting, but not to be compared with the greek or mediæval lines in woman's costume. extremely extended skirts gave way to an interlude of full skirts, but flowing lines in the eighteenth century english portraits. the directoire reaction towards simplicity was influenced by english fashion. empire formality under classic influence came next. then victorian hoops which were succeeded by the victorian bustles, pantalets, black velvet at throat and wrists, and lockets. chapter xviii eighteenth century the eighteenth century is unique by reason of scientific discoveries, mechanical inventions and chemical achievements, coupled with the gigantic political upheaval of the french revolution. it is unique, distinguished and enormously fruitful. for example, the modern frenzy for chintz, which has made our homes burst into bloom in endless variety, had its origin in the eighteenth century looms at jouy, near versailles, under the direction of oberkampf. before 1760 silks and velvets decorated man and his home. royal patronage co-operating with the influence of such great decorators as percier and fontaine gave the creating of beautiful stuffs to the silk factories of lyons. printed linens and painted wall papers appeared in france simultaneously, and for the same reason. the revolution set mass-taste (which is often stronger than individual inclination), toward unostentatious, inexpensive materials for house furnishing and wearing apparel. the revolution had driven out royalty and the high aristocracy who, with changed names lived in seclusion. society, therefore, to meet the mass-desire, was driven to simple ways of living. men gave up their silks and velvets and frills, lace and jewels for cloth, linen, and sombre neck-cloths. the women did the same; they wore muslin gowns and their own hair, and went to great length in the affectation of simplicity and patriotic fervour. we hear that, apropos of america having at this moment entered the great struggle with the central powers, simplicity is decreed as smart for the coming season, and that those who costume themselves extravagantly, furnish their homes ostentatiously or allow their tables to be lavish, will be frowned upon as bad form and unpatriotic. these reactions are inevitable, and come about with the regularity of _tides_ in this world of perpetual repetition. the belles of the directorate shook their heads and bobbed their pretty locks at the artificiality marie antoinette et cie had practised. i fear they called it sinful art to deftly place a patch upon the face, or make a head-dress in the image of a man-of-war. mme. de staël's familiar head-dress, twisted and wrapped around her head à la turque, is said to have had its origin in the improvisation of the court hairdresser. desperately groping for another version of the top-heavy erection, to humour the lovely queen, he seized upon a piece of fine lace and muslin hanging on a chair at hand, and twisting it, wrapped the thing about the towering wig. as it happened, the chiffon was my lady's chemise! we begin the eighteenth century with a full petticoat, trimmed with rows of ruffles or bands; an overskirt looped back into paniers to form the bustle effect; the natural hair powdered; and head-dress of lace, standing out stiffly in front and drooping in a curtain behind. it was not until the whim of marie antoinette decreed it so, that the enormous powdered wigs appeared. viennese temperament alone accounts for the moods of this lovely tragic queen, who played at making butter, in a cap and apron, over simple muslin frocks, but outdid her artificial age in love of artifice (not art) in dress. this gay and dainty puppet of relentless fate propelled by varying moods must needs lose her lovely head at last, as symbol of her time. plate xxv mrs. vernon castle in a summer afternoon costume appropriate for city or country and so adapted to the wearer's type that she is a picture, whether in action; seated on her own porch; having tea at the country club; or in the winter sun-parlour. [illustration: _mrs. vernon castle in afternoon costume--summer_] chapter xix woman in the victorian period the first seventy years of the nineteenth century seem to us of 1917 absolutely incredible in regard to dress. how our great-great-grandmothers ever got about on foot, in a carriage or stage-coach, moved in a crowd or even sat in any measure of serenity at home, is a mystery to us of an age when comfort, convenience, fitness and chic have at last come to terms. for a vivid picture of how our american society looked between 1800 and 1870, read miss elizabeth mcclellan's _historic dress in america_, published in 1910 by george w. jacobs & co., of philadelphia. the book is fascinating and it not only amuses and informs, but increases one's self-respect, if a woman, for _modern_ woman dressed in accordance with her rôle. we can see extravagant wives point out with glee to tyrant mates how, in the span of years between 1800 and 1870 our maternal forebears made money fly, even in the quaker city. fancy paying in philadelphia at that time, $1500 for a lace scarf, $400 for a shawl, $100 for the average gown of silk, and $50 for a french bonnet! miss mcclellan, quoting from _mrs. roger pryor's memoirs_, tells how she, mrs. pryor, as a young girl in washington, was awakened at midnight by a note from the daughter of her french milliner to say that a box of bonnets had arrived from paris. mamma had not yet unpacked them and if she would come at once, she might have her pick of the treasures, and mamma not know until too late to interfere. and this was only back in the 50's, we should say. then think of the hoops, and wigs and absurdly furbished head-dresses; paper-soled shoes, some intended only to _sit_ in; bonnets enormous; laces of cobweb; shawls from india by camel and sailing craft; rouge, too, and hair grease, patches and powder; laced waists and cramped feet; low necks and short sleeves for children in school-rooms. man was then still decorative here and in western europe. to-day he is not decorative, unless in sports clothes or military uniform; woman's garments furnish all the colour. whistler circumvented this fact when painting theodore duret (metropolitan museum) in sombre black broadcloth,--modern evening attire, by flinging over the arm of duret, the delicate pink taffeta and chiffon cloak of a woman, and in m. duret's hand he places a closed fan of pomegranate red. chapter xx sex in costuming "european dress" is the term accepted to imply the costume of man and woman which is entirely cosmopolitan, decrying continuity of types (of costume) and thoroughly plastic in the hands of fashion. to-day, we say parrot-like, that certain materials, lines and colours are masculine or feminine. they are so merely by association. the modern costuming of man the world over, if he appear in european dress (we except court regalia), is confined to cloth, linen or cotton, in black, white and inconspicuous colours; a prescribed and simple type of neckwear, footwear, hat, stick, and hair cut. the progenitor of the garments of modern men was the lutheran-puritan-revolutionary garb, the hall-mark of democracy. it is true that when silk was first introduced into europe, from the orient, the greeks and early romans considered it too effeminate for man's use, but this had to do with the doctrine of austere denial for the good of the state. to wear the costume of indolence implied inactivity and induced it. as a matter of fact, some of the master spirits of greece did wear silks. in ancient egypt, assyria, media, persia and the far east, men and women wore the same materials, as in china and japan to-day. egyptian men and their contemporaries throughout byzantium, wore gowns, in outline identical with those of the women. among the turks, trousers were always considered as appropriate for women as for men, and both men and women wore over the trousers, a long garment not unlike those of the women in the gothic period. thaïs wore a gilded wig, but so did the men she knew, and they added gilded false beards. assyrian kings wore earrings, bracelets and wonderful clasps with chains, by which the folds of their draped garment,--cut like the woman's, might be caught up and held securely, leaving feet, arms and hands free for action. when the genius of the byzantine, greek and venetian manufacturers of silks and velvets, rich in texture and ablaze with colour, were offered for sale to the romans, whose passion for display had increased with their fortunes, and consequent lives of dissipation, we find there was no distinction made between the materials used by man and woman. it is no exaggeration to say that the renaissance spells brocade. great designs and small ones sprawled over the figures of man and woman alike. lace was as much his as hers to use for wide, elaborate collars and cuffs. embroidery belonged to both, and the men (like the women) of germany, france, italy and england wore many plumes on their big straw hats and metal helmets. the intercommunication between the orient and all of the countries of the western hemisphere, and the abundance and variety of human trappings bewildered and vitiated taste. unfortunately the change in line of costume has not moved parallel to the line in furniture. the revival of classic interior decoration in italy, spain, france, germany, england, etc., did not at once revive the classic lines in woman's clothes. plate xxvi mrs. vernon castle costumed à la guerre for a walk in the country. the cap is after one worn by her aviator husband. this is one of the costumes--there are many--being worn by women engaged in war work under the head of messengers, chauffeurs, etc. the shoes are most decidedly not for service, but they will be replaced when the time is at hand, for others of stout leather with heavy soles and flat heels. [illustration: _mrs. vernon castle costumed à la guerre for a walk_] chapter xxi line and colour of costumes in hungary the idea that man decorative, by reason of colour or line in costume, is of necessity either masquerading or effeminate, proceeds chiefly from the conventional nineteenth and twentieth century point of view in america and western europe. but even in those parts of the world we are accustomed to colour in the uniforms of army and navy, the crimson "hood" of the university doctor, and red sash of the french legion of honour. we accept colour as a dignified attribute of man's attire in the cases cited, and we do not forget that our early nineteenth century american masculine forebears wore bright blue or vivid green coats, silver and brass buttons and red or yellow waistcoats. the gentleman sportsman of the early nineteenth century hunted in bright blue tailed coats with brass buttons, scarlet waistcoat, tight breeches and top hat! we refer to the same class of man who to-day wears rough, natural coloured tweeds, leather coat and close cap that his prey may not see him. in a sense, colour is a sign of virility when used by man. we have the north american indian with his gay feathers, blankets and war paint, and the european peasant in his gala costume. in many cases colour is as much his as his woman's. some years ago, when collecting data concerning national characteristics as expressed in the art of the slavs, magyars and czechs, the writer studied these peoples in their native settings. we went first to hungary and were disappointed to find buda pest far too cosmopolitan to be of value for the study of national costume, music or drama. the dominating and most artistic element in hungary is the magyar, and we were there to study him. but even the gypsies who played the magyar music in our hotel orchestra, wore the black evening dress of western europe and patent leather shoes, and the music they played was from the most modern operettas. it was not until a world-famous hungarian violinist arrived to give concerts in buda pest that the national spirit of the gypsies was stirred to play the magyar airs in his honour. (gypsies take on the spirit of any adopted land). we then realised what they could make of the recockzy march and other folk music. the experience of that evening spurred us to penetrate into southern hungary, the heart of magyar land, armed with letters of introduction, from one of the ministers of education, to mayors of the peasant villages. it was impossible to get on without an interpreter, as usually even the mayors knew only the magyar language--not a word of german. that was the perfect region for getting at magyar character expressed in the colour and line of costume, manner of living, point of view, folk song and dance. it is all still vividly clear to our mind's eye. we saw the first magyar costumes in a village not far from buda pest. to make the few miles quickly, we had taken an electric trolley, vastly superior to anything in new york at the time of which we speak; and were let off in the centre of a group of small, low thatched cottages, white-washed, and having a broad band of one, two or three colours, extending from the ground to about three feet above it, and completely encircling the house. the favourite combination seemed to be blue and red, in parallel stripes. near one of these houses we saw a very old woman with a long lashed whip in her hand, guarding two or three dark, curly, long-legged hungarian pigs. she wore high boots, many short skirts, a shawl and a head-kerchief. presently two other figures caught our eye: a man in a long cape to the tops of his boots, made of sheepskin, the wool inside, the outside decorated with bright-coloured wools, outlining crude designs. the black fur collar was the skin of a small black lamb, legs and tail showing, as when stripped off the little animal. the man wore a cone-shaped hat of black lamb and his hair reached to his shoulders. he smoked a very long-stemmed pipe with a china bowl, as he strolled along. behind him a woman walked, bowed by the weight of an immense sack. she wore boots to the knees, many full short skirts, and a yellow and red silk head-kerchief. by her head-covering we knew her to be a married woman. they were a farmer and his wife! among the magyars the man is very decidedly the peacock; the woman is the pack-horse. on market days he lounges in the sunshine, wrapped in his long sheepskin cape, and smokes, while she plies the trade. in the farmers' homes of southern hungary where we passed some time, we, as americans, sat at table with the men of the house, while wife and daughter served. there was one large dish of food in the centre, into which every one dipped! the women of the peasant class never sit at table with their men; they serve them and eat afterwards, and they always address them in the second person as, "will your graciousness have a cup of coffee?" also they always walk behind the men. at country dances we have seen young girls in bright, very full skirts, with many ribbons braided into the hair, cluster shyly at a short distance from the dancing platform in the fair grounds, waiting to be beckoned or whistled to by one of the sturdy youths with skin-tight trousers, tucked into high boots, who by right of might, has stationed himself on the platform. when they have danced, generally a czardas, the girl goes back to the group of women, leaving the man on the platform in command of the situation! yet already in 1897 women were being admitted to the university of buda pest. there in hungary one could see woman run the whole gamut of her development, from man's slave to man's equal. plate xxvii mrs. vernon castle in one of her dancing costumes. she was snapped by the camera as she sprang into a pose of mere joyous abandon at the conclusion of a long series of more or less exacting poses. mrs. castle assures us that to repeat the effect produced here, in which camera, lucky chance and favourable wind combined, would be well-nigh impossible. [illustration: _mrs. vernon castle_ _a fantasy_] we found the national colour scheme to have the same violent contrasts which characterise the folk music and the folk poetry of the magyars. primitive man has no use for half-tones. it was the same with the russian peasants and with the poles. our first morning in krakau a great clattering of wheels and horses' hoofs on the cobbled court of our hotel, accompanied by the cracking of a whip and voices, drew us to our window. at first we thought a strolling circus had arrived, but no, that man with the red crown to his black fur cap, a peacock's feather fastened to it by a fantastic brooch, was just an ordinary farmer in sunday garb. in the neighbourhood of krakau the young men wear frock coats of white cloth, over bright red, short tight coats, and their light-coloured skin-tight trousers, worn inside knee boots, are embroidered in black down the fronts. one afternoon we were the guests of a polish painter, who had married a pretty peasant, his model. he was a gentleman by birth and breeding, had studied art in paris and spoke french, german and english. his wife, a child of the soil, knew only the dialect of her own province, but with the sensitive response of a pole, eagerly waited to have translated to her what the americans were saying of life among women in their country. she served us with tea and liquor, the red heels of her high boots clicking on the wooden floor as she moved about. as colour and as line, of a kind, that young polish woman was a feast to the eye; full scarlet skirt, standing out over many petticoats and reaching only to the tops of her knee boots, full white bodice, a sleeveless jacket to the waist line, made of brightly coloured cretonne, outlined with coloured beads; a bright yellow head-kerchief bound her soft brown hair; her eyes were brown, and her skin like a yellow peach. on her neck hung strings of coral and amber beads. there was indeed a decorative woman! as for her background, it was simple enough to throw into relief the brilliant vision that she was. not, however, a scheme of interior decoration to copy! the walls were whitewashed; a large stove of masonry was built into one corner, and four beds and a cradle stood on the other side of the room, over which hung in a row five virgins, the central one being the black virgin beloved by the poles. the legend is that the original was painted during the life of the virgin, on a panel of dark wood. here, too, was the marriage chest, decorated with a crude design in bright colours. the children, three or four of them, ran about in the national costume, miniatures of their mother, but barefoot. it was the same in hungary, when we were taken by the mayor of a magyar town to visit the characteristic farmhouse of a highly prosperous farmer, said to be worth two hundred thousand dollars. the table was laid in the end of a room having four beds in it. on inquiring later, we were told that they were not ordinarily used by the family, but were heaped with the reserve bedding. in other words, they were recognised by the natives as indicating a degree of affluence, and were a bit of ostentation, not the overcrowding of necessity. chapter xxii studying line and colour in russia from hungary we continued our quest of line and colour of folk costume into russia. strangely enough, russia throws off the imperial yoke of autocracy, declaring for democratic principles, at the very moment we undertake to put into words the vivid picturesqueness resulting largely from the causes of this astounding revolution. have you been in russia? have you seen with your own eyes any phase of the violent contrasts which at last have caused the worm to turn? our object being to study national characteristics as expressed in folk costume, folk song, folk dance, traditional customs and fêtes, we consulted students of these subjects, whom we chanced to meet in london, paris, vienna and buda pest, with the result that we turned our faces toward southern or "little" russia, as the part least affected by cosmopolitan influences. kiev was our headquarters, and it is well to say at once that we found what we sought,--ample opportunity to observe the genuine russian, the sturdy, dogged, plodding son of toil, who, more than any other european peasant seems a part of the soil, which in sullen persistency he tills. we knew already the russians of petrograd and moscow; one meets them in paris, london, vienna, at german and austrian cures and on the riviera. they are everywhere and always distinctive by reason of their slav temperament; a magnetic race quality which is asiatic in its essence. we recognise it, we are stirred by it, we are drawn to it in their literature, their music, their painting and in the russian people themselves. the quality is an integral part of russian nature; polishing merely increases its attraction as with a gem. one instance of this is the folk melody as treated by tschaikowsky compared with its simple form as sung or danced by the peasant. plate xxviii a skating costume worn by miss weld of boston, holder of the woman's figure skating championship. this photograph was taken in new york on march 23, 1917, when amateurs contested for the cup and miss weld won--this time over the men. the costume of wine-coloured velvet trimmed with mole-skin, a small close toque to match, was one of the most appropriate and attractive models of 1916-1917. [illustration: _courtesy of new york herald_ _modern skating costume 1917 winner of amateur championship of fancy skating_] some of the russian women of the fashionable world are very decorative. our first impression of this type was in paris, at the russian church on christmas (or was it some other holy day?) when to the amazement of the uninitiated the russian women of the aristocracy appeared at the morning service hatless and in full evening dress, wearing jewels as if for a function at some secular court. their masculine escorts appeared in full regalia, the light of the altar candles adding mystery to the glitter of gold lace and jewels. those occasions are picturesque in the extreme. the congregation stands, as in the jewish synagogues, and those of highest rank are nearest the altar, invariably ablaze with gold, silver and precious stones, while on occasions the priest wears cloth of gold. in paris this background and the whole scene was accepted as a part of the pageant of that city, but in kiev it was different. there we got the other side of the picture; the man and the woman who are really russia, the element that finds an outlet in the folk music, for its age-old rebellious submission. one hears the soul of the russian pulsating in the continued reiteration of the same theme; it is like the endless treadmill of a life without vistas. we were looking at the russia of maxim gorky, the russia that made tolstoy a reformer; that has now forced its czar to abdicate. we reached kiev just before the easter of the greek church, the season when the pilgrims, often as many as fifty thousand of them, tramp over the frozen roads from all parts of the empire to expiate their sins, kneeling at the shrine of one of their mummied, sainted bishops. the men and women alike, clad in grimy sheepskin coats, moved like cattle in straggling droves, over the roads which lead to kiev. from a distance one cannot tell man from woman, but as they come closer, one sees that the woman has a bright kerchief tied round her head, and red or blue peasant embroidery dribbles below her sheepskin coat. she is as stocky as a shetland pony and her face is weather-beaten, with high cheekbones and brown eyes. the man wears a black astrachan conical cap and his hair is long and bushy, from rubbing bear grease into it. he walks with a crooked staff, biblical in style, and carries his worldly goods in a small bundle flung over his shoulder. the woman carries her own small burden. as they shuffle past, a stench arises from the human herd. it comes from the sheepskin, which is worked in, slept in, and, what is more, often inherited from a parent who had also worn it as his winter hide. added to the smell of the sheepskin is that of an unwashed human, and the reek of stale food, for the poorest of the russian peasants have no chimneys to their houses. they cannot afford to let the costly heat escape. kiev, the holy city and capital of ancient russia, climbs from its ancestral beginnings, on the banks of the river dneiper, up the steep sides and over the summit of a commanding hilltop, crowned by an immense gold cross, illumined with electricity by night, to flash its message of hope to foot-sore pilgrims. the driver of our drosky drove us over the rough cobbles so rapidly, despite the hill, that we were almost overturned. it is the manner of russian drosky drivers. the cathedral, our goal, was snowy-white, with frescoes on the outer walls, onion-shaped domes of bronze turned green; or gold, or blue with stars of gold. we entered and found the body of the church well filled by peasants, women and men in sheepskin. one poor doe-eyed creature crouched to press his forehead twenty times at least on the stone floor of the church. eagerly, like a flock of sheep, they all pushed forward to where a richly-robed priest held a cross of gold for each to kiss, taking their proffered kopeks. the setting sun streamed through the ancient stained glass, dyeing their dirty sheepskin crimson, and purple, and green, until they looked like illuminations in old missals. to the eye and the mind of western europe it was all incomprehensible. yet those were the people of russia who are to-day her mass of armed defenders; the element that has been counted on from the first by russia and her allies stood penniless before an altar laid over with gold and silver and precious stones. just before we got to kiev, one of those men in sheepskins with uncut hair and dogged expression, who had a sense of values in human existence, broke into the church and stole jeweled chalices from the altar. they were traced to a pawnshop in a distant city and brought back. it was a common thing to see men halt in the street and stand uncovered, while a pitiful funeral cortege passed. a wooly, half-starved, often lame horse, was harnessed with rope to a simple four-wheeled farm wagon, a long-haired peasant at his head, women and children holding to the sides of the cart as they stumbled along in grief, and inside a rough wooden coffin covered with a black pall, on which was sewn the greek cross, in white. heartless, hopeless, weary and underfed, those peasants were taking their dead to be blessed for a price, by the priest in cloth of gold, without whose blessing there could be no burial. chapter xxiii mark twain's love of colour in all costuming the public thinks of mark twain as being the apostle of _white_ during the last years of his life, but those who knew him well recall his delightfully original way of expressing an intense love for _bright colours_. this brings to mind a week-end at mark twain's beautiful italian villa in reading, connecticut, when, one night during dinner, he held forth on the compelling fascination of colours and the american indian's superior judgment in wearing them. after a lengthy elaboration--not to say exaggeration--of his theme, he ended by declaring in uncompromising terms, that colour, and plenty of it, crimson and yellow and blue, wrapped around man, as well as woman, was an obligation shirked by humanity. it was all put as only mark twain could have put it, with that serious vein showing through broad humour. this quality combined with an unmatched originality, made every moment passed in his company a memory to treasure. it was not alone his theme, but how he dealt with it, that fascinated one. plate xxix one of the 1917 silhouettes. naturally, since woman to-day dresses for her occupation--work or play--the characteristic silhouettes are many. this one is reproduced to illustrate our point that outline can be affected by the smallest detail. the sketch is by elisabeth searcy. [illustration: _drawn from life by elisabeth searcy_ _a modern silhouette--1917 tailor-made_] mark twain was elemental and at the same time a great artist,--the embodiment of extreme contradictions, and his flair for gay colour was one proof of his elemental strain. we laughed that night as he made word pictures of how men and women should dress. next morning, toward noon, on looking out of a window, we saw standing in the middle of the driveway a figure wrapped in crimson silk, his white hair flying in the wind, while smoke from a pipe encircled his head. yes, it was mark twain, who in the midst of his writing, had been suddenly struck with the thought that the road needed mending, and had gone out to have another look at it! it was a blustering day in spring, and cold, so one of the household was sent to persuade him to come in. we can see him now, returning reluctantly, wind-blown and vehement, gesticulating, and stopping every few steps to express his opinion of the men who had made that road! the flaming red silk robe he wore was one his daughter had brought him from liberty's, in london, and he adored it. still wrapped in it, and seemingly unconscious of his unusual appearance, he joined us on the balcony, to resume a conversation of the night before. the red-robed figure seated itself in a wicker chair and berated the idea that mortal man ever _could_ be generous,--act without selfish motives. with the greatest reverence in his tone, sitting there in his whimsical costume of bright red silk, at high noon,--an immaculate french butler waiting at the door to announce lunch, mark twain concluded an analysis of modern religion with "--why the god _i_ believe in is too busy spinning spheres to have time to listen to human prayers." how often his words have been in our mind since war has shaken our planet. chapter xxiv the artist and his costume the world has the habit of deriding that which it does not understand. it is the most primitive way of bolstering one's limitations. how often the woman or man with a god-given sense of the beautiful, the fitting, harmony between costume and setting, is described as poseur or poseuse by those who lack the same instinct. in a sense, of course, everything man does, beyond obeying the rudimentary instincts of the savage, is an affectation, and it is not possible to claim that even our contemporary costuming of man or woman always has _raison d'être_. we accept as the natural, unaffected raiment for woman and man that which custom has taught us to recognise as appropriate, with or without reason for being. for example, the tall, shiny, inflexible silk hat of man, and the tortuous high french heels of woman are in themselves neither beautiful, fitting, nor made to meet the special demands of any setting or circumstance. both hat and heels are fashions, unbeautiful and uncomfortable, but to the eye of man to-day serve as insignia of formal dress, decreed by society. the artist nature has always assumed poetic license in the matter of dress, and as a rule defied custom, to follow an inborn feeling for beauty. that much-maligned short velvet coat and soft loose tie of the painter or writer, happen to have a most decided _raison d'être_; they represent comfort, convenience, and in the case of the velvet coat, satisfy a sensitiveness to texture, incomprehensible to other natures. as for the long hair of some artists, it can be a pose, but it has in many cases been absorption in work, or poverty--the actual lack of money for the conventional haircut. in cities we consider long hair on a man as effeminate, an indication of physical weakness, but the russian peasant, most sturdy of individuals, wears his hair long, and so do many others among extremely primitive masculine types, who live their lives beyond the reach of fashion and barbers. the short hair of the sincere woman artist is to save time at the toilette. there is always a limited number of men and women who, in ordinary acts of life, respond to texture, colour or line, as others do to music or scenery, and to be at their best in life, must dress their parts as they feel them. japanese actors who play the parts of women, dress like women off the stage, and live the lives of women as nearly as possible, in order to acquire the feeling for women's garments; they train their bodies to the proper feminine carriage, counting upon this to perfect their interpretations. the woman who rides, hunts, shoots, fishes, sails her own boat, paddles, golfs and plays tennis, is very apt to look more at home in habit, tweeds and flannels, than she does in strictly feminine attire; the muscles she has acquired in legs and arms, from violent exercise, give an actual, not an assumed, stride and a swing to the upper body. in sports clothes, or severely tailored costume, this woman is at her best. most trying for her will be demi-toilette (house gowns). she is beautiful at night because a certain balance, dignity and grace are lent her by the décolletage and train of a dinner or ball gown. english women who are devotees of sport, demonstrate the above fact over and over again. while on the subject of responsiveness to texture and colour we would remind the reader that richard wagner hung the room in which he worked at his operas with bright silks, for the art stimulus he got from colour, and it is a well-known fact that he derived great pleasure from wearing dressing gowns and other garments made from rich materials. clyde fitch, our american playwright, when in his home, often wore velvet or brocaded silks. they were more sympathetic to his artist nature, more in accord with his fondness for wearing jewelled studs, buttons, scarf-pins. in his town and country houses the main scheme, leading features and every smallest detail were the result of clyde fitch's personal taste and effort, and he, more than most men and women, appreciated what a blot an inartistic human being can be on a room which of itself is a work of art. plate xxx souvenirs of an artist designer's unique establishment, in spirit and accomplishment _vrai parisienne_. notice the long cape in the style of 1825. tappé himself will tell you that all periods have had their beautiful lines and colours; their interesting details; that to find beauty one must first have the feeling for it; that if one is not born with this subtle instinct, there are manifold opportunities for cultivating it. his claim is the same as that made in our _art of interior decoration_; the connoisseur is one who has passed through the schooling to be acquired only by contact with masterpieces,--those treasures sifted by time and preserved for our education, in great art collections. tappé emphasises the necessity of knowing the background for a costume before planning it; the value of line in the physique beneath the materials; the interest to be woven into a woman's costume when her type is recognised, and the modern insistence on appropriateness--that is, the simple gown and close hat for the car, vivid colours for field sports or beach; a large fan for the woman who is mistress of sweeping lines, etc., etc. tappé is absolutely french in his insistence upon the possible eloquence of line; a single flower well poised and the chic which is dependent upon _how a hat or gown is put on_. we have heard him say: "no, i will not claim the hat in that photograph, though i made it, because it is _mal posé_." [illustration: _sketched for "woman as decoration" by thelma cudlipp_ _tappé's creations_] in england, and far more so in america, men are put down as effeminate who wear jewelry to any marked extent. but no less a person than king edward vii always wore a chain bangle on his arm, and one might cite countless men of the continent as thoroughly masculine--spaniards in particular--who wear as many jewelled rings as women. apropos of this, a famous topaz, worn as a ring for years by a distinguished spaniard was recently inherited by a relation in america--a woman. the stone was of such importance as a gem, that a record was kept of its passing from france into america. as a man's ring it was impressive and the setting such as to do it honour, but being a man's ring, it was too heavy for a woman's use. a pendant was made of the stone and a setting given it which turned out to be too trifling in character. the consequence was, the stone lost in value as a rubens' canvas would, if placed in an art nouveau frame. whether it is a precious stone, a valued painting or a woman's costume--the effect produced depends upon the character of its setting. chapter xxv idiosyncrasies in costume fashions in dress as in manners, religion, art, literature and drama, are all powerful because they seize upon the public mind. the chelsea group of revolutionary artists in new york doubtless see,--perhaps but dimly, the same star that led goethe and schiller on, in the storm and stress period of their time. we smile now as we recall how schiller stood on the street corners of leipzig, wearing a dressing-gown by day to defy custom; but the youth of athens did the same in the last days of greece. in fact then the darlings of the gilded world struck attitudes of abandon in order to look like the spartans. they refused to cut their hair and they would not wash their hands, and even boasted of their ragged clothes after fist fights in the streets. yes, the gentlemen did this. in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries there was a cult that wore furs in summer and thin clothes in winter, to prove that love made them strong enough to resist the elements! you will recall the euphuists of england, the precieuses of france and the illuminati of the eighteenth century, as well as les merveilleux and les encroyables. the rich during the renaissance were great and wise collectors but some followed the fashion for collecting manuscripts even when unable to read them. it is interesting to find that in the fourth and fifth centuries it was fashionable to be literary. those with means for existence without labour, wrote for their own edification, copying the style of the ancient poets and philosophers. as early as the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries venetian women were shown the paris fashions each ascension day on life-size dolls, displayed by an enterprising importer. it is true that fashions come and go, not only in dress, but how one should sit, stand, and walk; how use the hands and feet and eyes. to squint was once deemed a modest act. women of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries stood with their abdomens out, and so did some in 1916! there are also fashions in singing and speaking. the poses in portraits express much. compare the exactly prim copley miss, with a recent portrait by cecilia beaux of a young girl seated, with dainty satin-covered feet outstretched to full extent of the limbs, in casual impertinence,--our age! to return to the sixteenth century, it is worthy of note that some venetian belles wore patines--that is, shoes with blocks of wood, sometimes two feet high, fastened to the soles. they could not move without a maid each side! as it was an age when elemental passions were "good form," jealous husbands are blamed for these! in the seventeenth century the idle dancing youth of to-day had his prototype in the cavalier servente, who hovered at his lady's side, affecting extravagant and effeminate manners. the corrupt morals of the sixteenth century followed in the wake of social intercourse by travel, literature, art and styles for costumes. mme. récamier, the exquisite embodiment of the directoire style as depicted by david in his famous portrait of her, scandalised london by appearing in public, clad in transparent greek draperies and scarfs. later mme. jerome bonaparte, a baltimore belle, quite upset philadelphia by repeating mme. récamier's experiment in that city of brotherly love! we are also told on good authority that one could have held madame's wedding gown in the palm of the hand. victorian hoops for public conveyances, paper-soled slippers in snow-drifts, wigs immense and heavy with powder, hair-oil and furbelows, hour-glass waist lines producing the "vapours" fortunately are no more. taken by and large, we of the year 1917 seem to have reached the point where woman's psychology demands of dress fitness for each occasion, that she may give herself to her task without a material handicap. may the good work in this direction continue, as the panorama of costumes for women moves on down the ages that are to come. chapter xxvi nationality in costume when seen in perspective, the costumes of various periods, as well as the architecture, interior decoration and furnishings of the homes of men appear as distinct types, though to the man or woman of any particular period the variations of the type are bewildering and misleading. it is the same in physical types; when visiting for the first time a foreign land one is immediately struck by a national cast of feature, english, french, american, russian, etc. but if we remain in the country for any length of time, the differences between individuals impress us and we lose track of those features and characteristics the nation possesses in common. to-day, if asked what outline, materials and colour schemes characterise our fashions, some would say that almost anything in the way of line, materials and colour were worn. there is, however, always an epoch type, and while more than ever before the law of _appropriateness_ has dictated a certain silhouette for each occasion,--each occupation,--when recorded in costume books of the future we will be recognised as a distinct phase; as distinct as the gothic, elizabethan, empire or victorian period. plate xxxi costume of a red cross nurse, worn while working in a french war hospital, by miss elsie de wolfe, of new york. an example of woman costumed so as to be most efficient for the work in hand. miss de wolfe's name has become synonymous with interior decoration, throughout the length and breadth of our land, but she established a reputation as one of the best-dressed women in america, long before she left the stage to professionally decorate homes. she has done an immeasurable amount toward moulding the good taste of america in several fields. at present her energies are in part devoted to disseminating information concerning a cure for burns, one of the many discoveries resulting from the exigencies of the present devastating war. [illustration: _miss elsie de wolfe in costume of red cross nurse_] as we have said, in studying the history of woman decorative, one finds two widely separated aspects of the subject, which must be considered in turn. there is the classifying of woman's apparel which comes under the head of european dress, woman's costume affected by cosmopolitan influences; costumes worn by that part of humanity which is in close intercommunication and reflecting the ebb and flow of currents--political, geographical and artistic. then we have quite another field for study, that of national costumes, by which we mean costumes peculiar to some one nation and worn by its men and women century after century. it is interesting as well as depressing for the student of national characteristics to see the picturesque distinguishing lines and colours gradually disappear as railroads, steamboats and electric trolleys penetrate remote districts. with any influx of curious strangers there comes in time, often all too quickly, a regrettable self-consciousness, which is followed at first by an awkward imitation of the cosmopolitan garb. we recall our experience in hungary. having been advised to visit the peasant villages and farms lying out on the püstas (plains of southern hungary) if we would see the veritable national costumes, we set out hopefully with letters of introduction from a minister of education in buda pest, directed to mayors of magyar villages. one of these planned a visit to a local celebrity, a magyar farmer, very old, very prosperous, rich in herds of horses, sheep and magnificent hungarian oxen, large, white and with almost straight, spreading horns, like the oxen of the ancient greeks. there we met a man of the old school, nearly eighty, who had never in his life slept under cover, his duty being to guard his flocks and herds by night as well as day, though he had amassed what was for his station in life, a great fortune. he had never been seen in anything but the national costume, the same as worn in his part of the world for several hundred years. and so we went to see him in his home. we were all expectation! you can imagine our disappointment, when, upon arrival, we found our host awaiting us, painfully attired in the ordinary dark cloth coat and trousers of the modern farmer the world over. he had donned the ugly things in our honour, taking an hour to make his toilet, as we were secretly informed by one of the household. we tell this to show how one must persevere in the pursuit of artistic data. this was the same occasion cited in _the art of interior decoration,_ when the highly decorative peasant tableware was banished by the women in the house, to make room, again in our honour, for plain white ironstone china. the feeling for line accredited to the french woman is equally the birthright of the magyar--woman and man. one sees it in the dash of the court beauty who can carry off a mass of jewels, barbaric in splendour, where the average european or american would feel a christmas tree in the same. and no man in europe wears his uniform as the hungarian officer of hussars does; the astrachan-trimmed short coat, slung over one shoulder, cap trimmed with fur, on the side of his head, and skin-tight trousers inside of faultless, spurred boots reaching to the knees. one can go so far as to say there is something decorative in the very temperament of hungarian women, a fiery abandon, which makes _line_ in a subtle way quite apart from the line of costume. this quality is also possessed by the spanish woman, and developed to a remarkable degree in the professional spanish dancer. the gipsy woman has it too,--she brought it with her from asia, as the magyar's forebears did. speaking of the magyar, nothing so perfectly expresses the national temperament as the czardas--that peasant dance which begins with calm, stately repression, and ends in a mad ecstasy of expression, the rapid crescendo, the whirl, ending when the man seizes his partner and flings her high in the air. watch the flash of the eyes and see that this is genuine temperament, not acting, but something inherent in the blood. the crude colour of the national costume and the sharp contrast in the folk music are equally expressions of national character, the various art expressions of which open up countless enticing vistas. the contemplation of some of these vistas leads one to the conclusion that woman decorative is so, either as an artist (that is, in the mastery of the science of line and colour, more or less under the control of passing fashion), or in the abandonment to the impulse of an untutored, unconscious, child of nature. both can be beautiful; the art which is so great as to conceal conscious effort by creating the illusion of spontaneity, and the natural unconscious grace of the human being in youth or in the primitive state. chapter xxvii models an historical interest attaches to fashions in women's costuming, which the practised eye is quick to distinguish, but not always that of the novice. of course the most casual and indifferent of mortals recognises the fact when woman's hat follows the lines of the french officer's cap, or her coat reproduces the cossack's, with even a feint at his cartridge belt; but such echoes of the war are too obvious to call for comment. plate xxxii madame geraldine farrar as _carmen_. in each of the three presentations of madame farrar we have given her in character, as suggestions for stage costumes or costume balls. (by courtesy of _vanity fair_.) [illustration: _courtesy of vanity fair_ _mme. geraldine farrar in spanish costume as carmine_] it is one of the missions of art to make subtle the obvious, and a distinguished example of this, which will illustrate our theme,--history mirrored by dress,--was seen recently. one of the most famous among the great couturières of paris, who has opened a new york branch within two years, having just arrived with her spring and summer models, was showing them to an appreciative woman, a patron of many years. it is not an exaggeration to say that in all that procession of costumes for cool days or hot, ball-room, salon, boudoir or lawn, not one was banal, not one false in line or its colour-scheme. whether the style was classic greek, mediæval or empire (these prevail), one felt the result, first of an artist's instinct, then a deep knowledge of the pictorial records of periods in dress, and to crown all, that conviction of the real artist, which gives both courage and discretion in moulding textiles,--the output of modern genius, to the purest classic lines. for example, one reads in every current fashion sheet that beads are in vogue as garniture for dresses. so they are, but note how your french woman treats them. whether they are of jet, steel, pearl or crystal, she presses them into service as so much _colour_, massing them so that one is conscious only of a shimmering, clinging, wrapped-toga effect, à la grecque, beneath the skirt and bodice of which every line and curve of the woman's form is seen. evidently some, at least, are to be gleaming tanagras. even a dark-blue serge, for the motor, shopping or train, had from hips to the bust parallel lines of very small tube-like jet beads, sewn so close together that the effect was that of a shirt of mail. the use of notes of vivid colour caught the eye. in one case, on a black satin afternoon gown, a tiny nosegay of forget-me-not blue, rose-pink and jessamine-white, was made to decorate the one large patch-pocket on the skirt and a lapel of the sleeveless satin coat. again on a dinner-dress of black chantilly lace, over white chiffon (empire lines), a very small, deep pinkish-red rose had a white rose-bud bound close to it with a bit of blue ribbon. this was placed under the bertha of cobweb lace, and demurely in the middle of the short-waisted bodice. again a robe d'interior of white satin charmeuse, had a sleeveless coat of blue, reaching to knees, and a dashing bias sash of pinkish-red, twice round the waist, with its long ends reaching to skirt hem and heavily weighted. not at once, but only gradually, did it dawn upon us that most of the gowns bore, in some shade or form, the tricolour of france! chapter xxviii woman costumed for her war job every now and then a sex war is predicted, and sometimes started, usually by woman, though some predicted that when the present european war is over and the men come home to their civilian tasks, now being carried on by women, man is going to take the initiative, in the sex conflict. we doubt it. without deliberate design to prove this point,--that a complete collaboration of the sexes has always made the wheels of the universe revolve, many of the illustrations studied showed woman with man as decoration, in ancient egypt, greece, and during later periods. the legend of life tells us that man can not live alone, hence woman; and the pageant of life shows that she has played opposite with consistency and success throughout the ages. the sunday issue of the philadelphia _public ledger_ for march 25, 1917, has a headline, "trousers vs. skirts," and, continues margaret davies, the author of the article: "this war will change all things for european women. military service, of a sort, has come for them in both france and england, where they are replacing men employed in clerical and other non-combatant departments, including motor driving. the moment this was decided upon in england, it was found that 30,000 men would be released for actual fighting, with prospects of the release of more than 200,000 more. what the french demand will be is not known as i write, but it will equal that of england. "how will these women dress? will they be given military uniforms short of skirt or even skirtless? of course they won't; but the world on this side of the ocean would not gasp should this be done. war industry already has worked a revolution. "study the pictures which accompany this article. they are a new kind of women's 'fashion pictures'; they are photographs of women dressed as european circumstances now compel them to dress. note the trousers, like a turkish woman's, of the french girl munitions workers. thousands of girls here in france are working in such trousers. note the smart liveries of the girls who have taken the places of male carriage starters, mechanics and elevator operators, at a great london shop. they are very natty, aren't they? almost like costumes from a comic opera. well, they are not operatic costumes. they are every-day working liveries. girls wear them in the most mixed london crowds--wear them because the man-shortage makes it necessary for these girls to do work which skirts do not fit. all french trams and buses have 'conductresses.' "the coming of women cabmen in london is inevitable--indeed, it already has begun. in paris they have been established sparsely for some time and have done well, but they have not been used on taxis, only on the horse cabs. "i have spent most of my time in paris for some months now, and have ridden behind women drivers frequently. they drive carefully and well and are much kinder to their horses than the old, red-faced, brutal french cochérs are. i like them. they have a wonderful command of language, not always entirely or even partially polite, but they are accommodating and less greedy for tips than male drivers. "at selfridge's great store--the largest and most progressive in london, operated on chicago lines--skirtless maidens are not rare enough to attract undue attention. the first to be seen there, indeed, is not in the store at all, but on the sidewalk, outside of it, engaged in the gentle art of directing customers to and from their cars and cabs and incidentally keeping the chauffeurs in order. "an extremely pretty girl she is, too, with her frock-coat coming to her knees, her top-boots coming to the coat, and now and then, when the wind blows, a glimpse of loose knickers. she tells me that she's never had a man stare at her since she appeared in the new livery, although women have been curious about it and even critical of it. women have done all the staring to which she has been subjected. "within the store, many girls engaged in various special employments, are dressed conveniently for their work, in perfectly frank trousers. among these are the girls who operate the elevators. there is no compromise about it. these girls wear absolutely trousers every working hour of every working day in a great public store, in a great crowded city, rubbing elbows (even touching trousered knees, inevitably) with hundreds of men daily. plate xxxiii madame geraldine farrar. the value of line was admirably illustrated in the opera "madame butterfly" as seen this winter at the metropolitan opera house. have you chanced to ask yourself why the outline of the individual members of the chorus was so lacking in charm, and madame farrar's so delightful? the great point is that in putting on her kimono, madame farrar kept in mind the characteristic silhouette of the japanese woman as shown in japanese art; then she made a picture of herself, and one in harmony with her japanese setting. which brings us back to the keynote of our book--_woman as decoration_--beautiful _line_. [illustration: _sketched for "woman as decoration" by thelma cudlipp_ _mme. geraldine farrar in japanese costume as madame butterfly_] "and they like it. they work better in the new uniforms than they used to in skirts and are less weary at each day's end. and nobody worries them at all. there has not been the faintest suspicion of an insult or an advance from any one of the thousands of men and boys of all classes whom they have ridden with upon their 'lifts,' sometimes in dense crowds, sometimes in an involuntary tête-à-tête. "other employments which girls follow and dress for bifurcatedly in this great and progressive store are more astonishing than the operation of elevators. a charming young plumber had made no compromise whatever with tradition. she was in overalls like boy plumbers wear, except that her trousers were not tight, but they were well fitted. a little cap of the same material as the suit, completed her jaunty and attractive costume. and cap and suit were professionally stained, too, with oil and things like that, while her small hands showed the grime of an honest day's competent, hard work. "the coming summer will see an immense amount of england's farming done by women and, i think, well done. organisations already are under way whereby women propose to help decrease the food shortage by intelligent increase of the chicken and egg supply, and this is being so well planned that undoubtedly it will succeed. eggs and chickens will be cheap in england ere the summer ends. "i have met three ex-stenographers who now are at hard work, two of them in munition factories (making military engines of death) and one of them on a farm. i asked them how they liked the change. "'i should hate to have to go back to work in the old long skirts,' one replied. 'i should hate to go back to the old days of relying upon some one else for everything that really matters. but--well, i wish the war would end and i hope the casualty lists of fine young men will not grow longer, day by day, as spring approaches, although everybody says they will.' "mrs. john bull takes girls in pantaloons quite calmly and approvingly, now that she has learned that if there are enough of them, dad and the boys will pay no more attention to them in trousers than they would pay to them in skirts." we have preferred to quote the exact wording of the original article, for the reason that while the facts are familiar to most of us, the manner of putting them could not, to our mind, be more graphic. some day, when the wateaus of the future are painting the court ladies who again dance pavanes in sunlit glades, wearing wigs and crinoline, such data will amuse. that the women of finland make worthy members of their parliament does not prove anything outside of finland. that the exigencies of the present hour in england have made women equal to every task of men so far entrusted to them, proves much for england. women, like men, have untold, untried abilities within them, women and men alike are marvellous under fire--capable of development in every direction. what human nature has done it can do again, and infinitely more under the pressure of necessity which opens up brain cells, steels the heart, hardens the muscles, and like magic fire, licks up the dross of humanity, aimlessly floating on the surface of life, awaiting a leader to melt and mould it at fate's will into clearly defined personalities, ready to serve. this point has been magnificently proved by the war now waging in europe. let us repeat; that from the beginning the story of woman's costuming proves her many-sidedness, the inexhaustible stock of her latent qualities which, like man's, await the call of the hour. in conclusion the foregoing chapters have aimed at showing the decorative value of woman's costume as seen in the art of egypt, greece, gothic europe, europe of the renaissance and during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. to prove the point that woman is a telling note in the interior decoration of to-day, the vital spark in any setting, we have not dwelt upon the fashions so much as decorative line, colour-scheme and fitness for the occasion. it is costume associated with caste which interests us more than folk costume. we have shown that it is the modern insistence on efficiency that has led to appropriate dress for work and recreation, and that our idea of the chic and the beautiful in costume is based on _appropriateness_. also we have shown that line in costumes is in part the result of one's "form"--the absolute control of the body, its "carriage," poise of the head, action of legs, arms, hands and feet, and that form means successful effort in any direction, because through it the mind may control the physical medium. it is the woman who knows what she should wear, what she can wear and how to wear it, who is most efficient in whatever she gives her mind to. she it is who will expend the least time, strength and money on her appearance, and be the first to report for duty in connection with the next obligation in the business of life. therefore let us keep in mind a few rules for the perfect costuming of woman: appropriateness for each occasion so as to get efficiency, or be as decorative as possible. outline.--fashion in silhouette adapted to your own type. background.--your setting. colour scheme.--fashionable colours chosen and combined to express your personality as well as to harmonise with the tone of setting, or, if preferred, to be an agreeable contrast to it. detail.--trimming with _raison d'être_,--not meaningless superfluities. it is, of course, understood that the attainment of _beauty_ in the costuming of woman is our aim when stating and applying the foregoing principles. the art of interior decoration and the art of costuming woman are occasionally centred in the same individual, but not often. some of the most perfectly dressed women, models for their less gifted sisters, are not only ignorant as to the art of setting their stage, but oblivious of the fact that it may need setting. remember, that while an inartistic room, confused as to line and colour-scheme can absolutely destroy the effect of a perfect gown, an inartistic, though costly gown can likewise be a blot on a perfect room. 