Instruction book for the French and English systems of cutting, fitting and basting by McCall James

Author:McCall, James. [from old catalog]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Dressmaking. [from old catalog]
Publisher: [New York
Published: 1881-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

THE FRENCH SYSTEM OF CUTTING AND FITTING.

63

"DRESSING WELL"

is quite distinct from "over-dressing,"—wliicli latter is in reality, dressing hmlli/. We must insist upon its being the duty of every lady to dress as well as her means will properly permit. For, looking back through the vista of past ages, it must be born in mind that tlie love of dress was the prepartory step to tlie cultivation of the feelings, which diffused tenderness and refiuemunt throughout the whole structure of society. It placed a barrier between the progressive classes of mankind and barbarism. By serving to develope in woman a delicacy of taste, it must have imparted a puritj' to her habits that insensibly led her from too ancient a devotion to the materialities of life into tliose regions of reflecting and taste in wl.ich her mind found ample room for expansion. Therefore, "dress" has been a great civilizer, and must not be despised ; at the same lime, we do not wish to encourage an inordinate love for dress—much less should we like to be tliought advocates of "finery." But we wish our ambitious young- dressmakers to study well the happy medium which lies between extravagance and parsimony in respect to dress, and they will perceive that these extremes are as far apart and as much to be avoided as tawdriness on the one hand and slovenliness on the other. There are certain moralists in the world who labor under the impression that it is no matter what people wear or how they put on their apparel. Such people cover themselves up—they do not dress. No one doubts that the mind is more important than the body, the jewel than the setting ; and yet the virtue of the one and the brilliancy of the other is enhanced by the mode in irJu'ch they are presented to the senses. Let a woman have everv virtue under the sun—if she is slatternly, or even inappropriate in her dress, her merits will be more than half obscured. If, being young, she is dowdy or untidy, or being old, fantastic or slovenly, her mental qualifications stand a chance of being passed over.

Female lovliness never appears to so good advantage as wlien set off by simplicity of dress. A modest woman will dress modestly : the dress of a really refined and intellectual woman will bear the marks of" careful .selection. It is easy to be well-dressed, without being extravagant ; and fashions do not essentially vary so often that a large outlay is required to keep pace with those changes and innovations.

Dress must of course be varied to suit occasions, and to correspond with circumstances. A lady should not walk in a dress only fitted for the house : nor, if she go to market herself, should she on these occasions appear in an attire better adapted to the drawing-room.

Very little jewelry should be worn in the morning : but if accompanying a walking-dress, in the afternoon, it should consist of plain gold ornaments, or those in which opaque stones are set.

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