fore
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