LINES THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND CONSIDERED IN MAKING COSTUMES.

Mme. La Mode, much misrepresented as are all who are embarrassed with world-wide popularity always considers when designing fashions that women vary in form, as in mood.  She suits all needs, although this fact has never been cast to her credit.  With a beautiful sense of adjustment—­as obvious as that in Nature, that projects the huge watermelon to ripen on a slender vine on the ground and swings a greengage plum on the stout stem of a tree to mature in storm or shine—­Mme. La Mode, arbiter of styles, balances her fashions.

Never came the big hat without the small bonnet.  Accompanying the long cloak is the never-failing short cape.  Side by side may be found the long coat and the short, natty jacket.  This equilibrium in wearing apparel may be traced through all the vagaries of fashion.

Everybody’s need has been considered, but everybody has not considered her need.

The short, stout woman passes by the long coat better adapted to her and seizes a short jacket—­a homeopathic tendency of like suiting like, sometimes efficacious in medicine, but fatal in style.

Style for Tall Slender Woman.

The very tall, slender woman frequently ignores a jaunty jacket and takes a long coat like that shown in No. 36.

To even the sluggish fancy of an unimaginative observer she suggests a champagne bottle, and to the ready wit she hints of no end of amusing possibilities for caricature.

The very tall woman should know that long lines from shoulder to foot give height, and she must discerningly strive to avoid length of line in her garments until she dons the raiment of the angels.

[Illustration:  Nos. 36 And 37]

Horizontal lines crossing the figure seem to decrease height, and should be used as much as possible in the arranging and trimming of the tall woman’s garments.

By selecting a shorter coat equally modish, as shown by No. 37, the too tall woman shortens her figure perceptibly.

The belt cuts off from her height in a felicitous way, and the collar, also horizontal, materially improves the size of her throat.  The high collar, such as finishes the coat, in No. 36, adds to the length.  Those who have too long arms can use horizontal bands on sleeves most advantageously.

The Coat the Short Stout Woman should Wear.

The short jacket that so graciously improved the appearance of the slender specimen of femininity is sinister in its effect on the short, stout woman, in sketch No. 38.  It should be the study of her life to avoid horizontal lines.  Length of limb is to be desired because it adds distinction.  Her belt, the horizontal effect of the skirt of the jacket, the horizontal trimming of the bottom of the skirt, all apparently shortening her height, tend to make her ordinary and commonplace in appearance.