What Dress Makes of Us | Page 5

NO. 19]
No. 19, which is a picturesque variation of the popular coif, manifestly
improves this type of face, and makes the nose appear less obtrusive.
A woman should carefully study the contour of her head from every
side; the modelling of her face; the length and inclination of her nose;

the setting of her eyes; and the breadth and form of her brow, and adopt
a becoming coiffure that will give artistic balance to her face, and never
absolutely change the style whatever the mode in hair-dressing may be.
In England, the court hair-dresser years ago studied the character of the
head and face of the Princess of Wales, and designed a coiffure for her
which she has never varied until recently; then she merely arranged her
fringe lower down on her forehead than she has ever worn it before.
The general style, however, she preserves intact, and wears her hair,
and has for many years, as is shown in the picture--No. 20. Her
daughters, who have faces the same shape as hers, dress their coiffures
similarly. In never changing the style of arranging her hair, the Princess
of Wales owes in no small degree her apparent air of youthfulness.
[Illustration: NO. 20]
NO MATTER WHAT THE PREVAILING STYLE THESE RULES
MAY BE PRACTICALLY APPLIED.
CHAPTER II.
HINTS FOR THE SELECTION OF BECOMING AND
APPROPRIATE STYLES IN HEAD-GEAR.
Closely allied to the subject of hair-dressing is that of head-gear.
Indeed many of the hints regarding appropriate coiffures for certain
styles of faces are equally applicable to the selection of suitable hats
and bonnets. The choosing of millinery is the more momentous of the
two, of course, for I need scarcely remind you that Nature left us no
choice in hair. No matter what its color or texture we desire to keep it
and if we are wise we will make the best of it.
In regard to hats we are personally responsible and our follies are upon
our own heads.
The power of caricature being greater in hats than in hair-dressing, is it
not fit that we should give careful and intelligent consideration to the
selection of our millinery that the ugly lines in our otherwise beautiful
faces may not be at the mercy of mocking bunches of ribbons,

comically tilted straws, or floppy bits of lace?
The Magic of The Bonnet.
Once upon a time, I think that was the exact date, there was a man
distinguished in a certain kingdom as the ugliest person in the realm.
According to a blithe romancer, he was so distinctively unpleasing in
form and feature that he challenged the attention of the king who, in
whimsical mood, made him a royal retainer. The man so conspicuously
lacking in beauty enjoyed his eminent position and privileges for some
time. But even ugliness, if it attain distinction, will excite envy in the
low-minded. A former associate of the unbeautiful man in invidious
temper brought the news one day to the king, that there was an old
woman in his domain that was uglier than the lowly-born man who by
kingly favor held so high a place. "Bring her to the court. Judges shall
be called to decide. If she is uglier she shall stay and he shall go," was
the royal mandate. When the old woman appeared she was easily
decided to be by far the uglier of the two. At the critical moment when
the king was upon the eve of dismissing the man from his retinue, a
friend of the unfortunate shouted, "Put her bonnet on him!" This was
done, and lo! a fearful change was wrought. By unanimous acclamation
he was declared to be "the ugliest creature on earth."
The old woman, true to the instincts of her sex, refused to wear her
bonnet again. Like many of her sisters of modern times, she had not
before discovered the possibilities in a bonnet to enhance the beauty of
the face or decrease its charms.
If woman could see themselves objectively, as did the old woman, they
would keenly realize the necessity of considering the lines of hat or
bonnet in relation to those of their faces, and would learn to obscure
defects and bring into prominence their prettiest features.
As there are a few rules to govern what each type should select, every
one of the fair sisterhood has an equal opportunity to improve her
appearance by selecting in the millinery line the distinctive adornment
suited to her individual style.

[Illustration: NO. 22]
For Women with Broad Face and Heavy Chin.
By a curious law of contrariety the woman with a broad, heavy chin
seems to have an ungovernable penchant for trig little round bonnets, or
trim turbans with perky aigrettes, like that in sketch No. 22. By obeying
this wilful preference she