Page:A complete course in dressmaking, (Vol. 1, Introduction) (IA completecoursein01cono).pdf/39

 If You Are Short.—Which class of short women do you belong to, short and slim or short and stout or just medium?

If you are short and slim, dressing becomingly ought not to be a very difficult proposition.

There are just two or three things I would like to put the danger mark on. One of them is dressing your hair high. If you build it up into an exaggerated coiffure, you will look top heavy and call attention to your lack of height.

You have much the same problem with your hat—wings that shoot up in the air, bows that are placed high, egrets standing upright are almost never becoming to the small woman.

I advise studying the height of the heels of your shoes, too. A very high heel—higher than other women are wearing—will make people think that you are trying to make yourself look taller than you are.

Make the most of your appearance—your height—as it is. You know you can make yourself look taller without anyone suspecting it by choosing clothes that have long lines. However, if you are short and slim, your charm is in the very fact that you are small and petite and you can wear almost any style that fashion dictates, avoiding an elaboration of drapery on a skirt, or a voluminous wrap or extremely large figured materials.