Fifteenth-Century Costume. "Virgin and Child" In Painted Terra Cotta

The richly toned brunette comes into her own in reds, yellows and low-tones of strong blue.

Colorless jewels should adorn your perfect blond, colorful gems your glowing brunette.

What of those betwixt and between? In such cases let complexion and color of eyes act as guide in the choice of colors.

One is familiar with various trite rules such as match the eyes, carry out the general scheme of your coloring. By which is meant, if you are a yellow blond, go in for yellows, if your hair is ash-brown, your eyes but a shade deeper, and your skin inclined to be lifeless in tone, wear beaver browns and content yourself with making a record in harmony, with no contrasting note.

Just here let us say that the woman in question must at the very outset decide whether she would look pretty or chic, sacrificing the one for the other, or if she insists upon both, carefully arrange a compromise. As for example, combine a semi-picture hat with a semi-tailored dress.

The strictly chic woman of our day goes in for appropriateness. The lines of the latest fashion, but adapted to bring out her own best points, while concealing her bad ones, and an insistence upon a color and a shade of color, sufficiently definite to impress the beholder at a glance. This type of woman as a rule keeps to a few colors, possibly one or two and their varieties, and prefers gowns of one material rather than combinations of materials. Though she possesses both style and beauty, she elects to emphasize style.

In the case of the other woman, who would star her face at the expense of her _tout ensemble, color is her first consideration, multiplication of detail and intelligent expressing of herself in her miss-en-scene. Seduisant, instead of _chic_ is the word for this woman.

Your black-haired woman with white skin and dark, brilliant eyes, is the one who can best wear emerald green and other strong colors. The now fashionable mustard, sage green, and bright magentas are also the affair of this woman with clear skin, brilliant color and sparkling eyes.

These same colors, if subdued, are lovely on the middle-aged woman with black hair, quiet eyes and pale complexion. But if her hair is gray or white, mustard and sage green are not for her, and the magenta must be the deep purplish sort, which combines with her violets and mauves, or delicate pinks and faded blues. She will be at her best in shades of gray, which tone with her hair.