the outline of the skirt is the infallible hall-mark
of each of these periods.

Let it be remembered that the outline of a woman includes hair, combs,
head-dress, earrings, treatment of neck, shoulders, arms, bust and hips;
line to the ankles and shoes; also fan, handkerchief or any other
article, which if a silhouette were made, would appear. The next step is
to ascertain what materials were available at the time your costume was
worn and what in vogue. Were velvets, satins or silks worn, or all
three? Were materials flowered, striped, or plain? If striped,
horizontal or perpendicular? For these points turn again to your art
gallery, costume plates, or the best of historical novels. If you are
unable to resort to the sources suggested, two courses lie open to you.
Put the matter into the hands of an expert; there are many to be
approached through the columns of first-class periodicals or newspapers
(we do not refer to the ordinary dealer in costumes or theatre
accessories); or make the effort to consult some authority, in person or
by letter: an actor, historian or librarian. It is amazing how near at
hand help often is, if we only make our needs known. If the reader is
young and busy, dancing and skating and sleeping, and complains, in her
winsome way, that "days are too short for such work," we would remind
her that as already stated, to carefully study the details of any
costume, of any period, means that the mind and the eye are being
trained to discriminate between the essentials and non-essentials of
woman's costume in every-day life. The same young beauty may be
interested to know that at the beginning of Geraldine Farrar's career
the writer, visiting with her, an exhibition of pictures in Munich, was
amazed at the then, very young girl's familiarity with the manner of
artists--ancient and modern,--and exclaimed "I did not know you were so
fond of pictures." "It's not that," Farrar said, "I get my costumes from
them, and a great many of my poses."

PLATE XVII

Portrait of Mrs. Philip M. Lydig, patron of the arts,
exhibited in New York at Duveen Galleries during Winter of
1916-1917 with the Zuloaga pictures. The exhibition was
arranged by Mrs. Lydig.

This portrait has been chosen to illustrate two points: that
a distinguished decorative quality is dependent upon line
which has primarily to do with form of one's own physique
(and not alone the cut of the costume); and th