Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornmentOstier, Marianne
History
Jewels and the woman: The romance, magic and art of feminine adornment
Ostier, Marianne
Jewelry
The diamond bracelet should not be worn over gloves, unless these are not
removed for the entire evening. A two-piece evening glove is available,
the hand of which may be doffed, so that the remainder becomes a long
sleeve over which the bracelet is worn. Women whose arms taper sharply to
the wrist may find that such a glove helps to maintain the bracelet at
the proper place on the arm.
A diamond clip should not be worn on a fur coat, jacket, or stole. For
then either it is put aside, hanging over the back of the chair at a
restaurant or in a closet at a private home, or when the coat is taken
off the clip must be removed and reattached to the gown. One seems
ostentatious disregard; the other, ostentatious concern.
A proper decision as to what to wear and what to leave at home helps make
the occasion of an opening a source of memorable satisfaction.
_The Dinner Party_
Such a gathering usually brings together a significant part of one’s
personal world. Well chosen jewelry will confirm a woman’s standing in
that community, and it will be a source of gratification to her husband
and to her hosts if she is tastefully adorned. Wearing one’s best jewelry
and finest gown is a gracious way of paying tribute to one’s hostess, as
well as doing one’s duty as a guest, to help make the party a success.
At the dinner party a parure, a matching ensemble, is quite attractive.
At the opera the more elaborate jewels can be enjoyed from farther
away; by most, any one person’s jewels are seen but for a glance or at
a distance. But here, there is opportunity to observe the matching of
stones or of the balanced jewels in a parure. While one jewel may contain
stones of various colors, there should not be such variety from jewel to
jewel; to be avoided, for example, are such combinations as a sapphire
bracelet with a ruby brooch or an emerald necklace with a turquoise
bracelet. And the colors of the jewels, as always, must harmonize with
one’s gown and one’s complexion.
_The Watch_
No woman should wear a leather strap for a wrist watch with an evening
gown. It would completely break the spell of elegance. If no watch with
matched strap of bejewelled metal is in the treasure chest, the watch
should be kept at home or—for sheer utility—in the purse. The watch for
evening wear has its functional aspects concealed. Its face is almost
hidden in precious stones, or may be so encased that the jewel must be
opened. It is worn less as a timepiece than as a bracelet, or perhaps a
brooch.
_The Cigarette Case_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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