In architecture the measurement of the most perfectly beautiful examples of the art and the calculation of the proportion between the height, length, and width, not only of the entire building, but also of its every component part in relation to every other part, has led to the discovery of certain fundamental principles for governing the architect; similarly the measurement of perfectly developed and symmetrically built men and women, or their sculptured counterparts, has demonstrated the existence of certain rules, which guide the aesthetic feeling with regard to the human form. In other words, we do not derive aesthetic pleasure from the contemplation of figures not proportioned in accordance with those rules. It is, for example, almost painful to see very long, slim people, short and stout ones, or persons afflicted with a hydrocephalic development of the head, people with large hands or feet, etc. The proportions of the human body as given by the best authorities are as follows, the length of the head being the standard of measurement. From the bottom of chin to breastbone, one-half length of head. From top to bottom of breastbone or sternum, one-half length of head. From bottom of sternum to beginning of lower limbs, two lengths. From thigh to bottom of knee, two lengths. From the bottom of the knee to the ankle, one and one-half lengths. From ankle to the ground, one-half length. Adding to these measurements one length for the head itself, gives eight lengths for the proper height of the body of men. Women are slightly shorter, the proportion of their head to the height being about as one to seven or seven and onehalf. The arm from the armpit to the elbow joint is one and one-quarter times the length of the head, from thence to the wrist one and one-quarter, and from the wrist to the end of the middle finger three-quarters of the length of the head. The distance between the right middle finger and the same finger of the left hand is, when the arms are spread horizontally from the body, equal to the height of the figure. It follows, therefore, that the breadth of body from armpit to armpit is one and one-half lengths of the head. The aim of personal adornments, when the requirements of necessity are supplied, should be to overcome individual shortcomings as much as possible. It is rather amusing to see how frequently all laws of beauty are disregarded in this respect, and mistakes made very often with the too apparent intent of correcting the figure. The secret of the lack of success in this respect is, that people confound reality with appearance. The architect who would attempt to make a church appear smaller by constructing upon it a tower the size of a cigar box, would be mercilessly ridiculed, because the contrast only heightens the appearance of the magnitude of the building. He will, instead, build a tall, massive tower, which, being in proportion to the size of the building, makes it appear smaller. To give apparent height he adds columns, and may flute these to increase the effect; if the building be inordinately high, on the other hand, he will use as many horizontal lines as possible. A horizontal line lends breadth, a vertical line height. It follows, therefore, applied to mankind, that stout people will do well to arrange their apparei with a view to present long vertical lines to the eye, by using long drooping folds, striped material, etc., while tall people may increase their breadth through the use of horizontal stripes, belts, and dress trimmings. So much for the dress in general, a subject on which men often, women rarely, make mistakes, provided they have an opportunity of seeing themselves in a looking-glass. Where they do make mistakes, however, is in the arrangement of the hair and headdress. Little women with large heads very often think they will look taller if they wear large hats and a fluffy arrangement of the hair. This is a fallacy, and instead of looking taller they will only appear the shorter. The reason is very simple. Their height is only about six lengths of the head. Naturally, by increasing the size of the head, the disproportion will be greater, as then their figure will appear to be only five times the length of their head. Little women should wear small hats and simple hair dress. One often hears a tall woman say, when trying on a large hat: "Oh, I could nojt think of wearing this hat; why, it adds at least six inches to my height, and I think I am tall enough now." And she forthwith proceeds to buy a little bit of a hat, scarcely distinguishable from her Psyche knot. But if she wore a large hat the head would appear larger and in better proportion to the body. It is needless to go into more detail on this point; the rule is so simple that it is a wonder its application should be no more general than is the case. The graceful arrangement of a woman's hair has a good deal to do with the pleasing appearance of her face. Many a tender line was written in honor of woman's hair; from Homer to Petrarch, and from Chaucer to Herrick, and down to Browning, Tennyson, and Aldrich. Brown, blonde, black, and auburn hair, long locks, short curls, heavy braids, and naturally drooping hair have been sung about in glowing verse and enthusiastic prose. Ovid, the prince of old Roman lyrical poets, has expressed himself upon the subject of hair-dressing in some of his most elegantly turned verses. He recommends order in the arrangement of the hair, and says that nothing so displeases as carelessness and disorder. He also advises the beauty to whom.the lines are addressed to use the looking-glass as an aid to her deft fingers. With true Roman gallantry he accepts it as a matter of course that her innate good taste will guide her aright, with the aid of that facility. For a long face he recommends a simple part on the forehead and advises round-faced women to wear the hair knotted on the top of the head. When the head is short and broad the hair should be drawn backward and upward in order to carry the eye in the direction of height. If the head is long and slim the hair had best be drawn toward the ear and be made to puff out on the sides so as to give breadth to the face and forehead. An oval head will look well in almost any style of coiffure. The modern bang or fluffy projection of the hair over the forehead will improve the appearance of people with projecting features, which it will tone down to a receding profile.. Those whose profiles show projecting forehead will only increase the unsightliness thereof by wearing bangs and should comb the hair backward, leaving the forehead free. Looking at different faces, the observer will be struck by one peculiarity noticeable in nearly every one of them, which is that, in spite of their dissimilarity, the disposition of the lines in each individual face is strikingly regular. If the line of the eyebrow in the profile is upward, the nostril, base of the nose, upper lip, and often the chin will go in the same direction. Where these lines are horizontal or drooping, the same thing may be observed. It is not only interesting, but highly beneficial to study these lines, as they give a clue to the manner in which everything tending to improve the appearance of the face should be handled, the rule being to cross these lines as nearly as possible at the same angle, in the choice of hair-dress, head-dress, and ornament for the neck. Ancient Greek busts, which to us represent ideals of beauty, have a straight nose, even and severe features, the beauty whereof is enhanced by the simple and symmetrical arrangement of the hair. A knot, similar to the modern Psyche knot, holds the hair, the soft curls whereof are fluffily drawn from the temples to the back of the head, leaving the ear or part of it exposed. The position of the knot varies with the lines of the face, as explained above. Where they are upward the knot is on the crown of the head, where horizontal on a level with the eye, and near the base of the skull where these lines droop. A fanciful hairdress lacking symmetry will look well on lively dashing women whose features do not exhibit the calm severity of classical faces. As to flowers for the hair, one word will suffice. Let every woman choose the flowers that best represents her appearance and character. For the magnificent, dignified woman, the japonica; for the brilliant, dashing woman, the scarlet centifoliae; the simple violet for the unassuming and retiring. Instinct tells women more about this point than all the theory in the world could teach her. Who has not been struck by the appropriateness of a few white flowers in the hair of a gentle, sweet-souled young girl? A high tower-like coiffure, reminiscent of the time of Marie Antoinette, well agrees with a pug nose and a double chin. Bonchere, the painter of gallantry, which flourished in those days, and Liatard, Fragonard and Watteau also have left us a number of charming portraits of the beauties of that time, which invariably show the style of feature most in accord with the prevailing fashion of towering hair-dress, plumes, and bonnets. There is something piquant in the coiffure which partly conceals the forehead, builds the hair fluffily on top of the head, and airily permits it to bulge out on the sides of the head, and we note with pleasure that this charming fashion is again coming in. After explaining the principle which should underlie the dressing of the hair, we cannot be asked to recommend any particular style, because the variety of faces and the difference in the proportion of head to figure are so great that such a thing would be impossible, and we can only sum up as follows: First, consider the proportion of your head to the entire height; second, ask your looking-glass if you have a long, an oval, or a round face, and, lastly, determine in what general direction the lines of your profile run.
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