The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-30
Dress Well.

There is good deal of sound COM
mon sense in the following article,
which we find i'll the California Golden
Era, and the remarks will equally ap-
ply to this locality. The duty to dress
well which we owe to society cannot be
denied; but the meaning of "dressing
we'll" is not strictly defined, and will
doubtless always be in accordance with
the taste of the eindividual. We are not
disposed to condemn wOmens'snatural
love for dress, but it must be admitted
tn at too frequently the style neither
evinces good taste nor good Judgment,
and we sometimes wish that there was
an arbiter of the toilette to govern such
matters:
at is n duty which every man and
woman owes to society to dress well.
Each person constitutes II part OF IL
whole which may be beautiful or not,
as the different parts choose to make il.
Beauty is one of the luxuries which the
rich and poor enj Joy alike. Beauty feeds
one sense as perfume does another, as
a delightful atmosphere feeds Il third,
as music feeds II fourth. Every one
who contributes to the general store is
IL public benefactor. Each one fur
WHICH all Lne rest
may properly admire. This thought
probably does not prompt II majority of
tho handsome tOilettes we soc in the
streets, but the fact remains neverthe-
less. That pretty woman who spends
three hours over her morning toilette,
who comes out mt last most becomingly
arrayed, has not probably been sun
ported in her labor by any desire to
contribute to the happiness of the hu-
man family. Vet she cannot help
giving pleasure to all well regu-
lnted minds who see her, wheth-
er she desires to do so or not.
The vanity which causes her to study
out n toilette in harmony with her per-
son serves the world more than it
serves her. It is in this way that pretty,
vain women, who are inclined to be
idle, arc made useful. The beauty
which they create does not appear to
them as it appears to those who behold
them. They have n consciousness that
they look pretty, but they cannot see
themselves. It is doubtful, also, if wo-
mon take rs much pleasure i'll each
others beauty as they ought. Men are
the chief gamers by the feminine desire
to be beautiful. A feast for tho eve is
continually offered them, and ut best
they can make but poor return. Yet
men continually complain of womens'
fOndnoSs for dress, as If they were not
benefited by the results attained. Sup
pose, for arguments snke that women
should become indifferent to their GER
sonal appearance-whRtw would become
of men? What would become of mens'
tastes? What would become of society?
And what would become of business ?
Who would support those handsome
iewelry, millinery, and dry goods stores
which give such an effect TO the streets?
Where would we find customers for the
goods emanufncture, and what would
become of the people who make COM
Portable livings by manufacturing the
goods that the rich people buys? In
fact, the train of casualties would follow
the loss of woman's natural desire to
make herself as pretty as she
possibly can, is fearful TO contem-
plate. Our factories would stop. Trade
would languish. Ships would lie idle
at our wharves and sailors roam pen
niless i'll our streets. Churches would
be very poorly attended. Theatres
would degenerate into melodeOns.
bathrooms would be frequented only
by very young persons of both sexes
who are very fond of dancing. Tho
love of the beautiful, which grows with
years, would not be served. 1t is some
consolation to know that this condition
of things is not likely to come to pass.
Ladies', we confidently believe, will
continue to bestOw considerable atten-
ton upon dress to the last moment of
recorded time. We hope they will.
We do not wish to survive tho period of
wOman's love of dress, which is one
form of her love of the beautiful. 1t is
true her extravaganza is sometimes
annoying, but who ever yet struck q
happy medium and kept it forever.
Men certainly do not. Men commence
with social glass and end in the gut
ter. Men do thousand things more
senseless and injurious than woman's
adornment of her person. We repeat.
it is every ones duty to dress well. But
dressing up to the fashion. or a little
beyond it, is not always dressing we'll.
Let women consult their own Correct
tastes more and fashion less, and thew
will dress better and be less subject to
reproach. Let them study new effects,
If they have time, but let those effects
be womanly. The cry against dress is
simply cry against the abuse of dress.
NO man who has n spark of soul or an
idea above the commonest wants of ma
ture but takes n degree OF pleasure in
beholding well-dressed woman"
Sensible MaXImH.