Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-29
ABOUT DRESS.


Bless the dear souls who write snch
long articles against extravaganza in
dress They must expect their advice
to be needed, OF they would not make
such an effort; but, in reality, how
much of reformation has resulted from
all this +? How many in the surging
crowd of fashion stop to listen to the
voice of warning, and, seeing their folly.
struggle free from the entertainments
that urge them on? 1t is as useless to
attempt radical change for the better
by advising economy as to stand on the
sea beach during storm and command
the waves to cease lashing the shore.
If you could ever hope to quell the
storm, you must first find the causes OF
the commotion and then exercise them.
What, then, causes this mania for
dress? Female vanity" is your first
thought. No, I cannot agree to that,
though vanity is purely female at
tribute. Who ever saw a man with any
such rubbish in his nature? There is an
incentive to "dress well which does
more toward extravaganza than mere
vanity. Did you ever notice the dis
tinction paid to a "stylish % lady?
Have you ever seen one more plainly
dressed, though perhaps her superior in
good breeding and refinement, sit in the
shade while homage is being paid to
| dress? The question is not asked,
elbow did she get her outfit? Is her
father or husband secret forger? Is
he standing on false basis which is
ready to crash at any time and carry
many creditors down to ruin with him,
or is she doing what SO many think a
| harmless thing, monopolizing resources
which should be expended for the COM
fort of her family?" Oh, no that is not
"the way of the world" Even those
| who deprecate the sway of this evil the
most bow to it as low as any.
Policy has her eye in another direc-
ton. It is something to be on equal
| footing with a leader of society, and in
order to do so hundreds Of dazzled
mothers futtering around the brilliant
light spend their all in delusion, and
fall, ruined specks of humanity. Be
cause cur millionaires' wives and daugh-
tiers have the choicest fabrics brought
from all parts of the globe for their
| adornment, the second and third classes
will wear nothing but imported goods as
near match in richness as they posi-
bly, can procure, and the fourth grade.
with truly American ambition, think if
they can't always have the real they will
manage to have as good an imitation as
they can, and many little sum finds its
way out of the savings bank to buy a
trife of lace or jewelry. The humber
classes bring up the rear in this train,
and their plant accords with the Irish
mans, "The money goes faster nor it
comes"
Listen to the beautiful sentiment over
the girl who goes to ball in simple
| white muslin and natural flowers but
the same young gentleman who would
grow ecstatic over "beauty unadorned"
pays homage to the most stylish young
lady of his set, brilliant in satin and
lace beaded with seed pearls. Words
and actions are fittest when they go to-
gether, and, if husbands and lovers are
sincere in their desire to uproot this
evil, let them arise in a solid phalanx
against it. They are the ones who en-
courage it by their homage, and they
are the ones who must expect to furnish
the wherewithal by which women are
clothed. Now, gentlemen, there is
something beside complaining to do, so
go manfully to work: