The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-20
FASHION AND COMMON SENSE
The Voice of the Latter Not Needed in the
Realms of the Former.

If there is one locality more thas
another where the voice of common
sense is never listened to it is in that
very extensive one where fashion reigns.
Who ever thinks of listening TO the sug-
gest:ons of the former when the decree
of the latter potentate has gone forth?
Tight sleeves for the ladies ana tight
combinations for the gentlemen s the
fashion, supposing. The adyoc&tes of
common sense protest, saying it is i'm
possible to move ones limbs in them;
can not bend the knee before :he por-
trait OF my fondest hopes, says one; |
can not ge. my hands on the back of
my head, says another, VIII ch is far
more important And fashion replies.
| can not satisfy all tastes. My laws
are mostly made for the unrefecting;
if you reflect you viii never bs satisfied.
| That winch you complain of now is
only temporary Inconvenience; when
l can 10 longer tighten in your limbs,
sleeves and leggings will take such
ample proportions that tie real size of
an arm or lee will be Il subject for
divination. Fashion has ne respect of
person; if high heels are introduced for
the benefit of short people, low heels are
never introduced 1T the same time for
people who are already taller than they
care 10 be. Tie latter must wait their
turn for the opposite fashion, and then
unu ually short persons MT st have their
boots made TO order if they wish TO
reach up to tho elbow of the r superior
| in height. or submit to be looked upon
rs dwa!fs by tall people, if they prefer
to keep in the fashion.
Fashion prctandS to have au eye for
beauty; if this be true. she cnacts at
least that all her followers be modelled
after the same fashion. They must ave
heads and faces of uniform size and
shape. that the hat or bonnet OF the
season may become them all. and they
must have uniform tint of complex
ion. that the color liz mode may suit
it. Those who study fashion in dress at
the expense of their personal comfort
are surely wanting in common sense.
Common sense suggests that in hot
weather clothing for both sexes should
be light in texture and color; but if
fashion ordains that ladies' dresses be
heavily trimmed, and if she refuses to
give her consent to garments of a SUM
merry nature being introduced for gem
tiemcn, no one has the courage to pay
attention to personal comfort. When
ladies' skirts are made so narrow as to
be announcement for walking, and liable
to assist the wGaTCr 10 an awkward fall
in descending from 4 carriage. or when
they are widencd to luiicrOuS width
TO admit of unmana%cGbie crinoltneS,
or burdeHed with useless trains, to be
draTglcd in the street or tr0dIen or in
the Ballroom, who ever tn nks of re-
fusiHg to obey the nonssnsical mandate?
Even the most ob3urate end by giving
in, believing that they are more rid,cu-
lOus to hold out, than TO stand alone with
common sense. Nothing, for instance,
cnnld indicate more plainly the folly of
making ,ong-trained dresses the fashion
than to see a year or two ago how the
latter was necessarily punched up in the
most ungraceful manner, or the wcarer
was compelled TO have one hand always
engaged with holding up the supcrhunus
yard or two of stuff, making her invari-
ably wish that artificial hands had come
into fashion with the trains. 10 aliow of
her using her natural ones in some more
profitable way.-LOaGOn StcndGrd