Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-24

Q. to go to the bath can remove everything but
the jibon and hoso-o6 and still be exquisitely
and modestly dressed-in fact, dressed exactly
like Greek woman. Her clothing can be
warm enough for the Arctic regions or cool
enough for the tropics without the slightest
alteration of shape. The vital organs are pro-
tected and supported naturally by the massive
ooi and its great vertical bow satisfies perfectly,
az well most gracefully and naturally. that
desire to have something TO conceal the natural
shape Of the back, which is one Of the mys-
teries Of the female mind. and which has de-
veloped among ourselves the most vulg ar and
atrocious article Of wear ever invented-the
''bustle'' or "dress-improver." The defects,
of course, of Japanese female costume are that
freedom Of movement of the legs is impeded,
and that while it is perfectly modest for squat
ting or kneeling on mats, the lower limbs
are not covered with sufficient certainty when
the wearer moves rapidly or sits
on chairs and lounges. This latter defect. the
lady signatories of the American appeal de-
ciared could be easily remedied by wearing
additional underclothing," and they ought TO
know. But another plan has been very in
fluentially advocated Of late, namely, the gen.
eral adoption by ladies of the national article
OF dress called hdtdmd, a pair of very loose
trousers, the legs of which are SO wide that
the division between them is seldom visible.
with a broad stiff waistband-a divided
skirt, in fact. This would be absolutely mod
est, it would admit ofperfect freedom of move
ment, 1t would involve no departure from
national habit and ideas, since the hakdmd is a
part of the full dress of the Japanese gentle
man OF to-day, and the appearance of it, with
the short hussar-like jacket which necessarily
replaces the kinono. is charming. But, for my
own part, should regard the sacrifice of the
kan'ono. with its long. graceful Greek folds, to
say nothing OF the disappearance of the obi,
as almost equivalent to the destruction of the
beauty Of the whole costume.
wEsTERNIzING THE COUNTRY.
40 pool afa Al -:
ties have been setting the example and encour-
aging the adoption Of foreign dress for both
men and women in Japan, is political one
They desire to introduce the foreign manner of
living, as the natural corOllary and support of
foreign institutions, and they know that If they
houses will inevitably be replaced by foreign
houses, for coats and trousers demand chairs
and tables. and these again render the soft
matted floors impossible. and then the country
will be finally and completely westernized.
One of the gross misconceptions that prevails
abroad about Japan was told it even while
crossing the Pacific-is that foreign dress
is now generally worn. Nothing could
be more ridiculously untrue. In the
streets OF Tokyo, city of 100000 in
habitants. there is perhaps one man in foreign
dress out of five hundred-I am inclined to
think that one in thousand would be nearer
the mark-while in the country you will not
find one in ten thousand. In the city you per-
maps see TWO or three Japanese ladies in for
eign dress in a week, but in the country you
would not see many in year. At fash
ionable semi-ofiicial ball in Tokyo there were a
large number of the leading ladies wearing
foreign dress, and sadder sight never saw
Most of them would have looked charming in
their own clothes, but as it was with the ex-
ception OF one marquise who would be beauti-
full in a fiour-sack) they were simply appalling
so badly fitted, their foreign colors 80 taste
lessly combined, SO awkward, so i'll at ease,
that if the spectacle had not been really sad
and piteous, one could not have repressed
ones laughter. "Voyez-vous," remarked
foreign diplomat to whom l was talking,
as he turned on his heel and left the
room, lie Japon d'aujourdhui. c'est une
traduction NAL faite!' The epigram is as un-
true as it is clever, but the circumstances pro-
voked it. Except the court, the army, and the
civil 4rvice, however, foreign dress has yet
no hold in Japan, and almost every man. from
the millionaire to the government clerk, has
tens to put 1t of as soon as he gets inside his
own door. And foreign dress and foreign
houses and foreign food-it is a case of all or
none-mean living at a scale Of much greater
expense than the Japanese people are at pres
ent either willing or able to afford. Moreover
OF one thing am quite convinced--namely,
that II Japanese women generally adopt for.
eign Dress the stream of foreign visitors will
turn aside from Japan. Instead of beauty
there will be ashes-instead of charm that
the world cannot surpass there will be the ugli-
ness from which it apparently cannot escape.
henry NORMAN