The Red Cloud chief., 1888-03-30
e
q Philosophical Confederation OF an I'm
POrtant Question.

ExTRAvAGANT DRESS.
a Philosophical Confederation Of IN Inn
portant Ouestion.
A love of the beautiful and orna-
mental need not degenerate into a
craving for merely costly luxury. Here
We have TO investigate the meaning OF
luxury in dress. Every one will admit
that 4 Brussels lace flounce which has
cost fifty thousand hours Of labor and
the cye>iSht of more than n worker
is a luxury. vet in one whirl Of u waltz
the g of the ballroom has sacri-
feed this costly article. And what adj
vantage does she gain? But whit is
luxury in M age. in another is a cheap
and necessary article of wear. The
days are passed when a Prince received
shirt us a fitting gift from a Princess;
when cotton there was none, and linen
was SO dear it was held to be IN ex-
t~ravaSance to wear a ni~ght-dresS.
Thanks to discoveries and inventions,
to machinery and to facilities of trans
port. wooden, linen and cotton fabrics
ARE within reach of every n a. prices
adapted to the slendercst means. Never
has it been possible to clOthc ones self
SO warmly and cheaply rs in the present
day. We ran not revert to those days
when each class had its special and dis
tinctive dress; We eau not accept NJ. dc
Lavaleye's counsels of perfection and
clothe ourselves in the sarb of the re-
ligious orders. We must regulate. not
reprcss the love of ornament; We must
reject the freaks and follies of fashion
and appeal To those whose taste and
position enable them to adopt = higher
standard. and urge them to Set the ex-
ample of simplicity and fru.ality. Of
sense and ~sOlvcncy. 1t is is singu-
lar to contrast the glowing sp!en-
dor and pr,digality of the dress
of one sex III TINS nineteenth
century with the sObriety of the dress
0ftic other sex. which has shrunk within
our own recollection into 4 grim uni
formity of black ~kerscymcre. The Laws
Of nature are reversed. if it be ,rle. rs
Mr. Darwin teaches. that the male bird
owes the hu 5 of his plumase and the
beauty of his form to his desire to please
IRA! selection. In modcrn society it is
the hens who carry the gay feathers.
Shall we say with the same motives.
Aad with equal success? There WAS Il
time when the dress of men was alike
wasteful. e%xtravagant and inexped;ent;
wken they wore costly siuffs. rich en-.
hruidery. lace. jewels; when at the
Court of France tue Duke of Bucki::.-
ham shook off diamonds. and the maids
of honor went on their knees to pick
them up and appropriate them; when
the folds of u crava: and the embroid.
cry of wais,coat were subjects Of
earnest attention to the masculine
mind. Those days are over. mems
dress IS simple. suitable. inexpensive.
Is it too much to hope that reason may
as>rrt her authority in the case of
WOnlcn's dress. rs she has done for
men. and that while SlOvenlineSs is un.
known. and the highest standar!! Of
ineaincss is attained. there may be
neither waste nor extravaganza. but
that ali-pervaling sense Of propric;y Of
which Dr.. Johnson was the advocated?
LEARN" said he. '.that there is PRO-
prieiy or improperly in every thin:
how slight oevcr. and get at the gen.
-esal principles of dress and behavior"
When Mrs.. Thrale asked his opinion of
the dress Of y child: Well. sir. how
did you like little miss? hope she Was
fine enough?' ut WAS the fincry of u
beggar." said he; '.shc looked like q
native of Bow Lane dressed up to be
carried to Bartholomew Fair" Views
which the philosopher and the econo.
mist advocate may we'll gain a hearing.
though only now urged by n who has
M other claim to an audience than the
desire to help in woman's work.
Lxysxlian q. j. Reese. in LongHsan's
Magazine.