Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-11
MOURNING CUSTOMS
A Suggestion in the Line Of Reform as
Regards Dress, &c. o

From the womsn's World
All that is most Objectionable in mourning
| reaches its climax when it comes to the dress
| OF widow. In all cases the nearer the rela-
tive the more cumbrous becomes the dress Of
the female mourner; but the widows dress
positively amounts to mild form Of suffice and
would seem to hint that the idea underlying
various heather rites as to the conduct Of wo-
men 10 not absolutely extinct among us.
There would still seem to be a lurking feel
ing that II man dies 1t is desirable that some
sort Of punishment should fall on the wife, or
that at least she should be sacrificed in some
way, 30 far as is possible without being too
much out Of keeping with the theoretical lib
erty Of the age 1t is, in actual fact, a
survival Of the outward expression Of the
inferiority Of women; for as will be further
pointed out later on, the inferior always ex-
presses grief for the superior. The superior
does not notice the death of the inferior in
this manner. This dress of q widow may be
said to possess every bad and unhygienic quail
ity of women's dress (and these truly are
neither few nor unimportant) intensified four
fold. It is always made both extra long and
clinging, so that exercise is even more i'm
possible than ever. II is usually very heavy,
and it is surmounted by species of head dress
long streamers hanging aimlessly down behind.
These streamers make it difficult to turn the
head, partly because they are comparatively
heavy, but more particularly because they are
rough; and the dress also being Grape or some
rough material, they catch to it; and have to
be continually pushed at with the hands to
prevent the cap being pulled off, Streamers
Of the same sort are also carefully fixed to the
bonnet, so as to insure the walking dress being
as wretohedly uncomfortable as that worn in
the house.
Now II it be taken for granted that most
women are sorry when their husband dies
and think, for the credit of humanity, we
may accept this hypothesis-there could not
very we'll be any less desirable form of dress.
At any time it would be depressing, but for
one already in low spirits it is simply barbar-
Gus; and its utter needlessness is thrown into
strong relief by the fact that there is no special
dress for widower. As wife cannot be con-
sidered to be q nearer relation to her husband
than husband is to his wife, il distinctive
dress is unnecessary in one case it is also I'M
necessary in the other The only reason ever
brought forward in support of a special dress
Is quite inadequate, for it is to the effect that
widow might meet some one who might alude
to the late husband, not knowing of his death.
Such contingency is highly improbable in
these days OF newspaper and universal gossip;
and even should such thing occur, its effect
would be less injurious than the daily and
hourly wear of the worst form Of dress that
human ingenuity can invent.
Another custom which is entirely sustained
from the above cause is that of drawing down
all the window-blinds of the houses both of the
immediate family and Of the near relatives
from the day of death until after the funeral
Ii over. That this is only done to comply with
an empty form is sufficiently shown by its being
observed only in the case of windows that can
be seen from without. 1t is perfectly we'll
known and admitted that living all those DAYS
in a shut-up and darkened house is most in
furious, depressing as it is to both health and
spirits, yet people go on doing it, merely be-
cause they cannot bring themselves to act on
their own true convictions for fear of the
thoughtless remarks of strangers. There
seems also good reason to fear that the fashion
OF surrounding the coffin with flowers will
presently be carried to such an extreme to
become a serious inconvenience. This danger
already appears to have struck some persons.
as obituary notices in the papers are OCCASION
ally followed by the words No flowers"
There are many people who, while thor
oughly disappearing of mourning Gas the term
is now understood), would still wish to have
some mark to show they have lost a relative,
and for this purpose nothing could be better
than the small black band worn round one arm.
For widowers and widows alike it might be
made with a narrow edge of white or gray: for
other relatives it might be either all black or
have an edge of red or blue. This would have
the effect OF making it more easily visible on
dark clothing, and get over the difficulty-if
difficulty it be-of any chance illusions. The
expression here of dark clothing need not be
held to contradict the preceding recommended
ton of making no change in the everyday
dress, for in this country most people. both
men and women, habtualiJ wear dark clothing.
Even women have usually three dark dresses
in their wardrobe for one light one, and an OBJ
trusively gay-colored dress is rarely worn. ex-
cept for special occasions. These bands
should only be worn for quite near relatives.
q a a ovH1y. ylaol
the present farce of complimentary mourn
ing