The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-07
CONCERNING CLOTHES.
Mrs. Catherwood's Homily on the Problem
and Worry of Dress.

and Worry of Dress.
would like to be large, fair angel
with clean, white feathers-firm and
satiny as gull's breast-and my desire
would be that no moulting period
should ever overtake the wearer OF such
suit.
Of all creation the human animals
somebody has already remarked-is the
only one born without permanent
skin. From season to season he must
change his outer covering. Enormous
business has grown upon this misfortune
of man. Consider the vast dry-goods
houses, the millionaire merchants, who
fatten on wOmen's vanity alone! / have
even heard of dealers growing rich sell
ing neckties! 1t is startling to think
what tremendous sums are paid every
year for the movable coverings which
we wear, and soil, and cast aside.
But the worst aspect of the case is
the thought which goes to the making
of all these skins 1t is truly said no
woman can be we'll dressed unless she
thinks out her costumes or pays some
body to think them out. When wom-
an does neither one nor the other She
falls into such gowns as come handy and
passes in the crowd as a homely thing;
when-if a natural plumage her own
good works had grown upon her-she
might be beautiful.
My observation is that the women who
are the best dressers-whose clothes
seem really part of themselves stop
right there. They do not extend into
their houses and surroundings. There
is no radiation from them of wOmen's
tastes. Their dressing-rooms and homes
exist simply as places in which they
perform the rites of the toilet. Out of
endless chaos and confusion they evolve
themselves. Their thoughts must be
of fabrics and colors and shapes as adj
justed to their own persons. The money
of good dressmal1er goes into gowns,
bonnets and wraps; not into etchings,
books, fine table linens, and china, and
the sterling silver dear to hOusewifely
hearts.
The average person is like an actor;
the change of his costume changes him.
And there is nothing sadder and funnier
than an individual made up for one part
while he is innocently acting another.
We have all seen men dressed as BRIDE
grooms but taking the idiotic poses of
Simple Simon; and women of the coars-
est type made up as grand ladies. We
have seen children dressed like little old
men, and old men trieked out to match
themselves with children; and preachers
who unconsciously looked like prize
fighters; and that most appalling spec
tacle of allan emaciated corpse ar
ranged for a reception instead of being
robed for sleep.
Man has been 5000 years learning how
to dress, and he knows so little about it
now that he is constantly changing his
outside and paying away large part of
his yearly income on his appearance"
1t must make the angels feel sad.
The Bible says we shall be ''clothed
upon in the next state of being. That
must mean that we shall have a steady
presentable skin-one not to be affected
by climate: neither purchased at dry
goods or clothing store, nor liable to
grow out of fashion. Then | shall be
me, my life appearing through every
part; not shrouded by punches of drapery
or deformed by waxing and waning bus
| ties. Then firm white arms and noble
breasts will appear in everlasting beau
ty: the majesty of man and woman will
be emancipated from that primeval
shame which made the first clothes
seekers try so Intellectually to cover
themselves. Poor old Adam and Eve!
Giving up the garden was nothing. But
what trouble they did hand down to us
all when they set us to work at the
problem of clothes!--Mary Hartwell
Catherwood, in Chicago Tribune.