Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-03-01
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-1rm and
satiny as a gull's breast-and my desire
would be that no moulting period
should ever oyertake the wearer of such
a 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 alonel 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.
1 But the worst aspect of the case is
/ the thought which goes to the making
I of all these skins. 1t is truly said no
woman can be well dressed unless she
I 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 homely thing;
! when-if a natural plumage her own
good works had grown upon her-she
/ might be beautiful.
! Nv 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
| iusted to their own persons. The money
! of good dressmaker goes into gowns,
bonnets and wraps; not into etch1ngs,
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 funnieI
than an individual made up for one part
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 reception instead of being
robed for sleep.
Man has been 5000 years learning no"
to dress, and he knows so little about il
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 tC
grow out of fashion. Then l shall be
me, my life appearing through every
part; not shrouded by lunches 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 Hartwel
Catherwood, in Chicago Tribune.