Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-23
WOMAN AND HOME.
IN CHOOSING GARMENTS CONSULT
THE WEARER'S TASTES,

a Word For the shopper-Dressing on
Small Allowanee--Nfany Inventions b,
One woman-Uge of Pen Names.
A great many good people in the world
are inclined to look slightingly upon child
ish tastes and childish preferences as
though they were in themselves something
70 frivolous as TO be unworthy of all notice.
Yet there are few grownup people today
who cannot recall acute suffering in child
hood because of a total disregard of these
same tastes and preferences The tastes OF
The child are quite likely to be the tastes OF
the woman, modified only by years and ex.
perience.
A story to illustrate this is told of Queen
Niotorias eldest daughter, whose queenly
mother kept her under somewhat rigid dis
epline even after she had arrived at the
age when young ladies usually have some
what of their own way in the matter OF
dress and surroundings. The marriage of
the princess royal had already been agreed
upon, and the princess when visiting an
attractive lingerie shop, ordered IA large
amount of dainty, attractive garments,
which were entirely different from the stiff,
old fashioned linen which the queen had
always insisted upon for her family.
No sooner were the garments sent home
than the royal mother returned them in Il
spirit of indignation and ordered for her
daughter duplicate of the queer old fash
toned trousseau which she had had made
for her wedding so many years ago. These
the princess must be content with, though,
ii report says true, she shed many tears
over them, and after her marriage she dis
posed of them as quickly rs possible and
bought dainty clothes to suit her TASTE
which had something Of the French chic
and air about them.
The old fashioned idea that there was
something sinful in pretty clothes, or that
one was pandering to vanity and folly in
consulting the taste in matters of dress,
has passed away. There is no possible
harm in allowing little girl who has ideas
of her own to exercise considerable freedom
in the choice of her belongings. She should
be guided of course by the means at hand
and by the judgment of older people as to
the utility of what she chooses. But it is
u cruelty to compel her to wear anything
which she instinctively dislikes as old fash
toned and ugly when it is just as easy to
get her something that will please her fancy
md in which she will never feel i'll at ease.
The proverbiai ease of manner of the
dweller Of the city may be, after all but a
consciousness of appearing well, while the
awkwardness of his country brother may
just as naturally be due to consciousness
of i'll fitting attire The term urbanity,
which originally meant city bred, has in its
natural sequence come to mean a tranquil
md polished demeanor. Now, if you wish
10 make little girl awkward, dress her
against her own protests i'll clumsy attire.
Not all the teachers of department can
overcome the shyness that will be bred of
her young impressions. Nowise person can
fail to appreciate the value of ease and pol
fish of manner. 1t takes years sometimes
TO overcome the self consciousness which
begins in childhood as the result of this
kind of petty household tyranny, which ut
terly overloolSs the individuality and tastes
of the child and consults only the convcn
fence of the moment.
Let the little daughters and sons of the
house have rooms of their own as soon n,
they are able to take proper care of them
Let them be consulted in the furnishing o.
the room. Yield something, where it is not
Inconsistent with economy, to their tastes
so that the room may be their very own
Let them bring their friends there. DO not
buy clothes for any girl of an age to have
tastes of her own without consulting her
Even boys sometimes have decided ideas il
the matter of dress, though they are pro
verbally more Indifferent than girls. Tn,
daughters and sons in such a home usually
find home the sweetest plaCe,-New \ orA
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