Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-01-03
WOMAN AND DRESS.
THE SUBTLE INFLUENCE EN-
ERCISED BY SOME MEN.
A BRIDE WHO TOOK HER HUSBAND :
ADVISE WITH RESULTS SHE FoREsAW
PROBLEMS THAT GOOD WIVES
SETTLE IN THEIR OWN FASHION.

SETTLE IN THEIR OWN FASHION.
In some recent observations the question
of whether women should dress to please
| men was discussed The conclusion was
that even these women most fond Of the
appreciation and admiration of men did
not habitually do so, and for the double
reason that men 5 preferences in these mat
tiers were so capricious that they could
never be made into rule, and that bav-
ing no practical knowledge Of the require
ments of the female attire, their taste was
by no means 70 be relied upon as an In
fallible guide Naturally there are many
exceptions to this One has only to think
| of the celebrated men dressmakers to be
reminded that the masculine taste In femf-
| nine dress can be miraculous in its deli
! cacy But these men are geniuses. In
private life they have confreres who may
| not be geniuses, but whose eye for color
and line is SO fine that wives, sisters,
daughters are glad of any advice they give,
and Immediately follow it, knowing 1t to
be valuable In fact, a woman-at least
the average woman of good taste-sees in
delibly and at once whether man who
makes any comment on her dress knows
what he is talking about. II she feels
that he does, there is fiattery in his in
terest to which she is very susceptible. She
certainly, then, enjoys dressing well TO
him, as she never under any circum-
stances, enjoyed dressing for her own sex.
She is conscious her prettiest effects will
not only not fall on blunt perceptions, but
that the appreciation of them will be col
ored and perfumed by sense OF her per
sonality as woman, which sense reacts
upon her in pleasurable cxhilaration.
a.. t. ~, -l,f nj To
see that they take an interest In feminine
dress, and who prove by their comments
that that interest is intelligent, are almost
always favorites with the sex. Other men
are inclined to sneer and to call them
effeminatc, but women like them and are
influenced by their opinions. Still, as
said, these men are rare. For the others,
the utmost concession the average woman
makes to their ideas about her dress is OF
the kind practiced by certain clever
young bride whose spouse elect had pro
nounccd and emphatic fondncsS for quak-
erish gray and bronze, and who thought a
woman never looked well in any other
hue. The brides trousseau was built rig
orously upon this formula, and contained
nothing from dressing wrapper up to walk
ing suit that was not Of a dun or mouse
color of the most somberly neutral sort
She could have worn nothing more unbe-
coming to her individually, as it happen
ed but she sacrificed herself unshrinking-
ly for three years, at the end Of which
time. having discussed the purchase of
fifth consecutive street costume Of dingy
snuff color her husband with distinct ir-
ritation, remarked that he thought she
might occasionally display a triflc more
variety in the selection of her gowns. The
rest forever, but madam was very careful
not to discuss the methods which she had
taken to insure that result
There are many other ideals besides the
one respecting the toilet which men en-
terrain regarding women and which the
latter often find themselves in position
to consider more or less seriously. There
are men who have distinct opinions rs to
domestic matters, or social matters, which
they hold up before their womenkind, and
which the latter wonder whether they
should attend to or not. They may not
coincide with the views held by people
generally, but should not women seek to
please their husbands, brothers, fathers,
sons OF course IA good percentage of women
will always get over and out of the diff
Guilty after the fashion of the bride just
spoken of. They will have all the credit of
apparent submission, yet their own way in
the end And as the world goes and hui
man nature, perhaps it is the best fashion
too. AT least it has become established by
the centuries as the traditional woman 5
way"
But these are the days Of the progress
i've sisters who look upon all these little
duplicates as very unworthy. They would
like to steer their way lin the open, as
l. n -. i
want well based principles of conduct. |
Their menkind wish them TO invite Ger
tain people to the house of whom they do
not approve. Are they to do so or not?
II so, why? And if not, why? One hus
band has conviction, which he will not
abandon, that his wife should always go
to market herself although other wives !
may get on without SO doing Another
likes his children to enjoy unbridlod' Ii !
cense at the table, although their manners
may be ruined by the liberty. Still an
other is averse to society in any form, does t
not like company" in the house and will
not tolerate il, though his daughters and /
sons may be growing - with a healthy
liking for social intercourse. In all such
and similar cases the good wife finds a
problem before her. She has duty to her
husband, but also one to herself and one to
her children Which shall be hearkened
to;
A certain Old lady Of our acquaintance,
with an eagle eye, breaks in cmphatically
at this point, "Fiddlesticks!' she cries.
These latter day females think them
selves so far advanced beyond our old no
tions yet some Of US coul6. have taught
them a lesson, be assured We did not
delye into the metaphysics Of things quite
SO profoundly, but we had "a little com
mon sense, thank heaven! Some Of us had /
enough Of it to be supreme in cur own |
sphere, which God had given us let me
tell you mistresses there, in full author
ity."-New York Dispatch.
4 Pitiable Life.