The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-25
THE FAD OF UGLINEss.
Girls Who Neglect Their Good Looks in De-
votion to Outdoor Sports.

votion to Outdoor Sports.
People have been talking about a woman's
right to be ugly. Meanwhile hundreds OF girls
have been demonstrating that right. ugliness
seems to have been the summer girls fad this
season. A little more Of it and there will be a
reaction which will put the summer girl back
on her old plane Of lackadaisical inanity.
Nobody wants Just that to happen. But I'M
less the girls themselves have a care it will
happen. and there will be no stopping it. For
the last few years 1t has been the thing for girls
to go in for outdoor summer life. Walking.
wheeling. golf. tennis and all kinds OF sport
have been fun for the girls and even for older
women. Nobody wants to change that. But
there doesn't seem to be any good reason why
a girl should make a guy OF herself In her de-
votion 10 outdoor life.
That is precisely what she does do. She even
seems 10 glory in doing It. There was a tennis
tournament at a certain summer resort a few
weeks ago and the young women players. with
apparent delight, made perfect Spectarles Of
themselves. There were only two participants
who were not positively ridiculous to behold ut
the end OF their first set. One Of these two was
IA I4-year-old girl. She wore a short. blue skirt.
and a clean white shirt waist. and her short
curls were tied close to her neck. The other
was Il girl Of about twenty. Her skirt. too; was
short enough to lie safe rs well as trim-lpoklng
Her hair was braided and coiled smoothly at
the back OF her head and she wore a sailor hat.
ing, to say that after. a few games they were
perfect guys. One q them played in a long
fTuIiii Of dirt up to her knees, She had to hold It
up. OF course. and went HOPPING 10 ungalply
a aEirts, Shoes AZ ST seuf fsf S s0aT miss ThS ne ana ahirt
rescued from TIE weeks ,wHshinEgi did not
sleeves were promptly unbuttoned, and rolled
back to the shouldeE; another fad Hats ?
But the worst Of it all was their hair. 1t
that she can't play tennis and wear her hair in
n loose. fluffy pompadour. Nevertheless these
s strswe sd's side 20 combs %2 81 and "a %halF TSRssG al love over 't ths
place. and in five minutes their tiufr,y, pompa:
doprs had become merely disheyelled heaps OF
hair with loose strings and strands hanging
around their faces as II they were a new variety
The girls Who patronized the golf links were
IN the same shape after a mornings play; But
they didn't care not theyl It Is the fad to be
well, a rap about your personal appearance.
so TIE girls 90 hopping aFonnd 80 not ddeiEn to
out Of their soft skins. and are happy, because.
The trouble is that this fad Of ugliness will
bright and Jolly. should appear alongside OF
the dey9tGes to p9tidtness and H%Eli N s.. II . the
whewi il would be a situation worth witness
cinbhouses and watch the Hopping sisterhood
on the courts would have the contrast borne in
But the ugliness of athletic girls Is unneces-
snry. The girls fairly bid for it. They know
very well when they lay in their summer ward
robe that their golf skirt and shirt waists will
get nine-tenths nj the seasons wear. They
know that all OF their summer associates will
remember them ms they appear In that outfit,
not IN the rare full drrSs OF an occasional dance.
Yet the invaluable short skirt is half the time
made out OF an old dress skirt cut of a few
inches. II a new one is provided, H. Is often OF
cheap material and slipshod Workmanship.
The few girls and women who appear in really
we'll made. attractive short skirts will get adj
miring comments from everybody that sees
them.
girls who can walk more than half a mile, can
talk sport l~ntelligently, and really enter into
the spirit Of outdoor life, But men have an
old fashioned prejudice in favor OF trimness
and graCGfuIneSs and beauty, These qualities
ara not Incompatible with playing golf and
tennis. A girl can play Just as well, in fact, II
would seem as II sh" could even play better, II
she isn't all tag ends. and H. her clothes are not
sloppy. But II this fad Of u~gliness goes on
people will conclude that II Is a necessary nc-
commandment OF outdoor life, and there will be
a shutdown on the whole thing. Therefore. II
Is To be devoutly hoped that the girls will put
in their spare hours This winter getting M goli
and tennis gowns which will stand the wear
and tear OF a season and keep their shape ia
the end. There are innumernhle schlpS wait,
ing 10 be hung at the belt Of the outdoor girl
who Is also VOL g~roonled aud attractive.