The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-04

New York ST.

New 4Ork sun.
You put this in your pipe and smoke
it," said the bachelor. ''You must first catch
your man before you can hold him, and TO
do either you must understand the ethics
of dress. Clothing has won and lost more
men than ever love dreamed of in its phi
losophy. own frankly that feel the lack
Of criticism regarding my apparel. Now, if
1 had wife | know she'd criticise my
clothes, and I'd like it. If 1 feel the need
of that sort of thing, a woman needs it ten
times more. You women are. so much more
intense than we are. But to get back to
where started. Every woman should make
an exhaustive study of the ethics of dress.
Many a woman has lost the respect and
love of good husband because she has I'M
derestimated the duty of always being APP
propriately and well dressed, or, worse
still, because she failed to do her duty
along this line, knowing it, I often hear
mothers whose daughters are about to get
married advise them thus: Now, don't you
ever fall behind your husband in any way
if you want to keep his love and respect.
in what interests him; keep abreast with
him intellectually and you'll go on through
life together side by side. Whatever you
do don't let yourself lag behind him for
minute, for If you do you'll never be able
to catch up with him. .
Il think that is practical advice to give a
ITS very excellent so far as it goes,'' an
swered the bachelor, but there is not
enough Of it. Mothers leave out one of the
most important things. They should also
say, And see to it that you are always well
dressed as you can possibly afford Wear
that is not sufficient. Have those things
made in the prevailing fashion Then when
YOU get them home don't hang them i'll your
closets or do them up in tissue paper and
lay them in your trunks; wear them.
man feels nothing more keenly than the
sight Of his once trim, stylish, up-to-date
wife in Il seedy old-style gown, and the in
slant he sees her that way his feelings to-
ward her begin to undergo change That's
what mothers ought to say to their daugh-
ters, but they don't
mo, [ don't ever remember to have heard
OF a mother who gave child any such adj
vice" admitted the girl But how do you
come to know 50 much about this? You
aren't a widoWer in Disguise are you?"
Bless you. no" he answered., but I've
heard men talk. Nothing mOrtities a man
more than to take his wife out TO a dinner
or theater party or anywhere and to see
that she does not look like other women
You can talk about mind culture and soul
culture all you want to, and fine things
they are in their place, but the average
man, be he ever SO intellectual and even
spiritual, just dotes on seeing his wife stun
ningly dressed That's a compliment to his
good taste. If women only knew 1t. always
fiattering a man He looks at her in her
fine feathers, pats himself on the back, and
Smilingly Soliloquizes: Oh, / tell you I'm
man of nice discrimination, l am. I'm
man of very excellent judgment when it
comes to woman But it a woman grows
negligent about her personal appearance
you may be sure he doeSnt say, Why,
after all, I've no taste at all, and my Judg-
ment isn't worth continental when it
comes to women. Instead, he signs regret
fully, and if he says anything at all 1T is
something uncomplimentary about his wife.
1t is far more important for q married
woman to dress we'll than single one.
Why? Because, seeing d person occasion
ally and seeing that person constantly are
two very different things. There's no art
ance at a luncheon or reception Or theater
party, because a girl makes a business OF
doing that; but there is a distinct science
in being dainty at breakfast, dalntier at
luncheon and daintiest of all in the even
ing and the woman who masters this art
must not only make a study of it, but
practice we'll. Clothes are a great bond
and my advice to womankind is to wear
good ones. Now, in a case like mine there
is no incentive to dress either well or badly,
for were / to get fifty magnificent suits at
home there is no one to praise or ind fault
and so my apparel always gives me a lonely
feeling. But it's quite different with you
women. Even q SpinSter of, say, nifty years
standing, has somebody to comment ON her
dress"
would ever have thought that you
missed a wife in that way? Well that's
what YOU get for not finding one. But I'm
grateful to you for speaking ABOUT the
ethics of dress to me. and L m going TO make
an effort always TO keep sort OF rousseau
believed that woman could Httter iler nus
bands vanity by wearing swell clothes
you women have neap TO learn yet,
the bachelor remarked.