The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09
FOR FEMININE READERS
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF
DRESS THAT CONFRONT WOMEN.
The Man of the House should Have a
Place in which to Lonf-The Va
carries of Relationships and That.

"she is as plain as pipestem in her
dress"
To this comment uttered in most con-
temptuous tone, says Dorothy Maddox. IN
the Philadelphia Inquirer, l replied: / SIN
cereIy admire the good sense that prompts
a woman belonging to the middle classes to
dress quietly Her social grade calls for only
the simplest modes. You cannot deny that
the subject of your criticism is always pre-
sentabIe, no matter where she goes or with
whom she is thrown
My defense did not please. l could see
/ was regarded as decidedly queer" This,
however. rarely deters me from speaking
my mind l certainly felt impelled to do so
on this occasion.
The evil OF our day is overdressing. This
evil do not as rule, find amongst rich
women. but in the midst Of those of my sex
who are busy aping their weather. sisters.
Limited incomes are responsible for the
constant appearance of gowns, hats, wraps
that become tawdry simply because of their
environments. This must of necessity be so,
for the woman Of average meansshas by
comparison sparse opportunities for dress
display.
Her inordinate vanity refuses to admit
this. When she buys an elaborate article
of dress it is done with but one object in
view-namely, to find in her mirror an image
that pleases her.
She does not stop to consider how this
bit of extravaganza is to be fitted into her
everyday surroundings. She squeezes and
pinches in every conceivable way to get to-
gether a costume that must be put to Sc
verely practical uses, and it has been mod
eled, mind you after creation designed to
figure only at elaborate functions.
The fussy. original. a very stunning tot
let appears at a swell luncheon, a fash
ionable reception or in some place frequent
ed by exclusives; the copy switches its way
oughtares, stamping the wearer with every
swirl OF its draperleS as unfeilned.
No use TO beat about the bush. We women
Judge each other by the way we clothe our
selves. Often the judgment is unfair--in-
deed downright cruel-and should not be
allowed leg TO stand on. But stand 1t does,
and often to our complete undoing
BY the way, who is it that gathers in the
lodd-tOned dress fabrics, the dizzy hats, the
oVer-trmmed wraps? Not women of taste
and refinement; merely lo6keTs-on at the
social merry-go-round. The article of dress
is yet to be found too gorgeous for affaips
where fashions butterflies fiutter their
wings absolutely free from censure. They
are licensed to overdress If they wish The
time and place has been found for tine
feathers, and the fine birds may air their
p.umage. no matter how tropical in color
or how ornately placed.
IL is the nelSnL OF IOlly lot women Oh
moderate social pretensons to strive as
they do with might and main to dress up to
the ideas displayed by fortunes proteges.
Such an absurd desire elicits wholesale con-
demnation from people who know a thing
or two of the delicate art of dressing.
Refined women, nice women with an in
born sense of the eternal fitness of things,
are never overdressed. They esteem all eff
forts in such a direction the height of vul-
garity. / feel the most intense sympathy
for women at large wandering about in a
wardrobe maze. They must move cautiusly
if they would not commit dreadful blum
ders.
For instance, there is a pleasant fiction
going the rounds that one anxious to be
well Ore ssed at a comparatively small cost
need only get herself into tailor rig to be
in the best of dress form. The fact is a
tailor costume really worth wearing is one
of the most extravaganza of wardrobe tastes
that is, if it is what it should be- 1t must
be silk lined it must be an ideal fit, and ii
must have an ideal swing. All this perfec-
tion costs goodly sum. A cheap tailor
suit is the shabbiest thing on earth. There
you are What is to be done about it?
No wonder we need to be cautions? No
wonder we are subjects for constant dress
coaching. We must not overdress. We
must not underdress. We must look smart.
We must not look garish.
1t is the most difficult feat OF the many
dexterous ones woman is asked to perform
to clothe herself so that she may be dressed
at all times and under all circumstances
like lady.