The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04
EXIT THE FRUMPY WOMAN.
She is Passing Forever From the
Worlds stnxe.

Her day is ended and her sax breathes a
thankful amen. There are dozen ways
OF describing the vanished one. but no one
seems quite to have diagnosed her dress
and habits like until the Chronicler of the
Chicago Times Herald who says:
The genuine frumpy lady is usually rec
ognized by being horribly overiressed.
She seems to possess an overpowering.
compelling desire to plaster the entire con-
tents of her dresser onto the front of her
gown. She reyels in the soiled neck rib
bols, bits of lace, dabs of ribbon. wads of
discouraged ostrich plumes-everythIng in
fact. that should find a way to the rag-bag
or the cleaners. Her hats always have
feathers, ribbons. buckles. aigrettes. and
bows galore. each individual bit OF trina
ming having no particular regard for the
other. and all being strewn about on a felt
or straw foundation with no other purpose
in view than making IA conglomerate mix
ture of millinery materials.
The frumpy lady has a pronounced hank
kering for ragged silk petticoats and heels
that are on the bias. The two make n
thrilling combination on day when mud
puddles are rife In fact, the fruDpy wo-
man makes an excellent showing during
rainy seasons, for she will wear piumes in
her hat in spite of everything and has
no choice apparently between newly curled,
fluffy ones, and the stringy, straight hor-
rors that fairly drip depression and gloom.
There is just one reason why the frumpy
girl is frumpy-besides the main one that
she is a natural born frump-and that is
that she has no idea OF fitness or utility.
She doesn't know that a soiled foulard is
not the proper costume for shopping. and
that discarded theatre bonnet is not ap-
propriate for marketing. There is a time
for everything. But the frumpy lady would
go mountain climbing in French-heel
dancing slippers and pink chiffon bodice.
Or she'd wear a theatre wrap and carriage
boots to n football game il she happened "
feel that way. She goes in for the fussy,
frilly, overturned trappings and seems
never to realize that there are moments
when the soft fripperies are out Of place.
But why dwell on the trump? She is
passing into the hazy background along
with the five-storied theatre hat that was
worn in the SOS, the eal-plush dolman
trimmed with jetted braid, and the wax
wreaths under glass globes that graced
hideous handicapped tables in the stiff,
tear-compelling parlors. Women are
surely, but slowly, coming into their own.
They are learning TO spend more money
for good. serviceable. well-tailored proper
ly-cut gowns and less money for gilt belts.
chiffon neckties that are wrecked in two
wearings, and the foolish. perishable
knicknacks, on the sales OF which the
merchants grow fat and grow rich.
The lessons of fitness and utility are
being learned. The woman of today that
is the woman who keeps up with the pro-
cession. has come to the very sensible con-
clusion that plain. neat gowns and trim
little hats and dark, heavy gloves are-if
properly chosen-decidediy more becom-
ing and thousand times more modish
than the garments that are fussy unto
hideousness and of little real service.