The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-09
.HAMPERED BY CLOTHES
The New Woman Finds That They
Bar Her Progress.
Mrs. Ward Declares That We should
Discard Hats That Do Not Fit Our
Motion-EIegant Simplicity Desir-
abIe-Beware of the slipshod Dress

kitchens. exists today than Mrs. Lydia
Avery Coonley Ward, Of Chicago, and her
paper at Milwaukee on individuality in
Dress" although it bore heavily on some
Of our absurdities, was one of the really
valuable addresses OF the biennial. Mrs.
Ward said, among other things: let Us
review what we wear from our heads to
our feet, setting aside fashion and using
common sense as lens through which
we shall examine our apparel from the
standards OF morality and OF beauty. And
so 1 invite you to Join me in inspecting
the clothes we wear.
First, hats that have no relation to the
shape of the head; the double decked. Chi
nese lantern, inflated balloon, feather
farm, bale-of goods hats. Let us discard
them, and, to put them beyond the possi-
bility of resurrection, let US cremate them
and scatter their ashes, Hats should be
as different as their wearers In shape.
color, and size. but they should follow
symmetrical lines and be chosen from an
Individual standpoint.
Il know women who always wear bon-
nets that seem to complement their faces
and forms; they never have to consult
fashions, but they always look beautiful.
I know one who for years has had her
bonnets made of Neapolitan braids, in
shapes suited TO her head; to look at her
is like coming upon spring OF cool wa
ter in thirsty land. Insulted eyes are
Gained and hope revives with its eter-
nal power. For cannot we find among
our feminine hosts the ten true souls
who shall yet save fashions Sodom and
Gomorrah?
." But those people have an individuali-
ty which most people have not, objects
my friend.
Al, but no one has individuality until
she has done the individual thfngsl Ev-
eryone of US possesses that gift, and it
Is what gives value to each ones place
in the world. The most interesting peo-
pie are those who emphasize it wisely.
The stupidest are those who follow a
leader like flock of sheepI
Il believe that today the greatest barr
rier TO woman's progress is the wearing
of long dresses.
Happily the last decade has given
Americans a certain independence that
allows busy women to wear short dresses
for shopping and errands. There is lot
this freedom IN England. We note also
that ministers have ceased to preach
against bicycle dresses and hotels TO re-
fuse them admittanee. Indeed. bicycles
have been and are the chief dress re-
formers Of the century.
When we ponder fundamental principles
and cultivate our eonsciences until we
realize that wrong may be wrong in dress
as in conduct, the clouds will clear away
from our brains. We shall realize that
clothes should be primarily for comfort,
and should take care of the wearer-not
be taken care Of by her. We shall be
Cf~ i m
our bodies instead of on our minds.
why are we women not more sensible
and practical? Why do we not consider
| what is suitable. and realize that appro-
priateness is the first requisite OF beauty?
I'VE women of the federation eau make
the fashions if we will The truth is. We
are afraid OF ourselves, and OF each other
Let US take courage. formulate cur ideals
! in dress and be wise in trying to carry
| them out.
I'VE must be careful about antagonizing.
! Rochefoueauld said that the man who
| would rule the world in large things
| must humor it in small things The
woman who wants to do great things
| must not antagonize in dress. My friend
wished to wear short hair, but her hus-
band protested, saying that she did too
many short-hairei things.
I'VE rarely see truly beautiful garments.
One often searches fashionable gather
ings in vain for single beautiful gown.
Elaboration is not beauty. Ornament
should be bordering-not the OVERLAPPING
of a fabric. Cutting out one piece of
goods to insert another makes work, but
seldom beauty.
CLOTHES influence us far more than we
realize; they may carry contagion of
health as well as of disease. If we have
IN, irrifa
these thoughts will pervade the garments
worn when they were active, aud when
with KepIer we think Gods thoughts, our
clothing will carry the atmosphere Of
conservation as truly as does the surplice
OF the priest.
I'VE need not begrudge ourselves new
clothes. They bring new and fresh
thoughts. Nature does not wear her old
garments. Birds change their plumage,
animals their fur; why should not man
kind be arrayeG in new beauty? Only
let it be beauty.
"Slipshod dress makes slipshod moods
of mind.
Our federation meetings afford great
opportunities in the line of dress, some
of them opportunities for restraint.
Dressing for the platform is depart
nent in itself. The dress that is pretty
near by is often ineffective at q distance.
A good body of color is needed to look we'll
across an auditorium, and solid eolors arc
always safe Only a slight woman can az
ford TO cut herself in two at the waist line
by wearing a skirt Of one color and q
waist of another, and even fairy LOOKS
better when not so divided. This is not a
criticism of the useful separate waist May
it always smile upon usi 1t is so con-
venient tina. it clasps hands with bei-uty.
even though 1t be not beautiful. For, al
though the beautiful must always be the
suitable. the suitable is not always beauu-
full Convenience and comfort often de-
mand a constellation Of waists to revolve
about the planet skirt. but every woman
will find that the waist in which back.
sleeves and part Of front repeat The color
of the skirt is much more becoming than
an abrupt division at the belt line.
Elegant simplicity is desirable. We
must not let our federation meetings de-
generate into dress parades. 1t is our
privilege to stand for dress that shall be
simple and sensible as well as beautiful;
and common sense and beauty are not cas-
lily divorced. We have our duties in this
direction, and We should not neglect them.
In matters Of dress there is no reason
why the Federation of Women's Clubs
should -supersede the dietators at
Paris
Must BE the Real Thing.
So tar from bein~ satisfied with the