The Jersey City news., 1901-10-25

Lovely woman. high or iowly, is Fasn-
ions slave. not Passions save, as the
dime novels phrase it, The line cannot
be drawn even at civilization. for who
is more vigorously fashionable than a
Hottentot belle? Having no intellectual
charms, she cannot win the cannibai
brave except by delighting his eyes with
the bri.liancy OF her ssanty raiment;
and not to please him would mean to
remain unwed. and be stamped out in
the survival of the fittest.
Among the birds the male is arrayed in
marvellous piumage, for the sole purpose
of being selected by the modest feathe ed
females. But among humanity woman
presents the attractions and man makes
the selection.
One cannot but envy the permanence
of heather fashions. With the Indians,
for instance. scarlet yellow, b.ue and
green paint has tbeen in for a great
many seasons. What comfort Fancy
the CONSERVATION of the sqnaw who had
spent many months weaving, with infn-
lite pains, brilliant Navajo blanket,
~ld she suddenly learn that il had
out of style and her time and labor
lost!
I'VE new women, beginning TINS
Aof progress ever stop to con-
absolutely we ars in the power
lsIS of the Gear Fashion?
xe woman wore hoops whose size
J would dwarf modern airship- Imagine
the beautifully formed women of Greec<-
models for the greatest sculpture OF the
world, arrayed in tight corsets and hoop
skirts
queen there once was who was
hunchbacked, and all the court ladies',
for courtesy. had artificial humps put 10
their dresses. AS a result we, in a demo-
cratic country. who have forgotten even
the Queens name, wear the hustle,
simple lowering of the unsightly protup-
erance
What barbarism has made woman who
carries all the future within her frail
form. the one to wear the most unny-
gienic clothing ever invented? And Wnal
has perverted the taste which considers
such garments attractive? If one-half or
humanity had to go fashion mad, and
abuse the delicate internal organs why
could It not have been man, with his
stronger physique. But no; man
dresses senssbly-to his credit be it said
and uses the style of dress suited TO
his life. even If it has little to recommend
It to the eye of the artist
In Euronean court circles, and in our
own colonial days those men who were
gentlemen of leisure were as strictly
dominated by Fss1ffor~ as ever woman
was or is. Busfnow they glory in 1t only
on the stag& The Louis XIV. nigh
? liee,s.. satin garments laces, rufrles ana
nowdered wigs find wearers nowhere e'se-
Men solved the dress question because
economic cond itions demanded slitap.e
working clothes; women viii solve II
eventually for the same reason. But very
slowly do we emerge from 1censerv-
atism. especially such forms of It as are
sunnased to make them charming. And
q Is usually Fashions dictates, not
Reasons. which in the end prevail
ror half century timid attempts
were made, from time to time, for
shorter dress. beginning with those OF the
abused pioneer, Amelia Bloomer- Bur
since woman has taken to athletic sports
Fashion has devised and sanctioned the
very costume for which common sense
rleaaed in vain. Today no fashionable
woman thinks her wardrobe connplete
without three or four tailor made short
ekirts ..hieycle length ard golf
length, with number of loose shirt
waists OF every color and fabric.
White women are striving for fewer and
simpler clothes mems wardrobes are be-
coming more complicated. Golf suits,
bicycle outfte, evening dress, Tuxedos,
..swallow tails" yachting costumes,
negligees, fiannels. business suits, hats,
cravats and socks ad infinitum comprise
the toi,et of the man la mode