Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-16
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW
or the 4 ,mes-kepnbi,can

Herald by Christine Terhune Herrlck.
The headline man OF the paper has it
For Elderly Women lie also says it
IS Proper and Improper Dress for
Danes Who Have Passed Llfe's Prime,
and that Old Ladies Do Not Look Well
Dressed in Styles Followed by Their
Juniors. 1t is self-evident that this
headline composer is young and has
not had the experience with the oppo-
site sex that time will give him or he
would have known thai elderly women
do not exist, and that no woman passes
her prime while she absorbs oxygen.
And, my dear, am about to read to
you copious extracts f.om this article,
written by a woman, not for your benz
tit, but for those VINO are really elderly,
women born, say, i'll 1910 to 1920. Your
style of dress, madam. is beyond re-
proach. 1t is all right for you to wear
your daughters collars and your sons
Meckties. My new soft hat also becomes
evenings entertainments and omit these
personal witty Efforts" said the lady
addressed.
Very well,'' was TIL = reply. Under
we read:
""rhis is one of the respects in which
the change is decided advantage. But
1t has it's drawbacks beyond those that
are patent at the first glance. The ell
Gerly women seem to forget, in their
enthusiasm to keep IN touch with all
that is gong in in the world, that there
are certain matters to be observed In
their dress which should dffferentiate
them from their daughters. Some points
they are ready enough to recognize.
The grandmother Of half dozen chil-
dren does not feel 1t incumbent upon
her to take her place In the tennis court
or on the golf links. There ale things
her daughters ana g1anddaughters do
from which she feels That hsr age rules
her out. Why does she not apply the
same discretion to matters of costume?
""There are many women who have
displayed taste in their dress during
youth and middle age VINO seem to lose
all judgment when they begin to be-
come eligible for the ranks of the ell
derby band. Their sense of proportion
and of fitness deserts them utterly and
they are guilty of olfenses against good
taste that they would DE the first TO
condemn, perhaps, did they see them
In others
This is followed by Hint for the
Aged
"'Let me give few instances Of this
sort of thing. Not long ago had the
pleasure of meeting a very charming
woman who had turned 10-althO, to do
her justice, she did not look within ten
years of it. Still, one would readily have
given her 60 years--an age when, II
ever, a woman shoulG dress with sober
and well-directed taste. This woman
was at supper in a country house, to
which she had been invited as guest
of honor. She wore short black skirt,
short enough to clear the ground well
all around, and blue and white striped
wash silk shirt waist. About her waist
was broad black belt Around her
neck was collar Of priceless old lace,
caught by a diamond I'm.
".Here was shining example of how
not to do it. In the first place, the
woman should not have put on a short
skirt when she was going out to a So
cial Junction. In The second place, she
should not have Worn a shirt waist OF
any sort at such a place, and belt,
.
for any one inclined, as she was, to
embonpoint. In the third place, the
collar of superb lace WAS an atrocious
contrast TO the cheap waist. The Whole
costume was made UP CT contradictions
that were enough to set ones teeth On
edge
Here is some advice for Stout
Women an abuse of English, when the
writer clearly means fieshy, not to say,
iat women:
..Let me give another instance. !
was at reception not long ago with a
women we'll over so. she was very large
and her stoutness was of the kind that
leaps at the eyes. Her rotundity was
incased in lowered silk of a striking
pattern large green blossoms and
leaves struggling over d white ground.
She filled all the foreground Of the pic
ture so to speak, and her size was em-
phasized to painful degree.
1t may not be out of place to stop
and ask just here why women with an
inclination to overmuch ilesn have SUCH
Il penchant for buying dress materials
C. startling design. The conspicuous
gown which beautiful young woman
with perfect figure might carry off IS
chosen by the grandmother of portly
dimensions and faded complexion. Such
contrasts lay stress upon the very
peculiarities and weaknesses 1t should
he the study to conceal, or at least to
diminish.
Another woman of ripe years saw
no longer ago than last summer. disfig-
ured by an attempt to initiate the natty
neckwear of her young daughter.
Around her throat she wore collar
which one suspected had been filched
from the stock of her son or her hus-
band
ITO those careless in dress she says:
""The woman who is careless of her
costume should try 10 bring herself to
the point of believing that a woman
never gets past the age when it Is her
duty to look attractive. If the iron be
dull man must put to i'll more strength,
and if a woman has lost the charm of
youth she must take more pains to
render herself pleasing to the eye.
Not that she should spend great deal
of time and money on her costume when
She can i'll afford e1ther. But neither
time nor money will hss wasted which
is given to the choice OF suitable and
becoming dress.
".There are many things the elderly
woman can wear that are peculiarly
her own. She should make up her mind
that there are many others which she
should put behind her. She has had to