Gilpin observer., 1906-05-31
SCHOOLGIRLS DRESS
SHOULD NOT THINK TOO MUCH
ABOUT THIS VEXATIOUS
MATTER.
Most Schoolgirls Too Young and Too
Pretty to Require Much Ornament
in Their Drees-Don't Worry About
Your Figure If Your Dress Is Com
fortable-Health Is the Great Beau
tifier.
BY MARGARET E. sANGsrER.

she fuses and fidgets about her
dress, looks at herself in the glass,
worries because her cloak or her hat
or ner jacket or something else, is
last years style, and altogether be-
haves like a vain and silly GIRL" ex-
claimed Jessie's aunt Marion, who had
no patience with such frivolous con-
duct.
'if Jessie had been the fourth
daughter in large family" said Mary
Elizabeth, looking up with smile,
she would have learned to be thank
full for small favors. Until | had
passed my thirteenth birthday l never
once went. out Of the house with
costume every bit of which had been
made for me. | usually wore Susan's
last years frocks and Mildreds last
years hats, retrimmed and freshened
up, and when l had a jacket it had
been worn before me by Ethel Moth
er always bought good things that
would last and they lasted until sew
eral children wore them out. was
cured of fussiness before so much as
wee leaf of it cropped up in my
character. Generally speaking | had
new shoes and that was a comfort"
Jessie had listened to both speak
ers with an air of serious attention.
Il love pretty things" said she.
''and l hate ugly ones. Why shall sis
ter Louise. who is a young lady, wear
corset that gives her a good figure
while l who have no figure at all am
obliged to wear corded waist and
button my skirts to it?"
BY this time | was so stirred up
tina. | was compelled to intrude my
views on the girls.
What on earth can you be thinking
of, Jessie? A school girls first duty
to herself is to wear healthful dress
and although corsets are excellent
and suitable in their place for grown
up young women, they are not parts
of hygienic dress for you. | hope
that you spend a good many hours
every day out of doors, and that your
director of physical culture superin-
tends your calisthenics and your ex-
ercises in the gymnasium. The gym is
as much an educational place for you
as the Latin class or the recitation
room where you study and present
any other abstruse subject in the
school. For daily use a school girl
needs well-made loosely fitting blouses
and skirts, and the weight of her
clothing should hang not from the
hips but from the shoulder.
Deep breathing is your great ne
cessity; your lungs should be filled
daily and often with the purest air
and your chest have abundant room
to expand. AS for shoes, you must
have common sense lasts broad
enough in the sole and low enough in
the heel to enable you to walk with
ease and grace. A school girl must
not wear tight shoe nor high heel
You are too young and too pretty to
require much ornament in your dress,
over shirt-waists and simple stocks,
hair ribbons and belts.
"Once your wardrobe is supplied
with what is comfortable and you
have equipped yourself with a golf
cape, rain-coat and a sailor hat, you
are ready for every occasion"
For receptions and commence
ments and Sunday evenings at home?"
queried Jessie, her dimples playing
hide and seek as she archly glanced
at me.
Il beg your pardon" I answered.
"a girl does need one or two dainty
frocks for evening wear and they
should preferably be white. The
simpler they are the more suitable
, they are sure to be. A great many
tucks. puffs, ruffies and lace inser-
tions are misplaced in a girls dress
while she is yet in her teens. There
may be. of course, some unobtrusive
decorations, but not very much is
needed for she herself sets off her
gown. l like to think, too. that girl
who is growing up takes a little time
now and then to bestow attention on
the laundress who has to wash and
iron the dainty muslins that are so
elaborate and so beautifully finished
with lace edges and delicate EN-
broideries.
"A girl who has once or twice done
her own laundry work. washed and
ironed white muslin gown. or duck
skirt. will know by experience that
it is far from easy work. and she will
be somewhat more careful about fire.
quently sending 1t to the tub. than
her friend who has had no such per-
| sonal knowledge of the labor in.
volved."
No young girl has the slightest oc-
casion to worry about her figure If
| only she has a dress that fits her
comfortably, II she stands up straight
| throwing back her shoulders and hold
| ing up her head. The figure will take
| care of itself. Health Is the great
beautifier and sensible dress is for
young people It's best ally.
/ Fortunately for young girls. there is
no question about the length of their