Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-04-06

Women writer's who give sensible
preachments to their sex III regard to
domestic success and happiness are
agreed on one point, namely, that the
atmosphere of the home can be con-
trolled largely by the feminine Gle
ment The women of the house must
be contented, unselfish. good-natured.
Furthermore, they must be we'll dress
ed so that they may be attractive to
their husbands and brothers. These
preachments always add that the wom-
en- must not use up half the family in
come for clothes.
All this is both sensible and true
The woman who is worth while as a
wife, mother or sister, is willing to
sacrifice q great deal in the way Of per
sonal vanity and comfort for the sake
of remaining attractive. But here the
difficulty lies. How should a woman
look when she is attractive and pref
ty? It j. largely a matter of clothes {.
Those who, at first blush, are in
clined to question my statement, have
only to consult the family photograph
album. Look at that tight-fitting
basque that, twenty years ago, was the
most beautiful and stunning you ever
saw. Now it is simply ridiculous, it is
SO ugly. We get out ideas of beauty
from the fashion magazines. The gar
ment that IS stylish IS, therefore, love
Iy.
II the matter ended there it would
not be so bad. Alas, it goes a great
deal farther Tie fashion magazines
presume to dictate whether we shall
be stout or thin, tall or short. They
give us impossible designs of matchless
grace, skirts that sweep in rhythmic
curves, girdles that encircle wasp-like
waists and adapt themselves, with
never wrinkle, to the hopelessiy cor
rect hips that grow on about one WON
an IN a thousand. They give us iaun
ty, fetching hats that stay in place,
in spite of wind and weather. We
want to look like those women whose
existence begins and ends in the i'm
agination of the fashion artist.
This letter may sound to you like an
extravagant outburst OF Indignation :;
but the experience through which I
nave recently passed is sufficient provo
cation, | assure you. l inclose several
designs, clipped from our best fashion
journals. All OF these we attenpted
to copy, with the aid of q clever seam
stress who came to us with the very
best recommendations.
hayn two n So
lady and the other a girl of II. We
planned tc save much money and have
ourselves well gowned. I engaged
the seamstreSs and we went to work.
We selected our designs, and we fol-
lowed directions faithfully.
This season q woman is allowed her
choice Of two styles. She may have q
princesse, or an empire gown. We went
right at those designs as if we were
built for them.
We are all Inclined to Re rather
plump; but we looked into the fashion
magazines instead of consulting our
mirrors. We found what Ada, the ell
der daughter wanted for a street suit.
1t was a brown mixture, made prin-
cesse, with short pointed bolero and
elbow sleeves, the turned back cuffs
and reyers faced with red and the
Jacket lined with the same. There was
q shirt waist Of red silk to match, and
we planned to copy the hat in the fash
ion plate.
ADA began to picture herself in this
outfit, which certainly was a dream III
the picture. She liked especially the
sweep OF the skirt. very full circular
pattern, close fitting TO a little below
the hips. | don't profess to be much
of an artist; but 1 have tried to show
you how that princessc dress with
pointed bolero looked after she got 1t
on.
The circular skirt did what almost
all circular skirts do, unless they are
made by the most expert tailors. In
stead OF going out III graceful, sweep
ing curves. it hung in sloppy bags. 1t