The Washington herald., 1907-05-06
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIEW.

It is an awful mistake TO grow careless
over your personal appearance, Clothes
play too important a part in life 10 be
neglected. but above them IS the perpetual
care that makes one tidy and trim and
very good to look upon even when actual
prettiness IS lacking
II does not matter 50 much that the
fr0ck and coat are a bit behind the
fashion, provided they are Eot shabby.
An air of shabbiness throws a pail over
the whole appearance Of person, and
men seem TO know It by instinct. 50
we find them with well-shayeu faces,
smooth hair, clean linen. and polished
shoes 10 battle whatever shabbiness their
clothing may display. The shirt beneath
the brave front may be a wreck, more or
less repaired. but there is no hint OF it.
The wearer bears the hallmarks OF good
grooming.
Women lack the instinct OF making the
most of whatever is at hand. Some of
Us have cultivated il, having learned the
trick from fathers and brothers. A few
garments, wei cared for and worn as long
as they deserve. are much better than an
extensive wardrobe TO which is given in
different attention. The little things OF
life are the ones that count, and when
we find an army Of wage earners with
fresh skin. shining hair perfectly ar
ranged. well-preserved teeth. hands that
show the care bestowed upon them, neat
clothing, and an air Of self-possession
We lealize il.
Some of these young women spend too
much on personal adornment-many OF
them are in a stale of perpetual debt.
The others are clever at securing results.
the actual expenditure being much below
its appearance There are mothers at
home who make their clothing and keep
it in repair. or the girls themselves spend
their leisure in doing these things for
their own comfort Materials are many
and some OF them are cheap, and paper
patterns are good fitting and easy 10
use.
Show me the weIl-groomed girl, and
will show you the one who has neither
the time nor desire for mischief. There
are two sides of the same girl. There
is something In taking care of ones per
sonal belongings and making the most
of everything. from clothes 20 Opportuni-
ties, that increases seIf-respect, and self
respecting women keep out OF trouble
that might give them unpleasant no.
t0Tiety. There is more, d great deal more,
than vanity in dressing well and looking
as nice as possible, and men are quite
wrong when they turn such matters into
ridicule.
From the nature of things we women
need encouragement. II folly was not
fosiered by the other sex we would be
rather free from the fault, since we really
aim to please masculine taste. A little
ridieule from those whose admirati0n we
seek would be a death blow TO any small
fad we might take up, to any fashion we
might advocate I remember an incident
of the days when We were seriously
threatened with a return of crinOline. We
nave had small scares since then, but
crinoline has never been so near adoption
since the day when a newspaper woman
was fitted out by a weil-known shop
and made her way through crowded
streets TO fashionable stores. The side
walks were swept free Of humanity by
the enormous breadth of her skirts. and
double doors were thrown open to allow
her to enter. Riding on street cars was
impossible because she could not get into
them. And the ridicule she met on all
sidesl It settled the fate of the hoop
skirt
BETTY BRADEEN.