New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-14
TYRANNY OF CLOTHES.
The Mcention of Garments Ascribed
to the DeJH.
BY Mrs. John Lane.

5000 ~~~~-
Clothes and their little accessories are without
doubt invention OF the devil After that historic
interview In the Garden OF Eden in which Adam.
though the first earth, emphatIcaIy proved
that he was not the first gentleman, II was the
serpent who In last frantic effort 10 annihilate
the human race reached tho climax of wickedness
by introducing the fashions into this peaceful
world. And he exceedingly bad terms
with the lady OF the Garden It is natural enough
that he made the fashions dreadfulIy trying
to her. and they have remained ever since
Along with the fashions the serpent at the same
time bestowed profound reverence for
the Uuimportant. and incucated In us that supreme
article OF faith Judge every by his clothes -
And, to be honest. most OF do,
Rut clothes Ike everything else. have succUmhed
to the democracy OF the age. once people dressed
according their trade their rank. but in these
days that has all disappeared. except In legends
and the EarI's Court Exhibition. Instead. the world
has universal costume. which for men consists
Of top nat. made tie. ready made garments and
giraffe collar and these form the crown and sum
NIT OF poetic fancy. and they have made their TIL
umphaat way 10 the uttcrmost parts Of the earth.
They have sstonished the polar bear EGuboIiIHg
In the icy north. while in the south know they
have found their way to those ba.nsless savases
Who. in their efforts to compete with civilization.
told. simply and unostentatiousiy array
themselves. II in nothing else. At least in the top
hat Of IA bygOno fashion contributed by the
righteous.
Tho Top hat represents the universal language OF
attire. l; walls and weeps against the walls OF
Jerusalem. ana II turns Up in the soltudes OF the
desert. even the IoueIiest mountain peaks are not
safe from its democratic simplicity once met a
silk hat. probably rescued from some benevolent
dust bin. milking COW In a London park. The hat
nearly caused riot; each and every passeroy
turned ard stared Indignantly. The eccentric COW
b Ie lIt n Is s1 iS 1'o,ei taSK' a99
ol4'I' one Ss ItrAP
shouldn't silk nat be permitted 70 milk a COW:
he COW doesn't mind, SO why should We After
all, II ) only couNenttou'
The other day was at u garden party. and there
nature OF the top hat. Ii Is only custom that mas
towns one aDcePts II as 9n~ does motor Buses and
traG5ion enYines. out when II meanders among trees
Spills IT'S way 10 It's destination ones soul cries
II IS the aim Of all human creatures 10 look alike
~ II were not SO. each would dress as he pleased
everybody else. How moEotonous the world would
ness OF their expression or. rather want OF express
represent the highest cvitZaPo0 9oaS th4 we
fact. 10 be conspicuous is nearly a crime and for
this reason we 50 frantically pursue the fashions
1t Is humiiiating 10 think how the world wastes
ro,bGa zee ana precious hours in considering It's
even is the time we devote 10 intelects com
Now not absurd 10 expect Us poor women. Who
madly pursue the fashions--and whose trials are
summit to reach even the intellectual plane OF
qures To look like nothing NOR poetic than sn sni
mated stovepPe? Think of the years he has saved.
to match colors and choose fabrics and fashions
fully empoyed In fEe 10 eJ 6 he was use
can We poor martyrs to clothes compete with him.
6 haven't the time "a" APo5S the trTan SIMPLY y,
Nut here ohs s%S n%W b5 EfT@ we Women WI become
70 be an intellectual level with themselves ana
II is for this that they create the fashions
["l !" IS not Women hut men who four tines
wfar apd ist tet wS ps what to Tea and how TO
breath man DEGREES a new fashion and the awful
Tnn@ '% % Ee @Edn Eve Is probably the only
s ana Tor that reason she Is the only woman
TO cultivate her mind ''s'''' WHO ""' S'Sure
To think Of the amount of time a woman wastes
much time at their taiors' buying their neckties
WIN" caImo ~, +bssest I" those female pioneers
fhar sho,T f Gr. me %nyanGement Of women that
ti co. les; After that women will occupy any posi-
Though man does suffer under the tyranny
{" clothes 40 much as woman. vet II Is only the
end who would venture on any iniepend nd S
Urf ere me laws that govern him so simple and
would not defy-not even for a v. c. A woman
she ie our M ST1TnetmnG SwfuIly daTng-tnat is. II
been certain great historic characters who have
selves by hep Of n m% T the r0 6f them
or the cut OF waistcoat. hut these are lonely in
No is Gpro oho%t b REHT Clothes the r bbt
fn'm instances OF liberty as he does enjoy
columbus discovered America but tho Americons
CiSct vered the straw hat. II is a question which
discovery has been Of the most vital Importance '''
. Ild you over como across martyr spending n
WeeE END who has lost his dress suit case and
who has TO appear at dinner party In bue serre
ara a red tie! IL takes great and indeneniaTt
mind 10 rise superior 10 such a tragedy Mostly II
DOESN'T tn" blue serge martyrs foxes all fan
nat he becomes self conscious confused end an0Io-
getic he resents being the object of universal SYM
nathy, and well he realizes that he is a blight on
scheme OF the table decorations 800
Once met n man who Iured from the lows
or flccadilly. Just as he stood, In fro"k coat and
Top nat 10 rural retreat, five miles from a rail-
way station never saw anything So unbecornus
10 landscape as that wretched top hat and thar
superatively rigid coat. II I'm vein that we
TOOK him for walks and showed him the hills He
persisted IN sitting disconsolatey on n stile and /
shaH never forget the abysmal gloom with which
ne watched the Innocent gambols OF "a litter OF
Young pigs a man not without sense of humor
and II his distinguished head had been covered nv
a straw hat he would have been the first 20 love
the little pigs. AS IT was he waEiered tragically