The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-09-19
THE FASHION

THE FASHION
However much the puritanically in
clined may decry Fashion, that at
tractive wench has sure footing in
tho walks OF life past all dispute. In
the case of Fashion. it Is much the
same attitude which q wit OF an older
time had in view when he remarked
that the Puritans hater bear batting
not because 1t gave pain to the bear.
but because 1t gave pleasure to the
spectators" It Ii the enjoyment that
proceeds from being well dressed, and
the pleasure which the world derives
from looking at pretty woman in
gladstone apparel, which our sober
minded friends object to. Vanitas!
Vanitas! What would we do without
you?
And in our Quaker background
which has entered into our inner con-
sciousness 1t should be remembered
that there has been quite rs much to
do over the shape Of First Day bon
net as over the latest quirk from Paris.
THE Quaker loves an ample brim,
A hat that bows to no salaam.
A. dear the beaver il to him
As IL It never made dam"
But what would we do with out Our
Lady Vanity = Miss Fashion = Mile.
Modiste?
plato having defined a man to be
two legged animal without feathers,
Diogenes plucked a chicken and said
This Is Plato's man!'
Whereupon the learned philosophers
smiled sadly and inquired, doubtless,
when the next shipment Of the pre-
cious Tyrean dye would reach Athens.
How we should miss the elimination
Of lingerie and haberdashery from
our scheme of existence and go back to
the primitive method of differentia-
tion and adornment. Do you think
the tribal haircut and the art Of tattoo
ing-or even war paint are more to be
desired? True, the war paint is less
expensive, and the tatooing more pain
full and permanent-but they are not
the fashion.
And this brings us to q realization
that fashion Is just as frivolous, as
foolish. as serious and as sensible as
10 the common run OF men and women
kind.
In mans clothes. Of which we are a
trdfle more authoritatively informed
(for who shall sound the depths OF the
mysteries of frou-frou. puffs and lin
gerie) we are constantly informed that
cur young and patronising friend the
college boy, is responsible for the mon
strosities that We occasionally meet.
Some Of these extremes are doubtless
Of college origin. Yet, seriously, no
college boy worthy of the name would
wear any Of the things which are
fondly heralded as his. However,
your business man may sneer at col
lege fashions-it is to the college boy
and the college boy only that he owes
the debt Of gratitude for the increasing
comfortableness Of clothes.
Loose clothes. no coat in summer,
soft bosomed shirts. low shoes, high
shoes to keep out February slush and a
sweater to prevent the winter wind
these are college clothes-the Fashion.
How very foolish, how assinine the col.
lege fashions!
Fashion. reduced to fact is an in
vention made possible by our propen-
sity to imitate-by which the ordinary
man seeks to add little xest to his
money grubbing existence. But when
Fashion enters into the realm OF VIC
mankind-there the Eleusian mystery
begins and ends. we cannot follow IT.
only may we admire or wonder at-and
pay the bills. II
Away with those who contend that
Fashion IS the invention Of the devil
and Of the tradesmen who sell US
thines which fashion has worn out.