The Washington herald., 1909-03-28


ture that may be submitted. Such
question should be addressed 70 The
Arbiter, care The Washington Herald.
II a woman ever needed TO manifest
the courage Of her convictions, she needs
70 do 30 just now. when dress has be-
come so extraordinary as 10 be almost
grotesque. In the winter we had the
Merry Widow hat several yards IN cir
cumference. which. when it was tilted TO
one side. made its wearer look Ike a
ship under full sail; and It was generally
tilted to one side, because the trimmings
were massed in such a way as to make
Il impossible 10 retain its balance.
Then we had the waist line underneath
the arms. the sleeves so long that It was
impossible 10 use the hand with comfort
the collar so high one could not turn
ones head without turning the whole
body. the skirts so tight about the hips
and legs that their wearers, when they
walked looked like mermaids wiggling
their way through the water. and their
grace was not improved by the high
heeled shoes, more resembling stilts than
anything else.
nation. all OF thOse eccentrictties have
been abandoned for others. IL not as &C.
centric, quite as inartistic. Instead OF
the Merry Widow hat, we have a head
covering resembling a smokestack. which
fits down over the pretty face Il shelters,
IN some cases covering it entirely. in
others showing bit OF the chin and
mouth These hideous structures are
adorned with flower gardens, foolishly
mixed with birds or fruit, and are as
meaningless. as inartistic. and as unbe-
coming as II would be possible for a
Philistine TO design.
Collars are to be done away with, which
is move in the right direction. and the
waist is brought down TO IT'S natural
limits Whether the skirts will remain
eel skins. or whether they VII give the
legs Of the wearer a greater latitude in
lOcomotiOn, is not yet stated. but with the
exception OF the hideous head gear which
dishgure the milliners' windows, fashions
at present seem to be more consistent
and sensible than at any time in the last
few years, but they are not beautiful.
ApropOs Of the empire and directolre
styles, The Arbiter happened 10 be living
in Berlin some four years ago, when the
was foisted upon an unOffending public.
These dress reform gowns differed in no
way from the frocks that are more pic
turesquely termed empire and direc-
toire. but because Germany is not the
seat Of fashion and German women have
never learned the art OF wearing their
clothes with the style and aplomb that
French women have acquired, this fash
ion was rejected by the feminine world.
When Paris, however, became converted
and the women OF the half-world took UP
the fad that originated IN Germany,
America fastened 10 follow suit, and the
dress reform Of the German frau. dis
guised under another name IS worn by
every woman. no matter what her birth
and condition, in our sweet land OF
liberty The American woman indeed.
goes the French woman one better, and
will throw away an entire wardrobe 70
refill II with the latest Paris modes, never
for a moment suspecting that she is the
victim of the dressmakers, who have no
interest in change Of style except that
Il fills their pockets America Is their
best market, for the women Of no other
country throw or give away hundreds
OF dollars worth Of clothes 10 be a Ia
mode, and now, having cleaned out her
wardrobe in the fall 10 I'll II with new
frocks she VIII abandon those and get
in a new supply; so I say that women
should have the courage OF their convic-
tions. reject a style If they deem it ugly,
retain style II II pleases them and is
becoming.
II the empire gown was beautiful and
artistic enough 10 be so generally adopted
a few months ago, * cannot have lost IN
so short a time all that commended II
then. so why discard hundreds OF dollars
worth Of clothes 10 replace them by 9TH
ers equally ridiculous? Why not leave
the waist line just below the arm pits
for while longer, long enough 10 get a
proper return for the money invested in
empire and directoire gowns. Miss Pluto
Gratis hank account may allow such
wanton expenditure, but by such indul-
gence she sets a bad example TO her. sis
tiers whose bank accounts cannot stand
such extravaganza.
But we must follow the style" cries
Miss PlutOcrat.
Is this the free daughter OF Uncle Sam
taIking7 Is this the emancipated Ameri-
can girl, the daughter OF liberty. who
announces that she must follow the
style" must be it's foolish. silly. subser-
Went slave? Such pratings do very well
for the women Of the harem. who make
no claim 10 being other than slaves. and
have nothing 10 occupy them but fashion
and styles Think Of the money expended
by the American girl in ''frillies' and
how she could use It for the betterment of
her sisters who make these same "fril-
lies" Think Of how much joy the cost
OF that apricot satin which Miss Pluto
crat wore twice. would give to the girls
who did that exquisite embroidery, who
sewed on those seed pearls, who shirred
and puffed and tucked the chiffon for
the sleeves and neck? And who, after all
cares what Miss PlutOcrat has on, OF
whether she wears a dress once or twice
or a dozen times? Nothing with which
she could adOrn herself would conceal
the emptiness OF her brain, the vapidity
Of her wit the cOldpess Of her heart.
You call America the land OF the
free" said a foreigner to The Arbiter the
other day. but do you understand free
dom? Only yesterday was at the house
OF a family where I am intimate. a real
hearthstOne friend. and there I was the
unwilling witness OF a scene I would like
10 forget. The mother had accepted an
invitation to pour tea at a certain house
There was no reason why she should no,
go. except that mademoiselle had no new
dress. so she absolutely refused. and nc
argument would move her neither
threats nor entreaties. Il ended. the III.
tie scene, IN tears on the part of mamma
sullSiness on tie part OF the daughter. ant
the discontinue Of their guest Here 1.
the memorandum 1 made in my note
book apropos OF this scene: The boasteS
freedom OF young American girls con.
sists In the liberty to disobey, and trear
their mothers with rudeness. and TO one,
sacrifices on the altar OF fashion"
This is. Of course, a generalization
but there Is more truth in it than tn,
casual reader would be willing to admit