The Washington herald., 1910-10-17
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN.
THE FASHION PLATE.

From the Chicago Evening Post.
We all know her. the gilmore often
woman who should have reached years
Of discretion-who looks as il she had
stepped right out of the color pages Of
the latest French magazine
The human fashion plate is as distinc-
tive type as IS the chorus girl or the
mannsh girl And the onlooker is in
clned 10 think there is less excuse for
her than for either Of the others.
To see some Of the girls who think
themselves dressed 10 kill makes us
sigh for a censor Of women's clothes
II any kind of censor could be counted
upon for ordinary good judgment.
Can't you imagine the fun IL a censor
or clothes would start 20 work on the
lines Of those committees on literature ex-
purgation. who have just banned Balzac
from a Western library? Slim sihouettes,
low cut gowns with picture hats. toddling
walks from tied IN skirts and hats eclips-
Ing most Of the features, could never
escape the Balzacian class.
But then there couldn't be a censor Of
woman's dress! Sex limitations forbid
No woman would listen 10 what another
woman said Of her clothes. she would
know her disparagment was just catti-
ness Nor would what a man say count
for what does a man know about clothes
anyway?
Far be II from me, after this, 10 ape
the censor: but. II only woman wouldn't,
Or If she would. If she could but be in
oculated with medium powers 70 read our
subconscious-to her-thoughts.
49,
Better than reams OF reading on the
folly Of being a human fashion plate
would be the knowledge OF what people
really thought OF our pet attire.
Then would the fat woman cast upon
the ash-heap-lf she has no thin friends
the wonderful creation OF Gainsborough
hat yard wide skirt that gives her the
shape of a boiled ham,. vivid coIorng.
and much bedecking that she thought so
perfect on the model
Then also would the little girl not elect
huge figures and the ramroddy girl
stripes or ultra slinkiness. She of the
pinched features would no more wear
masses Of coroHet braIds than would
sally Snuhnose take 10 the covered ears
and falling ringlets Of the latest Eugene
coifture.
II our thoughts could but be read, We
would not be annoyed by red-halred
women bedeckinE themselves In Chan
tecler c0ckscomb tints. nor would Miss
Passee circulate In the coy draperles
shown on the misses color page.
Nor would the matron fat. forty. and
far from fair dress herself on the lines
OF the latest stage favorite just home
from Paris-and sweet sixteen. undirected
choose clothes that would age her
grandmother
When We can all read one another's
minds, then viii individuality IN dressing
reign We viii no more dress because a
certain model or certain picture catches /
our admiration than We would FEEL i'm
PEELED 70 a rat diet because il is a deli f.
cacy 10 our slant-eyed sisters.
II is folly 10 say. as one often hears. .
that individuality is costly. not 10 be
found IN the home seamstress or cheap
dressmaker class. II a girl knows her
own type. she can dress 10 Il If she puts .
in every stitch herself
II there We're no other reason for not
being human fashion plate. there is
the slur il casts ON ones brain power.
There IS something insufferablv silly
about the girl who is a slayish im.taror
of style. She may have brains. but the
onlooker would never take her clothes
word for f..
Whatever. the definition. however ac-
4uired. one meaning can never be read
into the words well dressed ''-slavish
adherence 10 style, with no thought OF
itness-the human fashion-plste type.