Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-04-21
vAcAR,Es IN FEMININE COSTUME

For centuries the question OF suitable
and becoming raiment has been an
ever-present problem with both sexes,
but especially with women. In early
days in the warm countries around the
Mediterranean Sea, the common cos
tune worn was merely a loose wrap
per This is familiar to us through
the sacred pictures of the Old Masters,
and though abandoned by the people
living on the northern shore of that
sea, it is still in vogue along the south
ern coasts.
The robe was a great inconvenience
to men, however, and when the Ger
man Cloths and vandals broke In on
the Roman territories, their free and
unfettered limbs gave them great ad-
vantage in the wars in which the
greatest activity was demanded. The
robe was soon thrown aside in favor OF
some form of dress from which our
modern trousers are descended, and
priests, students, or state dignitaries,
namely, those from whom physical
activity was not expected, alone pre-
served the gown, and the surplice and
other priestly robes, as well as those
worn by judges and a few other OIL
Gals are the only relics of this ancient
garb that have come down to our day.
Among women the robe has sur
yived. Under the ceaseless play OF
fashion, women are essentially con-
sentative in dress as in other things
for in sober truth, women form the
conservative, elemer in human society
so long as woman was expected to
stand back and be merely spectator
of life's. contests, the gorgeous raiment,
the sweeping skirts and the dress OF
purple and fire linen, satisfied her
every ambition. A queer survival OF
barbarism impelled her toward strik-
ing and bizarre effects, to rich and gor.
geous jewels:and to the splendid in bel
attire as opposed. to the quiet utilitar-
ianism of mems dress. As she became
an active agent in, and not mere
spec tator of the activities of life, this
taste in dress underwent a change, but
each change was fought bitterly by
the conservatism of the sex. The now
universally worn shirt waist was &c
nounced as immodest and improper
when it was introduced, but it is hare
to find the grounds for such attack a!
seen today.
The revoltlhas now spread to thu
heavy, cumbrous.skirts that impose SO
great burden on the weaker SEX
Physicians have long traced many o
feminine ills to the weight of skirts
sustained from the waist band an(
recently to the germs and filth gather
ed by sweeping,the streets. Few mer
could sustain such & burden if they
would, ENTHUSIASTICALLY the revol
is well founded.
The question is what is to take tn
place of the present dress. Years ag'
DR.. Mary Walker boldly assumed
trousers, but she found few followers
Some substitute that will be at one
neat, graceful, 'pretty and comfortable
will fill the proverbial long felt want
The latest suggestion is the so-calle6
"harem skirt''-and it has met will
general condemnation. Much of thi
is due to its novelty, for few new
things are attractive. We though
the hustle of the early SOS pretty
though we would deride it today; on
fathers thought.the hoop skirt beauti
full, while we think it absurd. A re
form in women's dress must come ant
} if the harem skirt be the true line OF
which development is to go, it and it
successors will live, or, in scientific
terms, the fittest will survive, SO it il
wisest to let il, work out its own sal
walton.