The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-21
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

stood in front of a shop window on
F street the other afternoon, looking
over the veritable fairyland Of chiffon
and lace it inclosed. At my side stood a
woman with two chiIdren-two little
girls, between twelve and fifteen years
of age.
They were held enthralled by the beau
tiful gowns with their trailing trains the
filmy waists and exquisite hats. The
woman looked from the children to the
exquisite exhibition, and back again TO
the children
Oh, l wish we could have things like
that she told them Il wish we had
enough money to keep up with fashion"
The little girls sighed woefully. echoing
their mothers wish, little girls have
a way of doing.
They watched the fairyland of fash
ionable gowns and hats a little longer
anC then passed down the street.
AS / went on my way 1 passed them
again, standing at another shop window
in the same detected attitude, craving
wistfully, wOefully, the handsome clothes
they could not afford.
And all the while they were absorbed
in their contemplation of the shops al
Turing offerings the sun shone from a
cloudless sky; the afternoon was made
for happiness, for the air was clear
and with just the right crisp coldness
TO bring the blood to the cheeks of the
young girls.
Way the Harm Is Done.
This is the way that womans inordi-
nate passion for dress is fostered
InstinctiveIy the feminine heart likes
pretty, dainty things. Woman's desire
for adornment is bred in her bone 1t
Is because of her innate refinement that
she likes dainty clothes, and the trait is
in no way to her discredit Sbut ii is to a
mothers disCredit that she should foster
the tendency, and develop it out of pro-
portion to her ability TO supply the de-
mand 1t eventually breeds.
Children, for their own highest devel-
opment should be just as unconscious
OF their personal appearance as can be
managed by their mothers Their at
tention, or the attention Of other folks.
should not be attracted by loud or too
modish styles OF dress. The simpler the
little frOcks and hats and coats and
shoes the more chance the little girl has
TO grow up into sweet. pure-minded.
normal womanhood. unspoiled by vanity
and the craving for extravaganza
Have No Chance.
What chance. think you, have those
two little girls 1 saw at the fashionable
shop windows to grow into womanhood
that is without vanity? What chance
have they to escape the calamity of plac-
ing fashion on a pinnacle and worship
ing the God of Dress, when from very
babyhood their mother teaches them to
sign for chiffons and fine laces?
With the impetuOusity of youth sew
eral Washington girlS-who cannot be out
of their teens-have rushed into the fash
ION debate. telling me that the price we
pay to play the game OF fitting like but !
TEXTILES from one style to another is emil
nently worth while, declaring that hobble |
skirts are Just too cute" that they
ARE sorry the harem skirt did not take" |
and asserting their approval of using |
devices necessary to make the figure anv |
shape whatsoever in order to wear the |
latest gown approved by dame fashion.
Letters from Girls.
As for the changes of fashion, it
would be a most monotonous thing to
wear the same old clothes year in and
year out. Why, a woman would look A
fright runs one letter: while another
TOung lady writes me:
can't see that we pay any price
Tor being fashionable other than that
demanded by the shopkeepers, and they
nont hold you up at the point of a gun
and make You buy what you haven't the
money to pay for, do they?
These two letters made me think of
the two little girls I saw looking into
the beautiful shop windows with eyes
mat were full of longing and Of the
women these little girls will become.