The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-11
TODISCOURAGE
EXTREMES IN
SOCIETY DRESS
CLAIM Is ADVANCED THAT cos
TUNES OF NEW YoRK'S FOUR
HUNDRED ARE AS IMMoDEs1
AS THEIR DANCES.
Special to The Journa,.


New York. Feb. 10.-Now that tn
popular craze for the grizzly bear
and those other suggestive dances
which caused Mayor Gaynor to recent
ly describe New York as a modeI7
Babylon. has been dampened in poljt
society, movement is on foot hex
to discourage the extreme in dres
Those interested in the plan declar
that the costumes worn at reception
and other formal public Assem- blies b
So-called smart women and debutante
are as immodest as the dances i
which they have been wont to er
cage Mrs. Stephen Baker and Mr.
Frederick Nathan, two of the womeI
most active in the movement. are pay
this tendency. which they character
i've as evidence of social degeneracy
Mrs. Nathan said yesterday:
cit seens to me that there is a great
deal more immodesty and vulgarity o.
dress today than there was twent
years ago. Once there was snar
Differentiation of costume between tn
women who kent the social laws an
those who broke them. That is
tell whether the eberouged. loW-neckee
short skirted girl one meets on Broa6
way or Fifth avenue is respectful
Young woman or-the other sort.
for the evening dress of society womer
it is often disgusting and vulear
have not the least objection to decol
lctege when it is worn properly.
"a moderate decoIletege. BARR
throat and shoulders, is not only ef
fective and beautiful. but most appro
rriate for dancing or dining in over
heated rooms. But there are limit
that shonld he dictated by natural dc
concy and good sense. And the ever
ing gown cut down to the waist '1r
IN the hack and with very little abov
ii in the front is quite beyond til
~aIe No vro~aen With a~v irrate IN
estv or refinement would wear such
a dress at anv function. whether pub
lie or private
''yet thew are worm suggested.
''They are Mrs. Nathan regretfullv
agreed. However. too extensive
decoIletege is not the only sign of
vulgarity in manv woman's ward
robe. For instance. there are the close
sitting l7ohtle skirts for street wear
so much in vogue recentlv- in fact;
the excessively narrow skirt is still
with us. though it isn't called 'hobble
any more
"These garments are immodest and
suggestive in the highest degree. Vet
even quite young girls wear them. Thev
achieve the last touch of vulvaritv
-
half wav 11n the lag ard accompanied
Wv thin silk onen-work stockings and
Tow shoes That disonstng comhina-
tion is a common sight on our streets
whether it's winter or summer. Then
there is the increasing prevalence OF
make-u up. There is a snecial tend encv
toward the use OF naint and nowdeT
among women who have lost their first
youth and who hone to restore the
appearance of bloom by artificial meth
DDS. OF course. this is exceedingly
short hiehtcd policy. heeause unless
the rouge is very -slSillfully employed
the effect on the beholder Is the re-
verse of pleasant, and the age Of the
user is increased and not diminished.
yet even among young girls one
hears cha tier of the latest style OF
face in Paris. and pretty her cheeks
are disfgured by a coating of Aghastly
white and fresh lips are made sticky
with red Salve when makeup fashion
DEGREES it. OF course. there are plenty
! Of young women whose own good
sense or that of their parents forbidS
such practices. but unfortunately there
are others of whom this cannot be
said.
'I think it particularly unfortunate
when women OF wealth and position
adopt vulgar extremes of dress be-
cause of the example that is set to the
| thousands of women in different cir
Giles who initiate them. The working
vopnen. for instance. should be par
/ ticularlv circumspect is their dress be-
cause of their exposed position. Yet
! do they not appear in stores and offices
with their lace open-work sfocSin es
and Short leeved, low necked, peek
! a-boo shirtwaists a costume as nm
| husiness-like as a negligee or a yacht
| ing suit would be for man?"