The Alaska citizen., 1913-08-11
Morality i'm Dress



10 bel eve / be a person Of wonder.
ful insight and personal bravery. But
one glimpse Al her Wardrobe with lis
vulgar. immodest. and extrayagant
display revealed her real character
10 me-weak. immoral. vain. and can
r.cious. And this later she fully
proved herself to be.
Poets, philosophers. and painters
have recognized the moral qualities
of dress. Innocence and chastity
they always portray II r. hes of
lily white.
The mad devotion to dress of the
present day woman struck me most
forcibly the other day when one
of the most intellectual women
have ever known complained tha'
since she started to wear the tight
skirts she had had a continual back
ache due entirely to the merry us ten
sion under which she labored. "Ev-
cry step | take is taken With the
fear that it may result in destruct on
either to the gown or to me | know
II | were in the way of street
ear could not save myself
The grayest charge against wom-
ans dress is the fact that its struc-
tnre produces physical discomforts
and disease" asserts a we'll known
scientist. When a woman sub
mits to the bondage and restraint
of tight skirts. eorsets and shoes
she becomes Il dollhouse plant II
temperament and develops the traits
of physical weakness. irritablity. and
nervousness. TO the restriction OF
dress is due much of the Il temper
fretfulness. and peevishness which
darken many househ Ids. Unable To
protect herself In times Of peril by
.unn n or Jumping. dependence and
cowardice are inevitable
That righteousness and extrava.
gante in dress is national danger.
ancient, medieval. and modern his.
tory proves. Prophets and ph loso-
piers have uttered their warnings
and entreaties against these out
ward signs Of an inward spir tual
curse always seeing in them the
] portent + impending doom.
i 1t is the most astounding thing
% me that i'll the so-called best so
eiety reputable women Will appear
i'll such costumes as women of the
under" Grid might hesitate to wear
and will encourage Their daughters
to appear in the same immodest at
tire.
Mothers are themselves often res
p~nsible for the vanity which they
deplore in their daughters. The
atmosphere OF the home is often
+ largely one of perpetual dressmakine
and millinery and conversation per
tanning to dress A willfulness that
challenges unpleasantness and often
INSULT in her daughters dress is
smiled upon by the mother. Mothers
even buy for their daughters out
raseous hats and Owns which, in.
stead OF being chosen to fascinate.
are chosen with a deliberate inten-
ton to str the baser admiration.
The dress of children. too. is often
so exquisite that cont 'nual caution
is necessary to prevent its injury
and play is robbed cf spontaneity
and activity. This has an evil eff,
feet on the moral character of the
child. Everything which prevents
activity and fosters vanity should
be conscientiously avoided with the
child
And the amount of time-that
most precious material of which
! life is made-that women sacrifice
to love cf dress! Shopping expedi,
tons in search of the finest tex
ture and the newest shade exhaust
body and bewider brain. Hours
are consumed in matching ribbon
and silk And the hours that are
spent in consultation with the dress
maker, the millner, and the tailor
Dress extravaganza and vanity in
trude even into the most sacred
hours of bereavement and grief. A.
the time when the soul shrinks fir m
vulgar gaze, fashionable mourning
attracts attention and makes the
wearer more conscious of herself.
The poor widow often takes her
last dollar for mourning garments.
even when her children are crying
for bread and shoes Others en-
velop themselves in yards of Grape.
whose poisonous dyes injure the
health and whose funeral aspect de,
presses the spirit-Denver News.