The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-10-16
SENSIBLE DRESS
!. FOR CHILDREN

SHOULD CHARACTERIZE THE
CHILDREN's CLOTHING-SEN.
sIBLE ARTICLE READ BEFORE
MOTHERS CLUB.
The following very sensible article
was read before the Mothers Club
Friday:
The very first canon of good taste
in dressing is appropriateness and fit
ness, as prescribed by necessity or
convention, consideration of age, oc-
cupation, and a hundred other items
are essential in determining suitable
apparel.
The school girl has her party gown
and her gymnastic suit; why should
she not have distinctive dress for the
! school room? Surely if she ever needs
4 comfortable, sensible attire it is
during the long hours in the school
room when so much is expected of her
when all her nature is undeveloped
and most impressionable.
. Good sense comedies that there is a
time for Ribbons and laces to set off
the faces" time for ornaments and
!. jewelry, for pretty slippers and deli
cate hosiery; but warns us that their
time is not in the morning hours, nor
their place in the school room. The
girl who comes to school day after
day with her hair neatly but becom-
ingly arranged, suitably clothed and
. sensibly shod, reflects the refinement
of the home and parents; while the
girl who powders her face, wears
7barrettes" and diamond" studded
hair band in. her elaborate couture re-
fleets the cheap and common home life.
Daintiness and simplicity are the
chief requisites which should charac-
terize the children's clothing. A clev-
er needleWOman can save many pen
ny on her children's clothing. Very
often larger garments can be utilized
in making frocks and coats for the
little ones. The needle work may be
of the finest, and the materials of the
best, but extreme elaboration in trim
ming and ornamentati0n should be
avoided. Simplicity pertains to child
hood and in no way does this simplici-
ty show to better advantage than in
the manner of dress. The little ones
who are continually dressed up III
finery not suited for their years OF
their surroundings, and are always "on
show" as it were, miss much of the
happiness Of childhood.
In observing children at play we
noticed that the boys stopped to pick
up something on the ground, while
the girls knelt on one knee. BY OBJ.
serving still further we were convinc.
ed that the little girls were just as
lively, but less free in their move.
ments, and we came to the conclusion
that the different actions were caused
by difference in dress. The boys wore
dresses that were high in the neck
and just band encircling the waist
: to keep it in place without combining
it. In fact, their dress did not offer
and restraint to their movements. The
girls were dressed in low neck dresses
but their waist line was tight, and
this entirely destroyed their freedom
Z of movements. If we want healthful
children, full of grace, we must pro-
vide them with simple dresses, dresses
that will in no way retard their move
ments or burden them with their
weight.
If children are not allawed to romE
and play for fear of spelling their
clothes, they soon become self-con-
scious, and even affected, and as a re-
suit develop into miniature men and
women of the world before they enter
their teens. Naturalness and simple.
4 ity are the great charms of childhood
Let the little ones clothes be always
spotlessly clean, neat and well fitting
In discussing the subject of dress
there are many points to be consider
ed. The adaptation If dress to eli
mate, also dress that will not i'm
pede their movements or the health
full development Of the figure. A wise
mother will see that flannel or wool in
some form or other is worn next to the
4 skin. The texture Of the garment
may be altered to suit the season OF
the year. 1t is important that the
clothing should be sufficiently large ia
permit Of growth.
In schools uniform provides the
ideal dress. In lieu Of uniforms one
piece gown of cotton, linen or WOOL
made in a simple style, with little
trimming. suggests itself as the best
substitute.
Another point is harmony Of colocs
and their special adaptation to the
age and character Of the children: It
is Just as easy in making a new dress
to select something that will bring out
4 the little tints in the eyes and hair
instead Of giving them something that
will deaden all and make their com
plexion look dark and dingy.
The hair should be arranged as cas-.
4 lily and simply as possible; the girl
who boasts Of luxuriant braids should
wear them hanging as long as she can!
/ if not hanging, let the hair be wound
simply about the head or coiled at the
neck. 3,
The foot-g must correspond with
the rest of the costume; tan or black
{ boots with broad toes and low heels
for winter. The odords must by all
means be confined to warm weather
for in winter the ankle protection is
( most necessary. Pumps should be re-
served for dress wear. White shoes
are ruled out, as they belong with
white suits and are not easily kept
clean for school wear.