New Britain herald., 1915-04-28
(By Doris Fleischman in New York
Tribune.)

IONS ABSURD ana ugly, ana because
they see in clothes the great reason
for marital unhappiness in America,
Paul and Virginia have opened a. shop.
the quaintest little shop in New York,
at Mflligan place.
PauI and Virginia are Miss Janet
k1ttredge, Of Chicago, and Mrs. Forbes
Morgan, but I may not divulge which
g1n1a, and don't you dare tell" NO
body must know" said Paul, land
then everybody will think we are the
more exciting"
Really" said Paul, "our names
ought to be changed, for I adore Fluf-
flies. It is much more fitting for me
to be Virginia." She bowed her face
in a mass of rainbow hued chiffons,
to show how she adored them. But
Paul is tall. she is full of vivacfty and
fire. Virginia is slim, of average
height, and looks quietly executive.
Both laugh a good deal over their
new venture. for the idea is but six
weeks old. You may have your choice
as to which should have been Virgin
la, but I think that Paul was right
ly so named. Anyway it was Virginia
ment being the reason for the names.
I found Paul in her apartment at 20
West Tenth street, in sham eful confu-
sion, she said. for everything was to
be moved to their quarters in Milligan
place, where they will work and live
in two small rooms. Nfilligan place
a narrow, crooked court, curls back of
some tenements, and faces some 9TH
A 70, TO- CD
is, but it will soon look beautiful,
when window boxes are out, and the
flags have a coat of paint
why did we decide to do this
work? ?" said Paul, vainly trying to pull
her lounging wrap about her knees,
why, because we had always been in
terested in the subject of clothes.
And because we wanted something
definite to do, and we feel that any
woman who wants to do things should
And because we were very sick of So
ciety It really counts for so little.
But what interested us most is the
social and economic aspect of clothes.
Half the misery in this country is
caused by this foolish question of
clothes. Women are eternally buying
clothes that they cannot afford, and
selves out so that the women may be
fashionable. 1t is all one dizzy
scramble after these silly. silly things.
Goodness, but it is foolish!
1T am a suffragist, but it is my firm
conviction that women can never ac-
complish great things until they ara
dressed properly. Just think how they
are hampered physically. Clothes that
bind them here and bind them there.
Heavy bands at the waist and numbers
of unnecessary things that wear them
out before the evening. Thy wear so
many under things. Why, they would
not need half as many. Before they
can do work that requires endurance
they will have to have less eXactng
clothes.
"And the time and thought that are
put on clothes!" She held up her slim
hands in mock horror. "Why, nine
tenths of our energy, our time and our
thoughts are put upon having new
fashion four times a year. Isn't it ab-
surd!" She pulled her pretty black
and white gown further around her
and then went to the mirror to adjust
it again. I just ripped this apart
and it hasn't come together properly
yet.
do you know what we are coming
to eventually? To Greek clothes. They
are the only sensible ones. Why, As
pasta was a better suffra gist than we
are All those Greek women had more
time than we have for the things that
count. And, another thing-those
women werc very much prettier than
we are, and that is because they wore
prettier clothes. Oh, think there is
more philosophy in clothes than any
one ever dreamed of. Grecian women
were prettier because their clothes in
fluenced not only their minds, AMI
made them healthier, but moulded
their bodies. We could be far better
looking if we always wore artistic
cloth cs"
Al this point Virginia, who had been
out, came in. Paul jumped up and
pushed her into tho only chair which
could be cleared easily. "My dear, you
must be perfectly dead. Just sit down
and rest" Virginia protested, but she
sat down and told how everything was
coming along beautifully in the Milf
gan place house.
1.-The main thing to be considered in
clothes" further explained Paul, us
the lines Lines must be beautiful.
They can make a stout women look
slim and a thin person look round. If
you have the right, lines, 6ae first
thing to be done Isl to eliminate de-
tails. The details that go on the
gowns of today are preposterous. One
finds a chiffon petticoat with little
flowers; over that chiffon petticoat
with silver lace, and still another with
net and ruffles. On top of that comes
r, ell !, IF tha ic II If
is"
Virginia laughed. and recited the
rag and a bone and hank of hair
and Paul drew distressing analogie5.
please go on talking" said Virginia,
and Pa111 eYploinad further