Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-29


there is at least one record OF this. 1t is
In Gorky's play, Children OF the SUM-"
wherein the hero hangs himself with the
necktie which his sweetheart had ridi.
culed.
OF course, this was In Russia,
where people do many strange
things; but there is a plausi.
biity about the tale which leads ~
one to feel that the drama OF
haberdashery was properly mo-
tivated. At any rate, men are
touchy about their appearance;
they dread ridicule worse than
they fear being detected in
crime.
It is commonly supposed that
It Is the female OF the species
which Is scrupulous about aes.'
thetic appearances, but ell
signs point to the fact that the
demurely clad. commonplace
male Is the one who has an
eye to correctness Of attire. Wo-
men are obviously Indifferent to
the impression they make up
on the optical world; and IL
tneTe DC BUSINESS III the QeunlIiOu VI
as rag, bone and hank Of hair. tits
plain also that she will wear any kind
OF rag. provided. of course. that sufficient
number Of her sisters will don the same
bit OF artistic outrage With man, this is
not the case; mans motto is, Love me.
love my toys"
Try this theme In the form Of a story.
Let 1t be the new Kreutzer Sonata with
clothes as the leading motive. Such an
i1npromptu tale might run as follows: The
sonata, trio, eternal triangle begins in the
usual way with the conventional overture.
In the course of time. since love and
murder will out the duped husband be-
comes Disseminated, but the time for re-
venge Is not yet ripe. The plot moves
along troubled stream, but does not In
undate the stage. Being devoted to his
bride. as was the husband Of Anna Kare
nina. the husband tolerates the triangle,
although not without appropriate anguish.
One evening the artless. irresponsible
wife chances to make the most casual OF
comments anent the rivals coat, which
was good At, much better one than the
husbands back can boast. Then the eli
max comes. He who can endure being
supplanted by stronger one canuot en-.
dure the clothes contrast, whereupon he
promptly murders his beautiful wife, who
had simply criticised his clothes. Such a
story is true-true to life, however unusual
1t may sound.
What is the solution OF the riddle? Is
It fact that men have better taste than
WOMEN? II 80, can this freakish phenome
mon be explained?
Viewed outwardly, the toilet Of woman
Is far more impressive than any kind Of
male attire; 1t Is sumptuous, superb and
seems to indicate more highly developed
taste. Viewed inwardly, the reverse is the
case; woman's wear has not meaning,
woman has no clothes-consciousness, no
clothescomplex.
Woman arrays herself unconsciously as
the almond tree puts forth buds; she
clothes herself like the lily Of the field.
although not always with the same artis-
tic results. Woman's garb is put on from
the outside for the sake OF immediate i'm
preston, just as the impressionist's
colors are laid upon the canvas in defiance
OF definite meaning The result Is strik-
ing, but not significant, as was the case
with the Hanging Gardens OF Babylon.
That which ia wanting is meaning, con-
s!stency, ultimate effect.
In mans case the adherence to staple
styles which have proved the tailor's point
Is equalled only by the Ethiopian's un-
changeable skin. the leopard's faithful
spots. If man ever blossoms forth in a
new style, 1t is as though the century
plant were at last in bloom
Nothing can be more convincing of mas
culine taste and loneliness than mans adj
herence to styles and seasons. No migra-
tory bird, no farmer Is more careful In
watching the calendar Woe unto him
who dons the straw hat before the day has
arrived!
It is only because the war has upset all