The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-15
GIRLS POOR TASTE.
Topeka Young Ladies Not
Wearing Enough on Street.
Club Women Agree ON I'M
modesty in New Styles.
WEAR PARTY FROCKS TO WORK
Downtown Clerks Should Be
More Careful, Is Belief.
of Dress for
Business Is Suggestion.

The resolution recently adopted by
the Athenaeum club of Kansas City,
protesting against immodest dressing
and the display of lingerie in shop
windows, and suggesting a radical
revolution before the return of the SOL
diers from France, has aroused much
interest among the club women OF
Topeka
Just how far the club women may
he able to go with their resolutions Is
A question 1t remains to be seen
whether or not the young girls OF
tender age have gone entirely beyond
the control of their mothers in the
matter of dress. 1t also remains to
he sean whether or not women who
are old enough to know better Will
continue to be led around by the nose
by the makers of fashion.
This move is being pretty generally
agitated thruout the country. the club
women of New York and other places
seeking a remedy for the evil of ex-
cessive and immodest styles in won-
ems wearing apparel.
A number of prominent Topeka
women have been asked to give their
opinions on the subject Whlle there
is some diversity, yet the gist of the
matter seems to be, that there should
be a Standardization of dress, espe-
cially among women in business.
The soldiers Idea.
Just what the soldiers themselves
think about it might be judged by the
following poem. which was sent from
France by a soldier, to a friend in
Topeka:
Little girl. what is the cause:
Why your clothes are made OF gauZeE
Don't YOU wear an underVSst.
When you GO out fully dressedr
Do you think those peekaboos.
Are the things a soldier'd choose?
s-pose I wandered down the street
With a Ioin cloth round my feet.
S'pose I wore some barem pants
ON the street or t. dance
or a ringIet thru my nose
They'd arrest me, don't you s'pose:
Little girl take this advice,
And you'll look just twice as nice;
Wear for street a high neeked coat,
Close work socks ct aussi Fautre.
Low heeled shoes. modest skirt
And no man will seek to flirt-
Dress for Business
Mrs. s S Beggs has this to say on
the question: Il believe in standard
suits, with high collars, should be
worn on the streets Girls in business
places should not dress as for after
noon parties"
Mrs. A. Marburg expressed herself
as being for any movement which
would tend to greater modesty, not
only on the street, but at social func-
tons
q am not finicky," she said, but I
do think that there is a tendency to-
ward immodesty in dress And do
not like to see clothes that are suitable
for parties worn on the streets. I
think it would improve the appearance
of our stores if the clerks would be
requested to wear a sort of uniform
rather, have them all wear, black
skirts with plain shirt waists-not
necessarily a uniform, but rather uni
formity in dress"
Begin at Home
Mrs. F. w Watson said: 81 think
the thing has gone too far to be regu-
lated by resolutions. 1t should begin
in the home and high schools If
mothers would take the matter up
with their daughters, it could be more
effectively woI ked than by any amount
of agitation done publicly. I think
we women all feel much the same
about, it and. personally. I would be
very glad if any good would result by
the resolutions"
Let Makers Be Modest.
Mrs. H. E. Ray is of the opinion
that it is up to the makers and buy
ers of women's garments, rather than
to the club women, to regulate the