The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-25
s far as clothes are conce


II 1t is to be an American sum-
\ mer. Not French, not Eng
lish, but genuine United States. This
means organizes. muslins, net. chif-
ION, linen and ginghams. 1t also in
cludes thin taffeta and foulard. and
Chinese silks and crepes.
Now and then we have an American
summer in clothes. 1t bursts upon US
a. q surprise. Only the South and
Southwest are genuinely true to the
climate in. the frocks they wear ave
months of ee year.
Those who argue say that these
clothes are necessary in those climates.
They are not. Foulards and Chinese
crepes are perhaps cooler than muslin.
Bingham or organdy. Whatever re-
ouires starch Is warm. This is an old
axiom in hot countries.
The South, Southwest and portions
Of the Middle West adopt muslin
clothes for other reasons than their
possible GOODNESS. They stand for
cleanliness. Whatever may be washed
Is cleaner than that which cannot be
washed. That is another axiom that
goes in warm countries.
No matter how cool a foulard or a
Chinese crepe may be, or how COM
Portable its soft, silken finish is to the
skin, 1t gives a woman mental discom-
fort because Of the thought that it
does not go to the tub.
There is nothing more welcome in
hot weather than the touch of a frock
that has Just come from soap and
water and a bath in the sunshine. 1t
makes one feel cool.
This Is the reason that the so-called
simple frocks rule in most warm
weather States from May till October;
and this is also the reason that they
do not rule in the great cities or in
those suburban resorts where laun-
dresses are few and laundry expensive.
The adoption Of cool materials tina,
go to cleaner instead of to a tub has
come about through economy and the
limitations OF domestic service. This
is the reason that men who live in
large cities scon at the idea of adopt
ing the white linen and pongee suits OF
tropical climates, even though the
weather is tropical and the need fol
such clothes is frantic. There would
be no way OF keeping them fresh
The smoke. SCOT and dust of a city
would make one look like an ash-bar
rel cat by the time the sun wen
down. There are few. II any. Amer
lean cities that permit one 10 veal
washable clothes in the street.
1t is probably sad thing that tn,
public should prefer to be soiled thar
10 appear soiled, but,our entire choic'
OF clothes is founded on that basis.
A man will wear a cloth suit eigh
months of the year. but there's no rea
con to suppose that 1t isn't just al
solled as the linen or pongee which h.
would discard after eight hours.
Expensive summer.
II Is quite true that We only know
how soiled We have been in the winte
by observing our clothes in the'sum
mer. However. It is a knowledge tina
we push aside, for We cannot permi
It TO govern our cold-weather apparel
The only people who really regar'
with pleasure a summer of muslin
and organizes among women are mer
Since time began, they have consid
cred this the appropriate and exquisit
costumery for womankind in no
weather.
Men know nothing OF the cost o
clothes unless they pay the bills, ant
paying the bills teaches them nothing
They will look at a 5000 hand embroid
cred lingerie frock lined with chiffol
and consider it the pretty, simple thin
that a woman should wear-the thin
that enhances her femininity ant
keeps her from appearing artificia
and overdressed.
1t is impossible for a knowledge o
the comparative cost OF women
clothes to infiltrate through men,
brains. The centuries have not We
taught them that what looks simpl
does not always cost little.
And it is this lack of knowledge tina
has caused men novelists for centu
res to dress their heroines in exquis
lite muslins with large sashes. OF
that some one would teach them hoy
to dress their heroines, anyway
This is dangerous topic on whicl
to start, for women feel strongly abou
It. The barbarism that these mel
commit is beyond all description. The.
Kill a heroine with a gown. And
the author doesn't the artist doei
Casualties and atrocities follow eacl
other in the pages OF fiction that ar