Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-15

l
pretty clothes?
Is it to satisfy their own sense
OF beauty, or to look like other
women, or to conform with conven-
ton?
Ihere are cynics who will tell
, you that none of these reasons is
the true one, since women's only
motive in trying TO dress them
selves attractively is to please men.
Do you believe this is true?
To my mind, this is a half-truth.
I ferely.
! l know it is not true that all
women plan their appearance with
the sole purpose of attracting the
admiration of men. At the same
time. L do not agree with those
capuous and unamiable critics who
say, or who usually insinuate;
rather, that it is trivial and un-
worthy in woman to dress herself
so as to please the rest of the world
or to please men, if YOU prefer
to put it that way. Or perhaps
even to please one particular man.
For the present l won't attempt
to analyze the motives of women
! in general in buying eXtravagant
hats (Which many very sensible
women do. at times, and with
, esctasy) or in choosing delicate and
perlshable fabrics or in ardcntly de-
string something new whenever the
season changes. I'll postpone tell
! ing what / think women actually
DO. It's a long story. and then, it
VIII serve the purposes of my cor
respondents better if | tell what
think women ought to do. .s-r -
No Virtue in Being Shabby.
Brlehy, woman ought to dress
as we'll as she can. That means as
well as she can afford without be-
ing eXtravagant. 1t also means as
well as her knowledge of what is
suitable and her sense of what is
beautiful, permit her.
AS FAR as the fundamental prin-
cipIes or clothes are concerned.
women ought to understand these
and apply them. whether the rest
OF the world is pleased or not.
mean such principles as that clothes
should be loose fitting. that they
should be OF materials that one can
respect. and that they should be of
| sort that it is possible to keep clean.
| But, OF course. most women are
very Tar from understanding these
| principles yet, or from following
them.
Yet I hope it may not be long
before even young girls can come to
! see that it is possible to dress both
beautifully and reasonably. And
that it isn't reasonable to adopt &C.
centricities of fashion. They're al
most never beautiful, these extrava-
gances. They are wasteful of
money. and they stamp a woman
as not having the right kind of in
telligence.
If you who read this are very
young, you may protest that admon-
itions TO be sensible take all the
pleasure out of dress. so far as you
are concerned. Nerq well. Well
hurry on.
The next step is to try 10 have
ones clothes appropriate TO ones
self. There's a peculiar thrill -
have you never felt TIN wear
ing costum that seems to belong
to one. in color and design and
character-that seems TO represent,
ones self. Some girls feel this
more keenly when they put on
skating costume for the first time.
or some other athletic outfit. 9th
ers feel it when they slip inside
their first shimmery balldress.
Some girls are most themselves in
a MILDLY blouse and some are mis-
erable unless they are wearing a
plain tailor-made suit. with a
starched linen collar and boyish
tie.
Men Difficult Critics
All this is preliminary to "dress-
ing to please men" After a wo-
man has thought out for herself
what is reasonable and suitable
and beautiful. so far as she under
stands it, then surely she is not
| only justified in choosing her
clothes so that both they and she
will seem as attractive as possible.
but 1t is really an obligation to do
this. 1t is even stupid not to.
Every normal woman, indeed
every normal human being should
wish TO be healthy, intelligent,
, charming. Charming in nature,
charming in manner. charming even
, to the trivial accessories of ones
dress. IT really isn't beneath ones
dignity at all. the desire to please.
I'll admit that it's not always an
easy Job. Perhaps your most care
fully thought out effects won't prove
to pleas ANYBODY at oil. so far as