The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1919-05-15
MODERN DRESS
By Mrs. D. c. Wood

WHY is there call all over thl
W land today for a reform in wo
mans dress?
For centuries educators have trie'
to put women on an equal footing
with men in all phases of life.
They have proven her equality il
most things and her superiority il
many. This women know and arr
proud of the fact that their sex il
spite of the fight of ages, stands OF
the stage of life today, mans equa
in all things save susceptibility tt
fattery in the matter of dress.
Why do they select the diphanous
fabrics so lavishly displayed in the
exclusive shops of our cities and ever
in the department stores of our own
little city? l say, why do they select
these fabrics with which to fashion
their garments and why their FIRE.
quent visits to beauty parlors, the
hair dressing parlors, the exclusive
booteries, but to be made beautiful
las they see it,; that they may at
tract and be admired. Indeed
think their love of flattery is the
chief cause for some unwise selec-
tons of her garments.
The girl of today will resent the
charge Of immodesty, and rightfully,
if motives, not results, are the con-
sideration. 1t seems as tho she
doesn't understand that her greatest
charm is her sweet modesty. Is it
any wonder the men of the street
misconstrue her motives? Is it any
wonder they turn and gaze after her,
which to a sweet modest girl is an in
suit; but SO often their dress and ac-
tons invites that very thing.
Isn't it questionable to their pur-
pose, when some of our girls and
young women appear on the streets
displaying their charms to whomso-
ever may chance to look. Thank God
the styles are somewhat modified, the
skirts are little longer at least, but
when you see a sweet young girl on
the street with her attire made of
gossomer materials cut off at both
ends, with nothing at the top, and
the thinnest of silk stockings (Which
in many cases are visible from knees
to the bottom) think it is high time
to cry reform with a capital R.
AS l said, perhaps these girls do
not mean to be immodest, when they
wear blouse cut too low or skirt
too high, but invites criticism of that
kind from the persons whose opin-
ions she values.
Truly we can't help but think of
the theory of the female being more
deadly than the male. She beckons,
he follows to the edge of the preci-
pice. She blames him for the very
thing she has urged him to do. And
vet men do not admire this form of
dress in a girl even tho they admit
to its enticement. If they do it is
in some other mans wife or sister
never their own. They like a girl to
be smart and chic, and feminine and
pretty, and she can be all of these
without being immodest. There is
happy medium between prudery
and immodesty.
Now we wish we could give you a
solution for this evil which is
sweeping our girls and young mat
rons into an attitude and atmosphere
of immortality. We have given it
some thot, and we believe the fault
is largely the mothers.
Again let me say, woman's love of
admiration has literally lifted her off
her feet and unless, the mothers use
the God-given brains and judgment
and watch their little girls as they
bud into young womanhood this thing
in our opinion will plunge this world
into an abyss of shame and crime.