Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-03
THE FREEDOM OF THE KNEES

akin to the peasant woman In the ac-
tivity of her life. The short skirt,
therefore. suits her. The flapper who
sails down the avenue at noon is a
true. go to extreme limits to make
lherself fashionable. But she still
flaunts the short skirt and dares the
horrible fate OF being perhaps regard
ed as fashioned. Tho short skirt.
wo have been told, is comfortable, and
when not carried to extremes is far
less to be decried than the hobblc
skirt. sheath gown. enc transparent,
N-ray skirt. the germ catching train;
and other whims of recent years.
! The knee is getting more attention
than it has had for centuries. There
is even n sentiment in favor of "A re-
turn to knee exposure for men. While
women are SO impetuously pursuing
freedom and their rights. men, 1t
seems. have been entrapped by fash
ion into foregoing their long held right
of freedom of the knees.
/ While his lady went weighed down
by ton of silk train. the courtier of
| n few centuries back proudly strode
| about in doublet and hose or breechcs
and boots. a good calf and a trim
ankle were assets OF manly beauty. A
man might lond himself down with n
velvet cape. He would wear sleeves
, that resembled giant sausagcs. He
would appear in trunk hose which
~
about his waist. and forced him to go
thru doors sideways. But his leg re-
manned pretty consistently I'm evidence.
And among all the gossip and TRADES
against cNtravagant fashions there
Is no record. that we can find. to
show that the world ever objected to
the masculine knee.
THE PEST OF PANTALOONS
Yet at tho beginning of the nine
4
mon alike allowed themselves to be
cncascd in trousers. Even Thomas
Jefferson. whose shapcly calf was so
widely admired, surrounded TO the de-
mands OF style. This step taken by
Mr.. Jefferson called forth sighs OF re-
gret. 1t was admitted, however. that
he could do no differently. considering
that he was OF the progressive school
OF politics. For politics were the means
by which trousers were railroadcd into
the fashion in this country.
The republicans. being tho progress
sivc element. took TO wearing full
length pantaloons as symbol of their
courage to abandon tho conventional.
Tho federalists, on the other hand.
clung TO the knee brooches and
buckled shoes as a badge OF gentle
manly conservatism.
IL Is interesting TO note that tho so
ciety of the early nineteenth century
regarded trousers as uncouth. An Off
cial refused the Duke of Wellington
admittancc TO an assembly in London
because he appeared at the door in
trousers. Mistress Monroe at tho white
House made it a rule that gentlemen
wcro to attend the Presidents re-
ceptions I'm tho conventional small
clothes. But at last trousers took the
place Of knee breechcs even at society
functions.
That the modern mans clothes are
unbcautiful. unsGnitary. and uncom-
Portable has been pointed out by irwin
Cobb in an impassionod plea Tor tho
return of short hreeches such as are
worn In the army and for golfing. He
feels that the stoveppcs In which mod
crn man stalks around hide feature
of his anatomy about which he can
ill-afford to be over-modcst. lie points
out that u man generally retains the
shapeliness of his calf long after he has
lost the slender waist and wavy POM
padour of youth.
But IL is the comfort of the army
brecches which Cobb bewails most He
predicts that knee brseches will event
ually be one of the fruits of the war
since so many men had the chance to
test their advantages.
1t would be a rash prophet who would
dare predict that the feminine log is to-
he out or in next month. But II may
be forecasted with certainty that tho
leg will not retire TO its old status