The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-04
How Our Dress
Influences Us
BY NORA COLE sKTNNER

BY NORA COLE SKINNER.
I'd hate for knickerbockers or
trousers to really become the gem
eral style for women and girls, for
people are SO apt to act the way
they are, dressed, and wOmenly
women are so much more delight
Iul than masculine ones.
Our clothing really does influence
us Many women do not like to
chaperone barndapce. where ev-
erybody feels because they are
dressed in rough clothes they must
act rough. A masquerade party is
very much the same; a boy dressed
as the town tough must act as he
thinks the town tough acts. and the
boy dressed es tho big Indian chief
reels compelled to go 'whooping and
yelling all over the place as long as
he,s clothed in indian attire.
Girls dressed as bowery queens.
rough washerwomen. or chetp moyie
actresses try TO oct Just like them
ana In some cases even overdo the
original. ! have known women that
actually refused 10 chaperone such
parties. having learned from past
experience that much license is tan.
en- and given on account OF the cos
tunes worn and characters repre-
sented.
1t IS perfectly natural that II we
dress Ike a tough, people treat rs
like toughS. II we dress like ladies'.
actinS as we think a lady should,
We are practically certain to re-
celVe courteous treatment
Dld you ever watch little girls
play lady? It's a beautiful sight
wearing. the longest dreasos of
their mothers or big sisters, call
ing upon each other with such dig
nf . h..G,
great respect for their positiou--
all because they are dressed up like
gadles. Not IN "A thousand years
could they do that way II they were
dressed in knickerbockers.
| nave seen college students at
their formal dances-possibly the
l9veliest sight in the world. for
they are all young and happy, the
cares OF life still far away, and
they are dressed their prettiest. the
buys their very best. and all are on
their good behavior, at that time
az ladies and gentlemen. They are
dressed like It; they act like it, You
couldn't hire one OF those bows 10
go whooping around and stamping
all over the ballroom floor. a
uress suit somehow does not fit in
with such conduct II man is in
nus iight mind. He acts like a
1t was at one of the most popu-
lar pleasure resorts In the Ozarke
last summer, that a most shocking
ana. while shocking, It was funny,
illustration Of all this came about,
too.
Passing by an automobile full of
young knickered people stalled by
tne slae OF the road, our party ar
rived to see one of the girls. about
IS, i should think, roll languidly OF
the step of the car where she'd been
iounging, turn semi-somersault
and throw hreseit languidly on the
grass And as she made the turn,
one or the boys, about %. | should
say, gave her resounding spank
Just like her mother used to do.
a man In our party remarked:
II That girl had been dressed as
she was up at the pavilion last
night, that fellow wouldn't have
nared do such a thing as that"
ana certainly as we recalled how
the girl looked In her pretty, dainty
dance frock the night before, we
felt what he said was true.
We argue all the time and try
10 beleVe that clothes are a small
part OF us and amount to little OF
nothing, but they are quite a true
index 10 character. and with some
an index to both character and
purse. We are taught not to Judge
by clothes and yet unless one has
decided personality the clothes are
Just about the first thing that i'm
presses. us, and we got the idea
gentle loud neat 'careIess'~
even before introduced. Sometimes
wrong, mostly right, for people gen.
orally act as their dress indicates.
women like TO be pretty won
en- knickerbockers and trousers
prem pretty and don't even remind
hs OF women-and that is the main
reason the launching OF the knick.
erbocker campaign has not been q
tremendous success.
All !he privileges In the world
TO look like men will not be taker
advantage Of for men aren't pretty.
Ihey wear mans clothes and act like
men; let women wear woman,
clothes and continue to act like
women.