Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-22
Suggestions, Not Regulations.

/ Inefe ~ ono department Ftpro III
New York. employing about $500 wo-
men, which does have certain regula-
tions concerning dress. but they are
tactfully offered as suggestions rather
than demands. An advisory commit
tee on this important matter, elected
from among tho saleswomen them
selves. does the advising when neces-
sary. Girls who wear thin waists, for
example. are gently informed that 81
would be in better taste n they con-
. fined themselves to inconspicuous
underwear. and girls who appear In
extravagant decollete are politely re-
duested to desist. Otherwise, the ad-
visory committee seems to possess
rather liberal Ideas.
Not even these limited restrictions
are placed upon the 1900 girls and
u women who are employed by a large
:. insurance company in this city. Wher
; questioned as to this seeming lach
OF discipline. n business executive oi
= the firm asserted that the company
was concerned entirely with the Of
> ficiency of its employees and not with
- their clothes.
skirts or wear their hair bobbed or Il
- Mary Pickford curls, they may. Som
of the co1npanys officials. OF cours,
20 have their individual prejudices. 3
J. the way, a funny incident happene
here the other day which you Nigh
be able to use in this connection.
girl came In to apply for JOB q
stenographer in Mr.. Cwe1l call hi
- Smfth) Smiths Office. She was tn
"a regular fiapper type. with short ha
u ", and short skirts and her face streake
- up like an Indian squaw. Snar
iu though, and took her dictation withol
10 a hitch.
u smith, you see, Is one of the olt
1T fashioned kind that is raising ali IN
es howl about the new girls and the
IL clothes, and here was splendid e
es ample Of ali he disapproved q ash
Eli ing him for job. We could see tn;
rs. he was impressed by her efficienc
though, so We hung around waiting
= see what he would do. After a lor
I'll silence ne finally said. I'm sorry, bI
II I cannot employ you. and I am goiT
II to tell you why. You may think n
II old-fa shioned, but l want people Wi
Il some degree Of dignity near me whi
II work. Now, with your abbreviat'
/ hair and skirt
HI Transformation Lands job.
II "Oh, is that all?' asked the girl
II a relieved voice. Well, that is a defe
II easily remedied. Longer skirts a
II easily acquired. If you insist up'
/ them, and II you will only wat
| patiently for a few seconds can she
| you that my hair is not really bobb
at all Saying which. she took o
q few hairpins and removed the who
short part OF 1t. Her own hair W
II neatly arranged In soft. fat coll
the back-as dignified looking
II coiffure as even Smith could desi
Smith was so surprised at first th
his mouth fell open. and he had
cover up this loss OF dignity by givi
the girl a long lecture on her ar
nciahty Then he hired her at
good salary"
This view that business WON
should dress simply and inconspic
ously has long been voiced VI
mighty eloQuence by various grou
for various reasons but II has rena,
cd for a few bankers 20 come RIG
out bluntly with the great objection
namely, the fact that frivolous clotf
have a distracting effect upon
Il / male esnploye.
II Girls who wear say clothes
business are too distracting to
III ,ronpy mar, in IN, Office A" said ono