The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-25
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC ,. HAsKIN. DirecSsr.
washington, D. @.
1ADIEs-YoUR EARS, PLEASE,

LADIES-YOUR EARS, PLEASE!
Washington, D. c., Oct. 22.-Ears
are to be featured this winter, accord
ing to the best fashion prophets.
This pronouncement may mean
very little to the masculine element OF
our population who will continue to
wear ears as usual regardless OF FASH
ion. But feminine America is sup
posed to be somewhat agog over the
prospect of ears.
Just as there were knees and knees,
so it is to be supposed there are ears
and ears. Women who have ears of
the dainty, shell like variety are joyful
over a. chance to reveal them. On
the other hand those whose ungainly
ears have been fine only to pad out
ear puffs are wondering whether de-
fiance of the new fashion will arouse
the voice of gossip. The damsel who
chung to ankle length skirts when
probably bowlegged. When ears come
into full swing the woman who re-
fuses to show hers will be in serious
danger of having it rumored that she
has ears like sugar bowl handles.
So far the appearance of the fem
mine ear has been chiefly matter of
gossip and prediction. Irene Castle.
who is supposed to be responsible for
the bobbed hair epidemic, has ap-
peared wearing her ears prominently
the fashion followers of the country
will not let Irene's ears be lonesome
very long.
Meanwhile earrings are being worn
in all circles, and the tip of the ear
is thus brought into the spotlight.
Everything from platinum and dia-
monds to Chinese currency is being
worn as an ear decoration.
Earrings are one of the fashions
that come and go in cycles. their popu-
larity depending partly on styles of
hairdressing and partly on chance.
When hair is worn very low over the
ears, rings, even of the swinging va
riety. are not apt to be popular. AS
ears come into sight Ornaments for
them become more interesting.
In the remote past Persians, Greeks
and Israelites. both men and women,
wore earrings as choice ornaments
1t was from her ear, we are told, that
Cleopatra took the famous pearl which
she dissolved in wine for Anthony's
enjoyment.
When Greeks Fell for Earrings.
How the Greeks, who were such
connoisseurs of physical perfection,
came to approve of piercing the ears
student of the ear. She says:
1.-THE Greeks, who of all nations
must have most fully understood the
beauty of the unpierced ear, fell
prey to this aggravating custom when
they were already well advanced in
civilization. The reason given is that
they misunderstood an oracle of Apol-
10, that declared if they wished to
have good citizens, they were to put
what they held most precious into the
ears of their children Greek avarice
prevailed over Greek philosophy, and
instead of putting words of wisdom in
to their children's ears, they put lit
eralSgold and jewels into the lobes."
When the thrilling possibilities Of
the earring are exhausted in their
present reign of favor we may expect
the next sensation, the ear itself. By
that time some one will probably find
out that ears are shockingly immoral
Some vagary of hair dressing will
show up ears in all their terrible i'm
modesty and at once capable censors
will be organized to fight the new
menace to the public welfare. If the
prophecy that ears are to be impor-
tant, fashionably speaking. is fulfilled
they may prove almost as good a sub
ject for warfare as knees have been.
Seriously speaking. however. the re-
turn to popularity of the ear will un-
doubtedly meet with the approval of
many people. Women's ears have been
hidden SO long that standards OF beau
ty for the ear have been practically
forgotten. Yet beautiful the ear GER
tainly is, according to the verdict of
Sculptors may perhaps be said to
concern themselves with the ear more
than painters. A study of any collec-
| ton of famous paintings shows COM
paratively few in which women's ears
are clearly depicted. Generally they
are Swallowed and partly or altogether
| hidden by the line of the hair.
In sculpture, on the other hand,
where a faithful portrayal of anatomy
is intended, and where an ambiguous
| line is impossible, the ears appear in
more detail. The human ear to the
sculptor is an interesting problem.
From the time of the Egyptians and
| the Greeks, statues of women have
worn ears partly or entirely revealed.
| Beauty Depends Upon Size.
Henry K. Bush-Brown, noted sculp-
tor, says that artists have always con-
sidered the ear an ornament to the
| head. Its beauty, however, is some
! times enhanced when it is partially
| concealed, he explains. He points out
that the Greek sculptors often OBJ
tanned a beautiful effect by portraying
the lower part of the ear showing be-
low a graceful hair line.
1.-The beauty of the ear" Mr.. Bush
Brown says, depends somewhat on
it's size. It should not be too large,
nor yet too small For symmetry II
| should be about the length OF the nose,
and graceful in line and modelling.
The ears should, of course, be set
close to the head"
Many of US would say off-hand
that the ears are not a particularly
distinguishing feature. This sculptor
says that there is probably more vari-
ance in ears than in any other fea-
ture. A seventeenth century scholar
of Venice who attempted to classify
ears found no less than thirty-six gen.
eral types. Miss Ellis has pointed out
that this number can be multiplied BY
three because of three sizes of ears
large, medium and small, and also
again by four, because ears are long
short, square and round in shape
This makes 432 general classes of ear