Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-05
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

conformity. He wants to standardize
his foods, just as he has standardized
his clothes, and even his habits of
thought. His cantaloupes must not
taste too different from his mashed
potatoes.
In the matter of clothes man has run
the gamut from simplicity through all
the variations OF complexity, Stiffness
and futility, until the pendulum has
swung back again to simplicity.
In this movement the women have
taken the last lead. This Summer the
reaction against mems clothing has
been very distinct. as the wearers have
seen at last that women not only have
more beautiful and sensible clothing,
but also by far the most comfortable.
To date, however, no male has been
able to think up better solution than
pajamas. Now pajamas are all right in
their place, but one may be permitted
place. Even pajamas will never do
until they are freed from their tight
strings around the waist. The curse of
mems wear is the binder, in the shape
of collars, cuffs. belts, garters, etc.
AS one looks back over the history of
dress, he sees that the natural form of
covering, which is simply something
around one, gave way at early historic
times to completely in the interest Of
impression.
A man had to be a king, indeed, to
impress his followers with his ability
when he wore little clothes, but from
the moment he got himself into a shiny,
gold-laced uniform, the thing was easy.
Then came the succession of towering
headdresses, and puffings out here and
there, mostly in the interest of prestige
building.
Art, in its various forms. has always
been the stamping ground of the
natural. for here there is little which
may be termed natural, in itself the very
name denoting certain kind of arti-
ficiality
The centuries grew their own art and
arts, however, so that standards were
achieved. The delight of many since
has been certain type of superarti-
ficial, which displays itself In cubiSt
painting and so-called free verse"
The Dada" novel is the latest.
Music has seen similar revolutions,
but here one may not speak so conf
IDENTIFY, for Wagner In his day displayed
what seemed to his hearers to be great
disSonance and lack of musical sequence.
Now we think 1t great music.
All these are putting salt on their
cantaloupes. The matter harks back to
something in man which demands a
continual kick" out of life. He Is for
ever dissatisfied with things as they
are and wants them to be different and
in trying to make them so Is led to
many strange inventions" some of
which prove worthy, most Of them
turning out to be failures.
The return to colonial furniture in
this country Is simply the going back
to unsalted chairs, tables, secretaries.
1t has been found that nothing looks
SO well as the simple, dignified table,
chair, lamp.
Many present-day movements dn-
GLIDING dress, or rather the lack of it,
indicate a return to simplicity, which in
its turn is simply an attempt. although
often enough 1t may be an unconscious
one, to get back to the natural taste of
things, After one has lived for a while
In a small, bird-cage type house, with
ceilings too low and its windows too
small, he longs for a normal, natural
size home where he can turn around in
comfort. He likes the natural taste Of
things.