The Washington times., 1933-08-28
Obstacles ARE REMOVED IN NEW HOME FNE-kkUTE FACIAL
Secrets OF
Health
By LOUIS E. BISCH. MD, Ph.D.
Do Women Dress for Men or
for Themselves?

DO women Dress Tor Men or
for Themselves?
A woman can no more stop
herself from being interested in
clothes than she can stop her
self from breathing. And this
applies equally to the young
and the middle-aged, even to
the elderly.
To be sure, a few do succeed
in repressing this Irresistible
impulse to possess large and
varied wardrobe and always to
be in the fashion. At best, how
ever, such disinterest is purely
artificial. It may be produced
by economic pressure, by too
much housework and mother
hood duties. 1t may also be
caused by some serious disap-
pointment in the love life.
Nevertheless even such women,
who deny themselves the fem
mine prerogative of heighten-
ing their personal allure by
means of attractive ralment,
never cease taking an active
and delighted interest in what
their daughters and friends
wear, in what the shop windows
display and in what the mag
azines declare that fashion
DEGREES.
It is a simple matter to
assert that women dress for
men alone and let it go at
that. And, of course, the justi-
fication for such a viewpoint
is strong.
An appreciable let-down in
clothes interest is often notice
able after the honeymoon;
especially after the arrival OF
the first baby. 1t often looks
as though the young matron
said to herself: I've got my
man; why bother now to make
myself as fascinating as be-
fore?"
Yet may it not be equally
true that every such married
woman deliberately thwarts her
hearts desire for a wardrobe
full of dresses and lingerie be-
cause her finer instincts whiS-
per that the family budget
should henceforth be conserved
for worthier things.
Or is it, after all, that
women dress for themselves
alone? Here, too, convincing
arguments may be advanced.
Every woman is artistic. She
is also creative. Furthermore,
she adores change. Besides, she
likes to play-act and pretend
she is experiencing this life'S
role and that, always being
somebody else. Lastly, she con-
stantly. finds herself in COM
petition with other women as
regards being admired as well
as being desired.
Clothes, of course, are one
of the strongest assets-or shall
I say weapons-that she can
possibly acquire. Even if ma
ture has been cruel and has not
built a certain woman naturally
attractive, the proper shoes,
gown and hat can make all the
difference in the world.
The feminine gender is not,
as a rule, analytical. That is,
it does not bother much about
the why's and wherefores of its
own inherent urges or fancles.
Yet would you not, my fair
reader, be intrigued to know
why it is that you care so much
about clothes? Are my sugges-
tions convincing? You, as a
woman, should know. II so,
which ones?
Or suppose you answer for
yourself the following problem,
assuming that you are the girl
in question:
st am % and unmarried. My
girl friends spend at least one
quarter of their weekly income
on clothes. Should I do the
same I would not be able to put
anything aside for a trousseau
or possible emergency such as
a severe illness. Yet if I don't
dress as we'll as they I feel I am
handicapped in my social life
with members of the opposite
sex as we'll as with my own"
(Which shall do?"