THE FITNESS OF DRESS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 17

THE FITNESS OF DRESS.

Miss; Constance'Smddiey contributes.to .th 6 "Queen'' a very suggestive article on. dressing, suitably, an .article' which',- though somewhat fanciful, contains many'good useful hints;— •• \ But. nowadays -bow .few- sit down to think' ■ dut.how to dress I Takollib case of the;Wotaen :clerks ..who come.,in .daily by tho suburban railway's. I used to meet streamsi of them' ih thfc'mornihg: between"'nine 'rtttd.terj,;and I was aluays. puzzled; by their.''heterogeneous':attire.-. They looked like sad relics of "dying fashions," depressing travesties of frivolity and luxury, wrong ideas of-the" colour and cut which prevailed in Bond Street. ;■' '•'.";"''■■■',' .Yet thoso working girls 'must', go out/daily in all weathers; they are (destined to,fulfil'certain : definite, duties in the. ecrvicb of commerce; It would'scoril that if they.;really employed.their intelligence on their attire a cbstnmo: would arise which would bo a dignified and beautiful expression' of. thojr work, modified)- maybe, .by scmo slight indication of their individualities) but possessing'; tho. same ' main ~ fundamental .characteristics.. ... .-":'.: ,'.|,!.,.. /. ' ■-..-:■*■ .-But it is,with regard.to the possibilities of di ess as an' expression of, separate individunlitio/j that : I am chieily, concerned; AVhat nro the qnalitics;ivitli .which: wis- nro particularly identified? Hero is Miss.'l'iuk, who '~leads :nn active': public, life;. \ hej' \vork' is emphatically ■ ohs of: purificatidn of: public:affairs. ' .On a board ."of. poor, law ; guardians, 'committees for various social reforms, .wherever, there is dirt ond"diseusbs.ahd jobbery, to beconijilerbd, Miss Phikwill be: found. -'It seems.to. mo'-'slio ought ;tb take lis her - emblem cleanliness! Her mis-. siorOis: to. cleauso ami put' in o'rdor, And she: ought hot; therefore. to reflect■ tho dinginess of. tho.! .surroundings 'amongst'whieh-She works.. So' many -.earnest workers are clad, ip black; but/MissPlnk' should bring-an.atmbsphero of freshness aiid'of, hope.. "Whito should always bo well.in'advance; and while simplicity,should bo paramount,.yet'shfe.niust'nbtlet tho strong o'ui activities, around; her oVerprbss tb-tho ex'-; Itinction.of grace... Nothing is so restful'nor so' 'stimulating as' to moot a-bhsy, earnest woman who preserves a.serene conditibn-'bf:iniiid,and: in'ds:.'tiin'e fof. t th' 6 ."rhifi3r'/iefiH6Su 11 sf °- Tho' ' sight *of ■ such', a' ■. woma'n.i" ex-' 'quisitely- "neat," '''perfectly, .finished,' . .c'obl and pure and elegant, is a -help in.itself, The conditions' irfainst-.-ivhibh. wo are/battling :appear hfbre'Surmoufitalila; they■ nro not ; gob-, bliiig up topnsbaiid order; they-have not mastered': licr/ ' Liko-.a flower she rises- in•'. their' - midst)'perfectly'equipped to mect: ; them,. but keeping.:her .'own spotlessncss immune.!; Yet pxtravnganco of. detail'or of i fashion would be as.out,of place as' complete.'^difference,''to tho same,'- v l .-.'■■ ,'". ■■'-.'■■;■ "'• '-..'': ;',',:.'-.-'■:, -: \ Dressis 'really; a responsibility towards .bur fellows.' What do we staVid for in. tho.hrcles. hi. which .'\ve: pursue'bui' lives?; '/, ■"•■• '■'. ' '.-. Here is ; , Mrs. ■' Gentle, tho wifo 'of *. hard-, workihg'-'clei'Syma'n.■'. She. has small means and a growing family. Now, amidst tho:' social : shoals'.and-charitable.;, streams. Which 'centre' round: her it 6eeui6 to,me Mrs. Gentlo'ought to cultivate a Certain gaiety of.mariner and of. . min'd; Tle'r: go'whs nitiy.' bo , simple, but they ■ should not be depressing; tho usual respectable' -black-'of,'the hard-pressed ,lady is. a-miserable reflection of the sin iind death around.her.' Yet she should bring, good : cheer. :.Parishioners ought to "feel the brighter and the better.for .the eight of;her. Moreover, when people are in a',position', whero; they are eternally called lUpbh for. assistance and sympathy,, they.'must, ■not yield; to the c'ommon.f'ault: 6f not-taking; carb- of themselves. : .'.".' ','' .'■ , •,'; '■,' '-. r . i Dress'is not .Only a> 'personal' matters. The art or perfect'dressing'can'brihl'.'peace'' nlld' harmbriv -to' all tliose -who see its tio'ns;.'justths a vulgarly ;or. carelessly, attired womnrrcahilcave irritation-behind her like -o; .'trail. 'But that .the attire should £Hho.,essen-, tial Characteristics.demanded: ;ih ."the ( indi-\ ' vidual'scalling is the primary' need. T.ho hbrhe woman''who spends: much .time'-in'.housework' ".would 'be. wisb , : to plun', som'ei trim: wash-■'■ able short slutted "and- sleeved,; ih , which .'sho 'could- move 'easilv amongst -tho ;pots and pans.' and -.furniture^' -The. school 'teacher.: owes a- duty '■ to; her'.scholars. No-, oho. appre•ciutes picturesque oft'e(;b as: much as .children' do.. I rememb'or, the: jbj^ul.';sensation .always' .aroused in US'by an' aeSthbtie:';mathematic!a, toach'er,"wh"b"alW{iys:Avore- ; -fresh V.'greens ;andljlucs, with quaint embroideries aiid silver and" turquoise ornam'e'htsi'.".She wn's a:living fairy: lole; a feast.for.our imagination., "Wb followed heroically 'up 'the bf'.. Algebra, and Euclid with such a nyniph-liko figure .lending. I.i the' 6tern.'precincts,'of the schoolroom invention is needed; -and school mistresses would: d> well.tb femtimber that.iantyis '.vbry.'much jn\ the child mihd, and that everything • that is artistic in"them 'shbuld'bb\t>ultiva'tca an'i oxpr'esseU -as openly hs "possible, so -that the. lbv'e'pf the'children may bb attrhtted.' ':,