The art & ethics of dress . HICS velopment of social conditions. Thevery heart of the question of dress is theneconomic. It is one of the great every-day matters on which the moral and phy-sical well-being of society rests, one ofthose matters which rightly understoodfills the every-day life with big meaningand shows it related to every great move-ment for the betterment of mankind. If mans special service to mankind isto make life possible through the over-coming of nature, a womans peculiarservice is to make life worth while. Sincethe evolution of the mother she has alwaysbeen the guardian o
The art & ethics of dress . HICS velopment of social conditions. Thevery heart of the question of dress is theneconomic. It is one of the great every-day matters on which the moral and phy-sical well-being of society rests, one ofthose matters which rightly understoodfills the every-day life with big meaningand shows it related to every great move-ment for the betterment of mankind. If mans special service to mankind isto make life possible through the over-coming of nature, a womans peculiarservice is to make life worth while. Sincethe evolution of the mother she has alwaysbeen the guardian of the young, the in-spiration of man, and the director ofspiritual influences. Her place in educa-tion as teacher, artist, physician, admitsof her extending her influence and cultureto large numbers in a measure neverdreamed of hitherto. To teach effectively, however, onemust become as imitable as possible asimitation and emulation play absolutelyvital parts. Mr. William James says:The entire accumulated wealth of man- [42]. The shoulders are made to appear broader thanhips; the waist, which should be per cent of theheight, is out of proportion. Compare this withnatural outline on page 44. the ETHICS kind is passed on from one generation tothe next by what is called social heredity,each generation simply imitating the is why we do the things prescribedby fashion. We do not wish to be lonelyor eccentric, and we wish not to be cut offfrom our share in things which to ourneighbors seem desirable. Even force ofhabit gives way when society settles aquestion of propriety, and this is especial-ly true of dress. We become conscious of what we areourselves by imitating others. To possessthings worth imitating or to make herselfimitable in a high degree is the duty ofa woman of taste. It is a part of hereconomic function. Every woman whocontributes better standards of dress, food,home and habits for others to imitate isadding to the economic prosperity of thenation, to say
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectclothinganddress
