1938-02-24 — Page 2

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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 24, 1938

MEN, WOMEN AND DRESS:

They Say We friends,

Aim to Please

in the eyes of her family and ога sheer love of beauti- ful things.

a

The woman- of 70 who takes pride in her appearance is not in- tent on pleasing men, unless they be husband, sons, ör grandsons--especially grandsons.

But when we don't happen to

please, do we care? The modern "Granny" is usually an

Asks This writer.

enormous success with the young- est generation.

Another argument against the For whom do you, personally, contention that the whole purpose dress? I have been reading a book of fashion from the days of Eve written by a man, in which he as-has been to attract the male is af- serts in the most emphatic manner forded by the girl-child who shows possible that women have always a marked interest in clothes from dressed to please men, and do so baby days onwards.

now.

Dr. C. Willett Cunnington is an authority on the history of women's

LAVENDER AND LACE -

BORN IN THE CHILD

costume, and he offers the opinion Take the case of Jean, whose I have quoted in a study of Eng-home is in the country, and who lishwomen's Clothing in the Nine there is accustomed to be dressed teenth Century."

in a fairly Spartan fashion. When she and her mother pay their an- nual visit to Aunt Anne in town, the five-year-old is treated to a Where, for instance, does he brand-new outfit, and her relatives place the old lady who has long are then made aware that Jean likes put from her any thought of at-to have a voice in the choosing of tracting men, but continues to take frocks, coats, hats, and the rest, a pleasant interest in her appear-Her personal taste in these becomes ance? He might argue, to be sure, increasingly "dressy.” that her interest in clothes is a sur-

Last time, Aunt Anne, observing vival from days when she hoped to that a choice of "serviceable' gloves attract men; a survival, perhaps was not too well received by their subconscious, from the time when prospective wearer, drew Jean's at- she set herself out to be what intention to some frivolous woollen. the modern jargon is called ones, with gaily-coloured long cuffs. "glamorous."

"Would you like a pair?” she ask- He could not convince me, how-ed. Would a duckling take to water? ever, that she is dressing from Later in the evening, when Jean's other than a well-maintained spirit mother and aunt paid her a good" of vanity, a sense of what is due to night visit, they found the little the gay her position, a desire to look nice thing fast asleep, with

The stirring romance of a thrilling princess... flaming from a canvas of speechless grandeur!

VICTORIA

THE GREAT

with

ANNA NEAGLE ANTON WALBROOK

B. WARNER

~ WALTER RILLA- FROM BY HERBERT WILCOX Screen play by Miles Malleson and Charles De Grandcouri With scenes in TECHNICOLOR

Produced and

RKO-RADIO

Picture

GALA PREMIERE

TO-MORROW AT 9,15 P.M.

With the Band of the 1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders By Kind permission of Lt. Col. R. A. Wolfe-Murray, D.S.O., M.C., & Officers.

QUEEN'S THEATRE

ance.

such

CATHEDRAL COLOURS. The rich tones of mediaeval stained glass windows appear in the printed design on this black silk crepe gown which alternates stripes in floral and chain design. It is worn with the Agnes initial hat created for Marlene Dietrich.

gloves drawn up to her elbows, and wore clothes with the idea that and a beatific smile on her counten- they might attract men. Because if I had I might have been disappoint- How is Dr. Cunnington's theory | ed, seeing that men have to deal with this? As a rule, the varied tastes in dress." male of the species is not of acute "If I had been out to attract a interest to the female of five win- husband first and foremost I should tera.

not have done several of the things I did and got away with,” said an- other. "At a moment when my In order, however, not to depend fiance was lost in admiration of my entirely on my own fallible judg-long red-gold hair, and warned me ment, I have asked a number of I should have to sue for breach of young and not so young women promise if I followed the example whether they dress to please them- of other

MORE OR LESS DUTIFUL

selves, to please men, or for what it cut

reason. Sad to relate, a strong im-saw of the period. I had

For a minute after he my new permanent

pression gained is that we dress to wave he looked absolutely. furious. displease other women by doing it Then You were right and I was better!

wrong," he said. But I take care to this day to dress as well as the next girl," she added.

The elderly lady to whom the in- quiry was put first confessed that while she dressed after marriage to The maid, who "was in the gar- please her

husband to the extent den pegging out the clothes," was she considered reasonable and fair, asked for her views, as she is at she attracted him to begin with in a present in the throes of having a black dress-and he hated black. “boy friend.” “It wouldn't matter to "He liked me in spite of my me whether my clothes pleased him clothes, ," she declared complacently. Tor not, as he doesn't have to pay

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH

⠀⠀⠀ “Before my marriage," averred one young woman, “I dressed nice- ly because I liked pretty clothes for

for them yet," she declared. "When

So It goes

olm have a

a man pays for your clothes it is time enough to let

say I haven't found the woman who admits that dresses to please men in gen-

their own sake, and because I din although she may ex

admit to a

not want to look worse than the desire to please one man in parti- next girl. I cannot recollect that I cular, when he has come to mean ever, of deliberate purpose, ordered

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