White Summer Dresses

"Excerpt from the book..."Mrs. Edward Roberts: "Now, my dear, Amy and I will get there early, soas to make up for your coming a little late, but you _must_ be there forthe last half, at least. I would excuse you altogether if I could, for Iknow you must be dead tired, up all night, that way, on the train, butMrs. Miller is one of those people who never _can_ listen to reason, andshe would take deadly offence if you missed her musicale

Did you ever observe, dear comrade, what an element of caricature lurksin clothes? A short, round coat on a stout man seems to exaggerate hisproportions to such a ridiculous degree that the profile of his manlyform suggests "the robust bulge of an old jug."A bonnet decorated with loops of ribbon and sprays of grass, or flowersthat fall aslant, may give a laughably tipsy air to the long face of asaintly matron of pious and conservative habits.A peaked hat and tight-fitting, long-skirted coat may so magnify themeagre physical endowments of a tall, slender girl that she attains thelank and longish look of a bottle of hock.Oh! the mocking diablery in strings, wisps of untidy hair, queertrimmings, and limp hats. Alas! that they should have such impish powerto detract from the dignity of woman and render man absurd.Because of his comical attire, an eminent Oxford divine, whose life andworks commanded reverence, was once mistaken for an ancient New Englandspinster in emancipated garments. His smoothly shaven face, framed incrinkly, gray locks, was surmounted by a soft, little, round hat, fromthe up-turned brim of which dangled a broken string. His long frock-coatreached to just above his loosely fitting gaiters.The fluttering string, whose only reason for being at all was to keepthe queer head-gear from sailing away on the wind, gave a touch of theludicrous to the boyish hat which, in its turn, lent more drollery thandignity to the sanctified face of the old theologian. Who has not seenjust such, or a similar sight, and laughed? Who has not, with thegenerosity common to us all, concluded these were the mistakes andself-delusions of neighbors, relatives, and friends, in which we had noshare?Download What Dress Makes Of Us Now!