“This little article comes from a column in the May 1904 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal. While some of it may seem quaint, much of it is timeless.”

Pretty Girl Papers
By Emma E. Walker, M.D.

It was the custom in the Southern town in which I spent my early days for the young girls in school to don fresh, new gingham dresses as the first warm spring days appeared. I often go back to those times with pleasure and wish that it were more the custom nowadays for girls to wear the simple wash dresses that we used to love. I remember that two or three of us used to decide upon a special day when we should all appear together in the new gowns, in order that our embarrassment might not be too extreme.

However, the convenient shirtwaist [blouse] supplies this need to a great extent. There is no garment, I believe, that in so many ways is so hygenic as the much-abused shirtwaist. I cannot imagine anything that can take the place of this garment in the wardrobe of a girl who is…traveling. By its use you can change the appearance of your dress from day to day, and from morning to evening, for several weeks, even though you may have but few gowns at your disposal. Many a girl looks more attractive in this simple costume than in any other which she can wear.

It is hardly necessary to speak of the short [above the ankle] skirt for street wear, from either the hygenic point of view or from that of good taste. I was reading yesterday of the examination of the cocoanut husk mats on the floors of a city’s street cars. Single fibres an inch and a half long were computed to hold from three million to four million microbes; and yet this estimate is said to compare favorably with that of many other railroads. Can you imagine, then, any girl who knows this fact sweeping over these mats, or pavements, or steps, or floors of theatres or other public buildings with a long skirt?

Please don’t for an instant think that I am advocating that peculiarity of dress which means mannishness. The greatest charm of a girl is her femininity. Nothing is more to be deprecated than the aping of mannishness. Men have only contempt for such imitations, and women despise them. I have in my mind now the picture of a girl who affects masculine attire just as far as she can. She wears her hair short, and over it a soft felt hat, which she takes off and puts on just as her brother does. It is needless to say that she attracts ridicule wherever she goes. Such peculiarities are most disadvantageous to a girl…. People wish to deal either with a man or a woman–never with an imitation of either.

Avoid all extremes of fashions. Exaggeration in dress is always vulgar. Study your personality in regard to dress. Don’t sit down and think how plain you are, but learn to bring out your good points by wearing becoming clothing. If you have no faculty at all for this yourself, go to some one who has and get her to help you out. You certainly have some friend with an artistic sense who will know what best suits you in hats and gowns. When you have found a becoming style don’t be too anxious to change it quickly. There is never any advantage in following the extreme of fashion–certainly if it is not becoming to you….

One of the worst faults in clothing is to have it too tight. Very tight clothing interferes with the circulation. It also does not allow for proper ventilation of the skin. If clothing is so snug as to retain carbon dioxide and the waste organic matter it will not be long till the functions of the skin are disturbed and the body made a prey to disease. Ventilation of the skin is most important…. There should be circulation of air under the clothing sufficient to dilute and disperse the insensible perspiration, the effete organic matter and the carbon dioxide. All garments that are suspended should fall either directly or indirectly from the shoulders or the hips. [LAF Ed. note: The Scripture talks about the katakalupto garment for women, which means "long and flowing"--it is interesting that writers throughout time have noted the healthful effects of such clothing.]

© Copyright 2002-2009 by LAF/BeautifulWomanhood.org. Reprinted with permission. Original article: Pretty Girl Papers.