This is a follow-up to my last post. Missy Shay made a comment that she would like to read the original editorial. I do not own all of the 1913 issues, so I wasn't sure that I had it, but happily, I found it. The editorial was published in the October 1913 issue. I think many of us would like to join the campaign, but unfortunately we are exactly 100 years too late. What a pity!
The Farmer's Wife feels like shouting glory halleluiah and grasping hands with every woman of whatsoever creed or color, in the campaign for wider skirts. If this campaign would please include longer sleeves and higher necks and thicker waists, The Farmer's Wife would like to take hold of both hands of every campaigner. May the good work go on. May every woman or girl in the country who has respect for decency and orderliness lend her influence to this reform. The lax, loose, at the same time hobbled style of dressing of the day is one of the blots upon 20th Century civilization in our country. If women refuse to wear indecent things, fashion makers will eventually be boycotted and stop making them. Manufacturing houses are not in the habit of making things they can't sell and if women refuse to buy, the question solves itself at once.
The point is to educate ourselves not to patronize these styles and not only ourselves, but our daughters, if need be our mothers, our aunts, or our cousins. If perchance the "gude mon" [good man?] does the buying, educate him, too. In season and out of season let the slogan be sounded "Decent Clothes."
I would like to close this subject with a quote by Tasha Tudor (1915-2008) that I discovered on this lovely blog: http://miriaminmaailma.blogspot.fi/ Thanks, Miriam, for posting it.
Why do women want to dress like men when they're fortunate enough to be women? Why lose our femininity, Which is one of our greatest charms? I'm very fond of men. I think they're wonderful creatures. I love them dearly. But I do not like to look like one.
Tomorrow, I plan to post a "Country Girl" story.