THE LITTLE ONES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE LITTLE ONES.

CHILDREN ENJOY THESE CLOTHES. CONSULT THEIR TASTE. (By HENRIETTA SPERRY.) It is now possible to gratify children's love of gay clothes even on a very small income, although the small income means that one must put more thought into buying. Lady Astor remarked that the most entrancing thing in America was the loveliness of the children's clothes in the New York shops'. Yet clothes quite as lovely may be had in our own shops in town or even country, if we only know how and where to shop to cater to children's individual needs. One of the matters over which mothers and daughters are most likely to disagree is the question of what is suitable or appropriate to wear. Here there is no doubt the conservative must make concessions, but she can begin when her daughters are young to build up a feeling for appropriateness. If there is any class distinction in clothes it is not between the woman who wears expensive clothes arid the one who wears inexpensive ones, but between the woman who wears the right thing at the right time and the one who wears the wrong thing. Childhood is the time, too, to give them some sound ideas as to the relation of clothes to health. I suppose more mothers have run to the door to call out to their sons and daughters, "I

know you aren't warm enough." than there are Bea sands. The way to get around this is to make the clothes which are essential to health, attractive. Another thing a child should learn about clothes is to appreciate quality. I don't mean that he should be taught to buy only expensive things. But he should learn to look for a certain honesty which is a characteristic of all good workmanship. With, these standards as our aim wo can afford to allow the children to experiment a little along the artistic line. They usually have a flair for colour. A child's taste in colour is likely to be good,' though, perhaps, primitive. Tliey can be relied on to avoid the dingy reds and dull greens and drab shades in general. Clear, brilliant hues appeal to a child, and, in? deed, to all true lovers of colour. While the education is being given is a good time for them to learn what shades suit ttiem best. A Sense Of Well-Belng. v - Most children have a fairly acute colour sense and .sense of touch," but few r ,of« them .have any> feeling . for line. The eye for beauty of; line is an educated one. 1 Indirectly a great deal of the difference of opinion on- clothes arises , out of the difference in the ability to recog-nise-good and bad'" lines. Very scant skirts 1 axe offensive 'to us, not probably because the]r.are limmodest, but because they are ugly, ..because the tight, short skirt.;'ia inartistic.- The full, pleated skirt'does'-'not offend ; us because .it has grace. A full-length mirror offers the best' means of educating taste, in: linei Don't be afraid that it will make your daughters vain. I know»of no better prei veiitive against vanity , than the habit of "consulting' 'the' mirror.'"' Few of usj even- among children,.' have beauty ■ that will "stand that critical scrutiny.; ■ The habit -of oneself does not lead ,to" pride, but may.lead..to; ment..- There.is .no better time to learn the effect of the line of <; clothes ; than during the years when'the: figure shootg up from fat babyhood- to womanhood: lo -realise when to change from, straight dresses to belted ones is to have made oneself ' conscious that figures change enough, to • demand different istyles, a truth that many a plump "woman of 40 has never grasped.Let them look not only'in "'the mirror; but at fine pictures bo see. what really beautiful draperies ire. ■ .. ?y [ / , . c -i -: Let children have .some of the things they want, even if they dont suit you, and 'above all don't make them 'have what theyv don't want. Most of . all, slothes should be enjoyed. : —("Star' 1 and AA.N.S. gopyright.), I