A SCHOOLGIRL'S DRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 3

A SCHOOLGIRL'S DRESS.

Clothes make more difference-to', a girl in ;Her' tsens (says a'> writer-.in the "Argus") than to -an oidor woman, for inappropriate dress looks. more, inappropriate on ner. Of course, we all know that simplicity should be the essential feature of the school-girl's appearance, but it does not follow that it siwuld be the simplicity of severity, but of soft (olds, plain materials, and sparseness of trimming. Most' girls can be . relied-on to choose 'their own garments, for as a rule they have excellent taste, though it must be admitted the limits permitted\; by. the young autocrats are distinctly narrow, for •navy blue is the ideal colour, and plain ■ skirts; flannel shirts, ' tan '.waist-belts,, and loose coats, and sailor hats with band and badges, and tan-footwear, are the'universal 'winter" l outfit> 'of the very, evident - schoolgirl.- M/The craze : for" this simplicity, strange to say, 'is not : ' always in;.accord with the parental taste, for ' thpre are plenty of mothers who would like .to See their •'daughters in more "dressy" clothes; But.'the fixed' idea of -the/school-girl is to remain young as long as /she can - Sweet seventeen -of. to-day • wears < her . skirts, extremely short, and the i'dei of' l "coming out", .has .not begun to. cross her -.mind. •Many of our- grandmothers ..were, looking after tlieir babies at, that age, but though the.'seventeen-year-old damsel of the period is, usually an adept at managing; her; boy friends,. still she ■ would scorn. to consider one as a fiance, even if she wished it. There is. a certain amount of etiquette, .in ( .'the . hair-dressing of a, young girl. . When she.is quite-small and -on up' to -about twelve she wears her hair' scattered ;ove,v shoulders; The nextstep, is a neat-lyrplaited, pigtail, which after sixteen -is doubled baqk :and tied at ; tho , nape. of the ncck. with .a-, black bow.)' This style.is maintained until V'comjng. out," which takes place at ;any timo between. 19 ...and 21._ Eighteen is-. ..considered.'Very young indeed to s;row ut> at, unless ..there; are younger girls in the background.; . ; .