ANCIENT AND MODERN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12735, 3 September 1919, Page 9

ANCIENT AND MODERN.

VISCOUNTESS TEMPLETOWN’S PROTEST. ; WHY NOT WOAD? | CWrit-t-eD for the ‘'Star-'”) “1 should have preferred thA criticism to have come from- a mar,' 1 says * Viscountess; Templetown in am article published in the ‘‘'Star ” on Wednes- , day, in which she deprecates modern _ feminine fashions, and says ‘'.-Truly, it seems that woad will soon be ‘ the only , wear.' ’’ She continues: “But men e are fearfully lacking in moral courage, ' and, though tue.y may ' tliink a, lot,’ 1 they shrink from expressing their dis- ‘ approval of a woman either in words, or otherwise, to her face,” [ • I take strong exception to Visconu- j ‘ tess Templetown’s allegations regard- j tag male moi-al cowardice. Wliy should not- woad be “ the only wear? 1 ’ Pin not quite sure what woad is. but it seems to be- in the line | of evolution in apparel., and I feel sure that it would bo quite charming. Then, again, she actually condemns “the barbaric note!"’ But how delightful? How romantic is the suggestion ! The very words fire the imagination. What a new ora in our civilisation it would proclaim! But may 1 myself make a few* suggestions? May- Ibe counted worthy to aid in the emancipation of true art? The finger nails, for instance. How their possibilities are neglected! If they arc artificially coloured at all, it is only in imitation of their natural colour. Why should they not be made distinctive, unique? Let the thumb nail be painted, or dyed, a vivid green, and /let this refreshing colour alternate wHh yellow (or scarlet) on each of the finger nails. The fingers themselves could have caterpiller, or butterfly markings, and the back of the hand could be adorned with rainbow colours, converging at the twist. Simple Nature did her best, but surely we, in this twentieth century, could far outdistance her? And the neck. For century upon century it had been allowed to run to —waste (I nearly said to seed)- Surely some tying can bo done with the neck. Why should it not be circled with rings of gold and black, as is the body of the winsome wasp? A soft blend of the two colours could suffuse the faceCircling, and varied, colours would of course become the eaxsThe eyebrows? There a,gain we bare slavishly imitated. Nature. Nothing really distinctive has been attempted. Let them bo dyed scarlet. How restful to the eyes would he their refracted light! And what a beautiful depth they would lend to the orbs! Something similar might be done with the hair- As yet unknown are the delights of mauve and vermilion hair. Perhaps above all the arms lend themselves to reform. How beautiful they would look if painted to represent; swaying osiers, or willow trunks (ac-. cording to size). Then, of course, in timo of war'revival, they might have camouflage colouring such as was seen on ocean-going vessels. Viscountess Templetown herself sujc plies a suggestion regarding hosiery. “ Tho latest mode in stockings is the fringe above: the-ankle,” she said she read in a leading newspaper. How picturesque! How perfectly barbaric 1 There is no end to the amazing vista of possibilities which such suggestions open up. Why, even the immense problem of youth and age might he solved. Hid a woman suspect that she was becoming somewhat passe, might she not hurst forth into tho pristine glory of -spring greenery? If, feeling tho weight of advancing years, she scorned to dissemble, might she not make her onward .path more sweet by assuming •autumnal tints? Best of all, the- adoption of suichi fashions would stimulate the British | dye industry. British dye manufacturers stepped into the breach when dependence npou German supplies was no longer possible. Lot us help them ' to maintain their supremacy. I do nob suggest that the dyes employed should bo permanent, and, besides, that would bo asking rather much of the dyo , manufacturers. [ Personally. I think that the passing seasons should be allowed to indicate | suitable colours. But Tdo not wish to [ dogmatise, for, after all, I am a mere , man. ! Thus would the modern woman stand r —liberated, beautified, , rejuvenated where she started in the primeval for- , ests, A BONA FIDE MAN. j ir.:-— ■ _—is