Frills for Gentlemen

1914

Dr. Montessori, the famous woman educator, in discussing the injustices imposed upon her sex by man, says: "It enrages me to see how men sacrifice beauty to comfort in their dress. They make no sacrifices that they may be beautiful to us, but we abandon all comfort that we may be beautiful in their eyes."

The important question here is not one of deed but of purpose. Dr. Montessori, a most learned and representative woman, says that women dress for men. While man would not flatter himself to make such a statement without high authority, his failure to appreciate the complimentary feminine attitude is undoubtedly due rather to ignorance than to contempt of woman. Surely we are all sorry that Dr. Montessori is enraged at us and would hate to see a general strike on the part of those who furnish us with most of the joys of life.

What can we do. then, if we are to appease Madame Montessori? Must we grow long hair, dress in knee breeches, silks and laces, wear tickly plumes and stickly hatpins, carry vanity bags and powder our noses?

Of course we would rather do a great deal than to permit the milk of feminine love to sour against us, but there seems to be a crossed wire somewhere. Can it be possible that men have been buying big hats, fine apparel, cruel hatpins and scratchy quills to please themselves rather than their wives? If so, what extravagant fools we masculine mortals be!

—Waterloo Evening Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Jan. 1, 1914, p. 4.