Dressing the Schoolgirl by Dinah Sturgis

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 14, 1911

Dressing the Schoolgirl

By Dinah Sturgis

The dress of our schoolgirls should be especially loose. No woman should ever wear tight dresses; they are uncomfortable, unhealthful, and unlovely; but for schoolgirls, a dress that is loose enough when first made, is often too tight before it is worn out. Allowance should be made in a girl's dress for growth. This means not merely allowance for added height. From a health standpoint it really does not matter whether a sleeve or a skirt is an inch longer or shorter. The important provisions for growth are around the waist and across the bust.

Growing girls should wear neither corsets nor the ordinary corset waists. They should have perfect freedom; and if they are allowed this, their muscles will provide the “support” needed, and correct clothing will provide the required warmth.

To begin at the beginning of dress: the schoolgirl should wear union undergarments, woven of some elastic material. Ready-made woven underwear is so common nowadays, and so cheap in very good qualities, that it is within the means of everybody if everybody did but know it.

Over her union undersuit the schoolgirl should put on her stockings, and these should be supported by elastics that are in turn attached to an underwaist. The extension straps that go over the shoulders are uncomfortable. Over the stockings she should wear a pair of woven “equestrian tights.” These are to take the place of the clumsy, thick underskirt which weighs down the body, and lets the cold attack it at the same time.

For cold weather the union suit should reach to the ankles, to the neck, and to the wrists. The tights should reach down far enough to be held by the tops of the boots when the skirt of the dress is below the boot-tops. When it is not, the tights should reach over the knee, and the legs from the boot-tops to the knees should be protected by warm gaiters, which fasten easily and securely so that they can be taken off upon reaching school, and be put on when leaving. Most children are dressed too warmly indoors, and not warmly enough out-of-doors.

If a petticoat is deemed necessary, it should be of light-weight flannel, of the color of the dress, and should be attached to a shaped hip yoke, which is fastened to the underwaist.

The outer dress may be fashioned after any desired style, neatness, simplicity, and utility being kept in view. If mothers would take a little pains to plan for their girls, dresses that conform to the rules of health, and also look attractive, girls would not rebel against hygienic dress, and throw it aside as soon as they are free to do so. There is as much reason for wishing to look well as there is for wishing to be surrounded by the beautiful in nature and in art. Few people understand that it is possible for healthful dress to be attractive.—Dinah Sturgis.