Imitation in Fashions — The Evil of It
THE “Christian Advocate” quotes Samuel Johnson: “The greater part of mankind speak and act almost wholly by imitation,” and remarks that this is shown in pronunciation, in action, in habits, in fashion. The use of tobacco begins by children imitating older boys or parents, and cigaret-smoking is brought into society by leaders of fashion. Drunkenness oftentimes originates in the same way. Even tall buildings in cities are built through imitation and emulation. Rage for automobiles is brought in in the same way. It continues: “Some magazines and comic papers are satirizing women’s hats, but women are simply acting as thousands of men act and from the same impulse. The changes in women’s apparel are more numerous than those in men’s, but a large portion of men are just as ignominious slaves to fashion as women. The only difference is that fashion in men’s dress is more stable and less extravagant, but that is only because men take less interest in dress than women do.” The sad fact is that the great mass of the people should yield to these extravagant and frequent changes, not because of their own taste, but because some very few people, largely through commercial reasons, start a new style. “The Advocate” quotes a manager of one of the largest concerns in women’s hats as saying that changes are made for the very purpose of keeping up on a large scale with abundant profits. He declared that the milliners of Paris meet and determine, and we must follow, and affirmed that business would be greatly diminished, profits greatly lessened, if a woman was allowed to wear a hat until it was worn out. However, he says, and we ask our women readers to note it, that it was not necessary for her to go to an extreme unless she wanted to, for his establishment, while directly following the fashion, always keeps on hand hats which would not be conspicuously out of fashion, but very few of the ladies will buy them. Christians ought to be above these things. There are certain fashions and customs which it is well to follow, which do not mean extra work or labor or time or anxiety. One can readily and easily avoid all extremes and keep ever before him the motive of living for the glory of God. “The Advocate” well calls the “evil of imitation in the church and the damage it does” a large theme. It is one which Christians should consider.