2311.—Wearing of Flowers and Plumes
Is it wrong to wear flowers and plumes on hats? We know no better instruction as to proper dress than that given in 1 Timothy 2 or 1 Peter 3. We do not see how one is especially adorned, as the apostle declares they should be, by wearing artificial flowers. So far as plumes or feathers are concerned, on the ground of mercy and humanity alone Christian women ought never to wear them. Some of the most beautiful of birds which God has given to enlighten and beautify and make sweet this old earth have been almost utterly wiped out of existence in order to meet the demands of fashion. This is especially true of the white heron and also others of the most beautiful of birds. The birds are slaughtered by the thousands and millions to meet the demands. It is a wonder that Christian women do not set themselves against it everywhere and say, We will wear nothing whatever that has meant cruelty to any of these beautiful creatures which the Lord has made. There are societies which are doing noble work in this direction, the Audubon Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. May the Lord bless them. May all our Christian readers work with them to do away with a fashion that adds nothing to feminine beauty.