The psychology of dress / [Frank Alvah Parsons].

  • Parsons, Frank Alvah, 1868-1930.
Date:
1920
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The psychology of dress / [Frank Alvah Parsons]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    514/540 (page 342)
    pageant thrills for the imagination and the festhetic sense. The literal and realistic type must either have a symbol or the material, in all things, or he entirely misses the point; and so on all through the various types. But the number of those still aspiring to climb, or finding other satisfaction in these ancient or auto¬ cratic forms in costume expression, is not so small as we imagine, nor are any of us as immune to its subtle charm as we would have ourselves and our neighbours believe. It is difficult to distinguish just where ab¬ stract enjoyment of a performance and its trappings leaves off and belief in the idea it symbolizes begins. As a matter of fact, a large number of us are still greatly influenced by the strict orders as to court dress issued by the English queen, for example, not only at court functions but in general social life. On the other hand there are plenty of others conforming rigidly and apparently cheerfully to autocratic restrictions at court, who rush madly out into the freest spot they can find to satisfy their natural desire to be individual and incidentally to produce and to feel the sensation that comes from the extremes that fashion provides for so lavishly from day to day. Another royal blow, however, has just been dealt us, and an impetus given to royal prestige by George V of England, who is reported in words and by photo¬ graph this week as appearing in public with “razor edge creases” pressed in the sides of each leg of his royal trousers, instead of having one in front and the other behind. This same fashion, we are told, was inaugurated once by Edward VII, but royal prerog¬ ative could not win against established English habit