The New York Times describes what, if it really exists,
implies something like a real difference of species between the American women and our own. It says that there are places for lending out gala clothes, and that an American lady can hire a very showy dress, jewels and all, at about 10 dole. (12) a night,—the hire of grander dresses costing, of course, much larger sums. Thus the £2 fee will secure a silk skirt worth 110, an opera- cloak worth 16, jewelry worth /5, and gloves, &c., for the night. What strikes us as so remarkable, if this sort of olothes- loaning establishment really pays, is the loss of the personal feel- ing as to dress-belongings which is one of the most curious characteristics of Englishwomen. A girl thinks of her " things " almost as she does of her body,—as part of herself. If in New York girls think of their clothes only as actresses do of the dresses furnished by the theatres,—as something alien to them- selves, which they only put on for the sake of single effects,—they must be separated by a wide gulf from Englishwomen. Perhaps the society of New York is beginning to take the personal feeling out of social life, and has won its first victory over the women's "things."
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