On Modesty

"One of the first requisites of a real lady is that she should be modest. By modesty we mean that she shall not say, do, nor wear anything that would cause her to appear 'loud,' vulgar, or unchaste. There should be nothing about her to attract unfavorable attention, nothing in her dress or manner that would give evil-minded men an excuse for vulgar comment. For many generations the good women of our country have believed that modesty requires them to wear clothing that covers their bodies and limbs. Wherever this rule has been broken, many blighted lives have been the cost.When we dress contrary to this rule we give excuse for evil thoughts in the minds of those who look upon us, and every girl who oversteps these bounds makes herself liable to misunderstanding and insult, though she may be innocent of any such attention....There are strong, true, pure-minded men and boys to whom these weaknesses of women are not a temptation. But there are weaker also, and for them we are partly responsible."

from Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale