Dear Sir, - I was rather astonished at your choice of a title for my long letter you were good enough to publish in a recent issue of "London Life." (How well, by the way, the sketches reproduced!) Whatever of "Light" and "Logic" it my have contained was surely intended not so much for the fair limbless themselves as for their male admirers and for those of the general public to whom the cult of the monopede may seem strange and inexplicable!
Well, here's something for the monopedes themselves, and the novice monopedes in particular, if any such chance to scan it - a suggestion for a holiday get-up for a blonde, ginger-haired girl taking things easy - recovering from her amputation, if you like - by sea or river, or enjoying the sunshine on a London park seat.
For a golden-haired girl I should suggest a plain white linen or silk frock with scarlet bow and natural coloured straw hat swathed with scarlet; scarlet sandal (either heelless or, as I have drawn it, with a reasonably high heel); and if she can afford the luxury of a special pair of crutches to go with a single outfit, a pair of lacquered scarlet with the tops covered with the same material as her frock. (The Morocco tops that would seem logical wouldn't be practicable, as some of the red would almost certainly come off on her white dress!)
Gold drop earrings, snake necklet and armlet, and a plain padlocked gold chain above her one ankle.
If sufficiently exotic-minded, she might have her finger and toe-nails gilded to match these latter; otherwise they must be carefully coloured to match the other scarlet details.
The gloves lying on the seat are merely there to be worn when walking, to save the hands from friction on the crutch handle-rests and play no special part in the decorative scheme, though a necessary accessory.
For a redhead, per contra, the frock and swathing should be pale green - apple, emerald, or olive, for choice - with bow and trimmings of the same, but several shades darker, with crutch and sandal to match. (A pair of plain black French crutches would look quite well if our monopede can't run to a special holiday pair, so long as the tops are temporarily covered with washable material to match her frock.) The remaining details remain as before, save that finger and toe-nails, if gilding be rejected, had better remain natural colour, as there is no scarlet elsewhere in the ensemble. ("Tangye" lipstick should be used - a impossible colour for nails!)
You will notice I've given the young lady glasses. After all, very large proportion of present-day flappers, including nearly all redheads, wear them regularly, and most of the rest affect sun glasses out of doors in the summer.
The blond girl of my fantasy should affect a pair with scarlet frames. (These look immensely effective against golden hair and the right sort of complexion.) For others, frames of glittering green "shell-like," carefully matched with all else.
Thus attired, by seaside or riverside, in hotel lounge, public garden or park, our monopede need fear no lack of male admirers, I am sure, nor fail to arouse the lively - and perhaps even envious - interest of her own sex!
I was much interested in "Psychologist's" and Wallace Stort's letters in the April Treble Number. With the former I am in great part (not wholly, by any means) in agreement, but will send you my comments, if you've still the patience to read them, in a future letter.
Yours truly,
C. D. B.