The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-09-23 00:00:00

THE "AMERICAN FREE DRESS

LEAGUE."
The American Correspondent of The Times writes :
Tired of obeying the behests of Paris in the matter
•of fashion, the women of America—or some of them
—have declared their independence. The "AmeiicAn
Free Dress League ' was in Session last week in Phila.
delphia. Their call announces that they desire to
abolish all unhealthy and cumbrous forms of female
clothing, substituting styles agreeing with the natural
laws of hygiene. They met in Lincoln•hall, Mr. D.
M. Allen, of Ordo, presiding, and about 25 delegates
attending the first day's meeting, coining from
different parts of the country. Several of, the ladies
Wore the American coitume," Consisting of lodge-
fitting trousers and stvck,fwhicb they desire to Introduce
as the proper American dress for the new country.
"How to Extend Dress Reform" was propounded at
the opening of the Session as the subject for discussion,
and it was generally debated, Mrs. Mary E. Tillottson,
of Vineland, New Jersey, finally, to give form to the
discussion, presenting the following resolutions :

ope
h'Eil 1 t•

. -
" Whereas the fashionable dress of women is unnatural
and incompatible with health and exercise, is never likely to
be consistent, and would not remain so if it could reach that
point
"Whereas it is inhuman in form, in the infliction of ob.
staales to locomotion and respiration, thus causing constant
waste of vital force; therefore
" Itesolved,—that as friends of humanity we repudiate
fashionable dress, and recommend individual choice in
fabrics and forms of clothing; that to obtain true lives and
equal opportunity in the pursuit of happiness, to elevate
woman above slaveries and pern!clous habits, we will reason
with her, admonish and entreat her to cease accepting bodily
burdens, licentious and murderous inventions, and use her
own mind, skill, and taste in forming comfort-favouring,
labour-lightening, and lifepreserving garments.
" Resolved,—That such garmenture should be of dual form
for the legs, as well as the arms, as their use and all reason
indicate; that the prejudice against trousers for women is
based on ignorance and tyranny, is fostered by many vicious
and sordid motives, and ought to be banished from the earth
by the full sanction and fearless effort of all good people.
"Resolved,—That
women have duties in relieving the
world of poverty, and that, by abandoning extravagant and
debilitating costume, they directly reach the most fertile
cause of human ills; and without this effort for prosperity,
liberty, and equity, all others are abortive."

These resolutions which may be described as the
" platform " of the new Party, were used as the text
for sub3equent discussion, the chairman, Mr. D. M.
Allen, closing the Session with a long address, in
which he condemned the present style of female
clothing, quoting largely from medical and other au-
thorities to prove that the dresses now worn by women
are unhealthy, many diseases to which they are liable
being traceabls to them. He urged all women to fight
against the popular prejudices in favour of the present
stlye of dress, and hoped the time would come whea
the utmost freedom would be observed by American
women as to how they could dress, and that they
would look more to comfort, health, and personal con-
venience hereafter, and not be led by the dictates of
fashion or conventionalities in theimportaut matter of
their attire.

At the second day's Session the number of delegates
had increased to 50, of whom eight of the ladies (in-
cluding three spinsters) appeared in the reformed
I costume. The debate on the resolutions was renewed.
Mrs. Dr. Atwater said she had not adopted the reformed
dress but her sympathies were with the movement, and
she honoured the women with courage enough to adopt
the dress. She would wear it herself, but she had to
earn her own living, and honestly believed that in her
own case she could not afford to wear such a dress.
Her husband—whom she described as a liberal man—
had told her that neither he nor she could afford to
adopt that dress. -Nevertheless, her whole heart and
sympathy were with the cause. The Chairman and
Mrs. Tillotson and some others then made addresscs of
encouragemnt to the lady, urging her to go a step
further and put on the dual garments, and she would
find that the mountain of her apprehensions dwindled
to a molehill of actual opposition. This unfortunate
lady's case afterwards was dropped, and a Dr. Brown
recited a poem designed to inspire the new movement.
Here are two sample stanzas of this delightful
effusion :
~,"Freedom of speech from what we think
j And Freedom, too, in dress,
Slave-master, Fashion, now-a-days

Does the ladies sore oppress. -
He binds theirlegs in petticoats,
Puts bunches on their hips,
He cramps their feet in little sh: es,
They cripple on the chips."
Subsequent speakers developed a strong tendency to
spiritualism, and it was announced by one of them that
Stephen Girard, William Penn, and several other indi-
viduals of days gone by wereaiding that reform move-
ment by their presence at the meeting. This irruption
from the spirit world did not seem to be relished by
the chiefs of the movement, and, to get rid of it, they
had the resolutions re-read, and then carried a recess
until the afternoon. The effort met with only moderate
success, however, for the spirits subsequently seemed
to take even greater interest in the proceedings, Henry
Clay and Demosthenes appearing to reinforce the
others. Among the advocates of the reform at the
afternoon session was an old man 'with very long hair,
tucked up like a woman's at the back by a
large comb, and wearing a ery dirty shirt. He
said he was in favour of this, as well as of all other
reforms, and especially of reforms that coincided
with and aided nature. In early life he had fought
nature by cutting his hair, but nature always gained
the victory, for it continually grew out again. He
abandoned the hopeless conflict and had not cut his
hair for forty years. A Mrs. Merriwether, of
Tennessee, subsequently threw a bombshell into
the meeting by announcing, in a sensible speech,
that women were generally valued for their personal
appearance, and that, therefore although it might
add to their comfort, it would be inexpedient to
use th. dress. This raised a tempest, the
reformers, especially the ladies, questioning her
and protesting and arguing; but she nobly held her
ground. She said finally that she could not ignore all
the relations of life; and it would be better to submit
than to pain those around her. She said she had been
to spirituelist meetings, but was told she was too
positive and could not attract the spirits, and then, in
very positive language, she said, "I consider that I
have more influence in the world in a trailed skirt."
Her voi.:e in opposition, however, was alone • no one
supported her. The resolutions were carried by an
unanimous shout, the " platform " was adopted, and
the defiance is hurled at the Parlsian modistes that
hereafter American woman are to wear trousers. The
"Dress Reform League," following the example cf all
American Conventions, then adjourned sine die.

;' discussion, I the