The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-09-04

From the Saturday visiter" of July Goth,
edited at Pi,tsburg by Mrs. Swisshem, we
take the following atticle, which settles The
question in regard to short dresses and big
trowsers. We would commend it 10 the at
tentive penisal Of such as have the Bloomer
mania.
THE BLOOMER COSTUME.
We cut the following from late number
Of the Olive Branch:
LONG SKIRTS AND BIO WIGS.
Mrs. Swisshelm, as quoted in last weeks
Olive Branch, says: "Long, loose skirts are
as intimately connected, in our mind, with
womanhood, as gowns and wigs, in the
mind of an Englishman, with court OF JUS
tice ;"-and as little connected in reality.
In both cases the connection is mere mat
Ter of fancy ami custom. As our courts ot
Justice have been relieved of a nuisance by
the banishment of the owlish wig, SO wo-
manhood will cast off ridiculous excres-
cence by laying aside the dragging skirt
Will the excellent lady who presides
over the Pittsburgh Saturday Visiter
lend her powerful influence in favor OF the
effort which is now made 10 send :he long
skirts "where the big wigs have gone," and
thus relieve her sex Of an evil against which
true taste, neatness, economy and health
have long cried out in vain!
MEplcus BosToNIENsIs.
This is one Of many similar appeals which
have reached US from public and private
sources. One lady who feels deeply inter-
esled in the adoption of the new dress says,
You have injured us very much, and you
were The last one from whom we expected
such blow" gentleman writes, "lf you
will come out in favor Of the full Bloomer
dress can get you plenty of subscribers !"
We know he jesls, and does no. wish we
should come out in favor of any thing we do
not like and we know, too, that the friends
of this change greatly overrate our influence.
We never were a leader of the ton, but al
ways dressed after fashion of our own with.
out ever getting.quite out Of fashion Our
rule has been 10 wear what appeared 10 US
convenient, heallhlul, suitable 10 the occa
sion; and as rich and becoming as our f.
nances would aloid; bat never 10 east a
dress aside on account of any new fashion
50 long as it did not become so outre as to
attract the attention Of the boys on the street.
II the little fellows kept on rolling their mar.
bles while we passed, our dress was not yet
out of date One should not be expected to
give up lifelong .ulc Of action without
good and sufficient reason. It cannot be
that our solitary example and opinion could
materially aid the adoption of any article of
dress for we are always singular in some
degree, and nobody ever follows our fashion.
We never wore the slightest appearance of
or substitute fora hustle, but have no knowl-
edge of ever influencing one individual 10
wear a yard of muslin, or pound of cot
ton, or q bushel of bran the less. We have
worn broad-brmmed chip hat for years al
all such times and places it appeared suita-
Bile, but nobody follows our example. For
ten years we have worn long boots for walk.
ing in the country in inclement weather, ye,
many Of our most intimate friends paddle
through the snow and mud in slippers even
unto this day. So, the friends of the Bloc
mer costume may make themselves easy
about our influence, for we have none. If
we tell any truth which affects the popularity
of this new dress, j, may have its influence;
but the mere matter of opinion or example
is not worth a snnff! When Mrs. Bloomer
first announced that she had adopted this
dress, we thought favorably Of the project
Immediately made one of the suits, wore il
repeatedly, at work in the garden and TO
neighbors' houses. We did not like it, and
no one who saw il did. So we laid it aside
thinking it was no. properly made; but said
nothing about i, until several Eastern and
Western papers announced We had adopted