The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-30

Not the fall Of stocks-not the fall Of onesnoe
the fall OF freedom-not yet the overthrow Of tho
once year is Q sort Of indispensable luxury. Thus
!. far 1851 has passed on with miserable monotony.
Even Mexico is tranquil, while France frolcs away
her liberties as madly as, at first, she fought for
them. Suddenly however, the spirit Of fnnova-
ton breaks out in this county; but now it is =
social and not political affair. This time it Is =
movement Of the ladies, and If we may estimate the
result by the commencement and the progress OF the
affair, unlike most of our modern revolutions, II Is
bound to succeed. They have resolved to abbreviate
their flowing robes; to dispense with founces ana
trains; to stops short at higher point; and to exc
out the otherwise exposed remainder not to en-
\ ploy any forbidden phrase-with unequvocal tro W
sers Just now there is. in quarters which regard
i no fashion orthodox that is not imported from
| Paris, good deal Of mirth about it; but the au-
\ thors Of the invention cooly cutting off their
dresses, and as cooly putting on their-pantaioons
AS if they felt assured that the rest would
follow. Here now is a practical matter; tho
very beginning Of tho end; the Incorporation
OF that movement which looks to the asscr-
ton Of woman's rights in the broadest sense of
the term. Revolutions rarely 90 backward, and
fashion is not satisfied till the extreme is reached.
Already do we see ladies hated and coated, and
the habit which is honored both in the brooches
and in the observance. After this has been entirely
achieved, the ballot viii easily follow, with all its
attendant advantages. Presently will hardly
know own wives from ourselves.
| From the Boston Post May -
1 Impcrceptibly have the ladies been edging, and
casting longing eyes towards the masculine apparel
/ The hat the cravat the dckey the vest the boots,
and the pantalettes, all have been donned by the
softer sex; but we only winked ut these encroach-
| ments. Now the case looketh more formidable
what is to be doae! 1t behooyeth US to look to e
! Every day We hear that the unutterables, tho
very unwritca oles and unprintables," are fas
| getting into favor with the women TO the entire
abandonment of petticoats. Unless we take up
with their east. of attire, shall be obliged to
sort to some sign signal, in order to distinguish
from the feminine gender-pcrhaps by wearing
small plume or cockade
from the Troy IN ~ Post, May q
/ We have not had the pleasure Of seeing speci-
men OF the ladies' "froek and trowsers," but
freely confess the change strikes very avorablys
and as we consider the ladies OF our goody CITY
quite up the mark in any good cause that pertains
to them, we shall confidently expect to be grsti6ed
in few days with a sight Of ''the new style" In
many places the dress is received with approval
and admiration, while from no quarter do we hear
areason given for continuing the present inconve-
nient and often ineegant style Of ladies' garments.
The only weapon attempted to be used in oppose
ton to the innovation is rdicule-a weapon quite
as Efficient in a bad cause a good one, and moro
frequently used
IPrcm the Geneva a. W Gazette, May 24l
Day before yesterday il was privilege to
witness the appearance Of some of the ladies Of our
village in the improved mode of dress, viz: with
short dresses and Turkish pantaloons. This novel
appearance was greeted by some with undisguised
mirth, by others with ridicule manifestly impolte
and indicative of the extent Of their good sense,
but most regarded il with decided approval. Yes
Rs
worn by some ladies taking morning walk We
hope that this may be the beginning Of a speedy
and general introduction Of an improvement so de-
sirable. We might enumerate the advantages at
tending such an improvement in personal attire, but
they are so obvious that they must commend them
selves to the good judgment Of the ladies Of Geneva,
they have already done to those Of Seneca Falls,
Syracuse and other places.
TFrom the Kenosha (Wis) Telegraph, May 10l
There is no reform which is correct in theory,
which cannot find some independent spirit in Keno
sha to reduce to practice On Wednesday after
two Of the wives Of our most respectable cti-
Zens appeared in short dresses and pants Tho
fashion on the whole is appropriate, and has some
show of common sense to back it. If anything, the
frocks little too long, and the pants little too
full. We admire the Independence of the ladies
who dare do as they please-what business Is it to
the carpng and barking crowd, if the ladies Of this
city are tired Of using their dresses to sweep the
crossings and sidewalks! The ladies of Milwaukee.
Racine and Eagleville, now get their dresses
made and come here and wear them, till they get
used to them, aud our ladies will with you,
and assist in breaking up the mock modesty OF
your hen-bussied villages The fact Is, "us CO."
and it will not be long before the novelty ceases to
attract attention
IFrom the Louisville (ky) journal May I'll
Several ladies Of this city, who very warm in
favor Of the movement, have spoken to and
begged us to come out in paper in favor of IL.
We assure them that we very favorably inclined
to the qualification Of their wishes, but mind ID
not fully made up the subject. We open
to conviction and anxious to be convinced, and
ready to 60 into the with zeal when convinced.
We do not exactly know how the ladies would APP
pear in the proposed short dresses. We have only
vague idea in the matter Now if some of the
most finely formed of them will put on the dresses
they so much crave, and invite US to private
hibition, have doubt that shall be able to
arrive III conclusion to duties in The matter
as public editor. IL We cannot decide from one
exhibition, two or three viii Tx the matter TO u
certainty.
tTrcm Mrs swissh,lm's Pittsburgh Saturday vi.terI
The Mac io1k Hdrud states that two ladies have
recently promcnadcd Broadway in this eastern
! style. Nearly every paper we take up has somc-
thing to say on the subject, aud most approve the
change which we commend but have not adopted.
We never thought dress Of so much Importance rs
to be worth any great act OF moral heroism. We
would rot subject oursef to the rude gaze Of q
mob on the street, or the insoonoe Of rufians and
boys for anything less than the salvation Of soul
No dress could be comfortable convenient to III
which would gather half dozen Of boys to stare nj
US. We should never think Of being martyr for
: such slight cause the pattern OF a new frock
nor have any need 10 be SO, for neither health
nor convenience requires u. Cooley, Graham and
Saitain combined could not get up fashion that
: we could not, ia five minutes, arrange into COM
fOIteblc, convenient bealthiul costume, witho it
making any change which would attract the alton
, ton OF n casual observer. Very few will notice
that n dscss lacks two, three, or four inches OF
touching the pavement when the wcarer walks, yea
this saves the nastircss Of street sweeping Very
few viii observe that bodice, instead Of being
made IN the form Of hour glass has the natural
curves Of a human form, and IL wide enough 10 adj
nit Of full breathing, yet this effcctuay does away
with al unhoathncss aud Inconvenience. We can
/. walk add climb. and dance, with more ease and
freedom IN whale bonsd bodice, than any loose
sack, simply because mako the bodice to az the
waist, inste al Of tdc waist t. Ct the bodice Long
skirts arc no trouble TO US, because we have
. them unnecessarily long, and make them 10 rcst
ulou the shoulders.
Those who believe that a radical change -
|, necessary 70 alter the present absurd, suicidal
fashions aud who have the energy 20 sps-c for that
purpose. deserve all credit for 20 expcndsng IT,
oof heman nature is prone TO extremes, and very
likely the most cfTcctual way of pcrsuading women
TO quit eping streets with their skirts, TO cut
thtin on ut the knee but in our mind. the drsss
is associated with ideas Of juyeniity, aud Il will
take some time 10 make feel that won whs
has reached middle life, would not look badly in IL.
, Long loose skirts are as intimately connected In