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

tou W thgurc OuI iiuueHCo auu as wa
not a matter upon which we wished TO spend
our strength we'ooniradicied lhe.repert, with
out Offering any serious objeciionto the
dress, nd giving 10 those interested in lis
adoption the credit their earnestness deserv-
ed. From the admiration expressed by men
and women of good sense and good taste
the recommendation Of intelligent physi-
clans, and more than all the ribaldy of that
gallant class of editors who think that giving
laws for the length of women's petticoats is
part Of their masc ulihe prerogaiives, made
us think that the dress must be reform. AT
any rate it would be pleasant TO wear or do
any thing, not very incopvenient, which
would excite the ire OF these chivslrous pet
ticoat inspectors, who should all be appoint
ed committees in their several towns 10 ex-
anime the ladies' wardrobes, and sew ckes
10 all skirts which in their opinion are not
long enough. So we resolved 10 try and
learn TO like the new dress, and were glad
when Mrs. Burr came on visit to our house,
10 find she had one made according TO Mrs.
Boomers directions. We both donned our
dresses, looked at QUE another and wore
them abour The house. She was so very
pretty, and her Gguse SO 6pe, that no dress
could destroy her appearance, and we did
think il looked well but ours was most com.
.Sccrtable, because il is customary in our coun.
,,v ia, woven TO cut and make most of the
clothes worn in theii:. families. We know
how 10 cut trowsers, anu found our New
York friends did not, for those ti,2t were the
right length when standing were TOO short
when sitting, and made heavy strain on
the sides when in this position. This diff
Guilty. when il exists, must far more than
counterhalance any other advantage of the
dress, for the strain upon the sides in sitting
down would be worse than carrying ten
pounds of skirts while walking.
When Mrs. B. left we laid aside the dress
once more, bu, lately resolved to give it an
other trial made one of pretiier material
calculated for summer wear, and wore it for
several days, nj home and visiting amongst
the neighbors; and now we give it up con-
vinced tina, it is mistake. If the trowsers
are loose at the ankle, they 60 flip fap.; il
gathered to band and falling over in puff,
they 60 slip slap, as one walks. If there is
a rufe 10 fall down on the top of the foot, it
gets in the mud, and is as ugly as the long
est skirt III it is drawn up 10 be convent
eni, as much of the foot and ankle is expos
-a-------d hA in kirt short enough for all
convenience, and long enough without trow-
sers. Then, the trowsers, all Of them, give
general appearance of deformity--of drop.
sical legs. Next, with skirt, that falls six
inches below the knee, one cannot have the
upper part Of trowsers made like the drawers
worn by women and children. They must
be like mems pantaloons, or at least those
worn by boys of three and four years. The
undergarmens must be worn inside of
these, aud they supported by straps over the
shoulders or body 10 which they are fasten-
ed by half dozen buttons, round the waist
band.
Where the convenience OF such a dress
i
healthfulness there is not one in Eve hun
dred, if it were generally worn, who would
use either straps or body to support the
trowsers, but would make no,ches in their
sides and hang lhom upon the hip bones,
just as they now Go the skirts, and as men
lately did their pantaloons, until the surgeon
at West Point mad 10 troiest against the FASH
ion as fruitful cause of disease among the
cadets. Trowsers worn without resting up
OIL the shoulders are much worse than skirts,
because of the strain in sitting, and this
strain is much greater with women than
men, on account Of the difference in their
form. In STOPPING far enough 10 lift a Thin
BILE from the carpet, or pluck daisy, ia q
skirt six inches below the knee, the front
part of the drapery falls on the top OF the
ioet, and the back part rises some eight OF
ten inches over the knee, thus exposing the
front part of the underskifts almost 20 the
waist. If one avoids the STOPPING position
by 'squatiing,' there must be a constant care
and use Of the hands to insure that the
skirts do not lodge on the knee, but fall over
If they do not, one may exhib! her trow-
sers to the waist; aud when woman ex-
hibils her form with no other covering than
trowsers, we 60 no! want 10 be there. Then,
again, in sitting down one must be constant
ly on guard that one does not sit on the hem
of the skirt, and sit on it so rs TO wrinkle il
in the form of festoon, like one often sees
mems sack coats. To wear any kind ofdra-
perry we'll, requires some tact and skill in the
weaser, and II is much easier 10 manage q
long than short skirt We should rather
undertake TO manage an ordinary riding
skirt IN promenade through briar patch,
than get about in skirt that only reached
10 the knee. Loose drapery lsa necessary
TO the appendsge of womanhood and how
it can be regarded as Gan evil' is more
than VIC can imagine. We shall next ex-
pect TO hear of "ihe evil" Of long hair and
eye-lashes, and the oppression Of long necks,
dropping shoulders, taper fingers and wo-
manly bnsts. Skirts which reach quite down
20 the ankle and touch the top OF the foot
are no impediment to walking unless they
are worn with some kind of bifurcated gar
ment underneath, and the two together do
sometimes stop locomotion altogether until
thav can ha nullad into nlace hnt ya yynnIH