Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-05-28
Written for the Chronicle. ;!
HO0PED SKIRTS.

week before last, over the initial 1T :, "
upon the subject OF hooped skirts, and 1
must confess that the author is more
nice than wise. The author has seen fiji
10 usher his bantling into this breathing
world, y in somewhat of the condition of
Richard III" but half made up" un-
der flourish and a motto, indicating
profound conceit, If not the culpable van
ity of affectation. Now, as one of your
readers, l do not propose to quarrel with
friend /. about the selection of his motto,
or the manner in which he handles his
subject; but il seemed 10 me, our friend
could readily invent one which would
suit the manner of treating his subject,
If not the matter of it, much better than
the one he adopted. Would not some
thing like the following do admirably /?
e" No man takes himself to Jool"-
from new comedy by ct"
1t seems to me this would do very well;
Tor 1t is plain TO every fair reader of that
article that T. did not take himself to be
a fool. Now, is T. so ignorant of la
dies wardrobe that he did not know what
skirt was or the uses it was intended
for e? Why, had he never a mother ? or
has he no wife ? Is he such a miserable.
god, man, and woman forsaken object as
never TO have been blessed with the
counsels and advice of a mother, or the
love, affection and sympathy Of wife
If he is all this. we shall for once stop,
IN compassion for his young years and
tender understanding, and instruct him.
Those articles which he described were
never made for fish nets or balloons :;
but for traps to catch gulls in. If he
had devoted any of that ''deep thought"
TO the subject of which he boasted, he is
possesser. he would have perceived this
in the instant. When will you find so
ready trap for this kind of feathered
biped, ss fashionably dressed woman ?
Have you no. seen them flutter around
her, Ike the insect around lighted
taper, drawn closer and closer to the
magic circle until their wings are
scorched, and they fall never to arise
again In short, it can never be expect
ed that woman can make a sensation
uless she is fashionably dressed; at least,
such is and will be the case as long
as fashion and frivolity lead society, and
not sense, intelligence and virtue.
1 have often thought, too, that the
fashionable woman was a reformer and
benefactor, much above the ordinary
nobodys, who never make a figure, or
create sensation. She seems as a sort
oil ventlllator, or regenerator, to society, !
and sits In advance, as you place Il cup /
Oh sweetened water on a shelf in sum.
mer to catch flies !; and absorbs the fiat
terors and hollow, worthless dandys
whose admiration is about as fatal to the
peace and happiness of woman as is the
passage of the fearful Sirocco. By this
means the chaff of society is winnoWed
rom the pure grain, leaving all true
men OF sense, worth, intelligence, re-
1nement, taste and judgemen. for the
women of worth and intelligence. In
his we think they do much good.
But, Messrs. Editors, what right has
gentleman to interfere with a ladies'
wardrobe? Suppose womandoes wear
fashionable clothing, so tIat she does not
20 beyond hers, or her husbands means,
whose business is it ? Especially if fash.
on has become useful or economical
L she does wear balloon skirts, if she
loes wear her bonnet on the back of her
read, with COW catcher reversed, If she
loes permit her skirts TO encroach upon
he natural dimensions of the bust, or
longate the same if she does wear
ight and flowing sleeves. all to make
lerself conform to the dress of society
round her, and save herself from the
notification of general remark because
f singularity, whose business is it? By
his means does she not show good
ense ? and would not different course |
ubject her at once to the charge of af- !
ectation ? (
But. pray Mr.. T., are you standing on /
ny better grounds p? Who are more t
lavish in their adhesion to the demands /
{ fashion than our noble, strong minded, I
armed gentlen,en9 Do they not change v
le style of their dress at the dictate of f
lie ruling goddess as quickly as any
eak minded sister? Yea, from the hat b
, the toe of the boot, and The tie of the d
ravat ? Who introduced shanghai b
pats, stubtoed boots, and flowing n
eeves, but our very Questionable, deep o
linking gentlemen Now, it seems 10
Ie that the old adage about glass houses, e
as never of better application than e
ere. e
Now, single word on the beneficial j.
ature of balloon skirts, and am done a
ith T., and the subject. Fashion has a
ng since dictated the style in which o
ell dressed woman should appear-and Il
Ie most prominent feature of this style "
an expanded skirt. To conform to this it