The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-04-11
Ladies' Dresses In Muddy
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It is an unpleasant sight to see the
ladies in the streets, on rainy days,
allow their dresses to trail in the mud.
This is unpardonaLle. There is no i'm
propriety in raising the skirts high
enough to keep them ont Of the dirt;
there is = very unladylike pruderv in
refusing to raise them slightly when
cleanliness requires it. 1tisnot neces-
sary, however. for any lady to hold her
dres. with her hands TO keep it out Of
the mud. The English women, says a
European writer, understand these
thing better than we, and go out walk
ing in rain and mud, wearing long
dresses, and without taking their hands
from their muifs, come home with their
clothing as cleanly as when they started
out. How do they do it? They wear
skirts that do not reach lower than the
an.le; short enough, in fact, to keep
clear Of the mud without any lifting'-
The dress is worn long, but is looped
up when the lady is in the street. The
loops are Of late invention. aud are now
the. fashion in Great Britain. A woman
who should 60 out in Muddy weather
without them, would he. considered a
prude. They are made thus There
is belt Of black ribbon, three quarters
Of an inch wide, and long enough to 60
around the lady's waist, with hook at
one end and eye ut til, other, as a fast
ening a piece Of the same kind Of rib.
bon, three yards long. is attached 70
the end and middle Of the belt. The
belt is now put on with the hook and
eye in front; and hanging down on
each side i loop Of black ribbon
three quarters of \ yard Long. When
the lady is about to go ont, she puts on
her belt. and puts \ part Of the lower
portion Of her dress through each loop.
which is thus raised into four fcsfoo..s
and all Of it above the lower edge Of
the pctticoat. She then walks out.
with her hands free, her dress, clean,
and her conscience at ease: and If she
wishes to enter 4 house. she can take
her dress ont otthe loops in an instant.
The looped dress is not only clean, bnt
graceful, and it shows white petticoat
one of the most beautiful articles Of
ladies' apparel, much to advantage.
III England, however, white pe,ticoat
is not considered Indispensable on the
contrary, scarlet woolcr pe,ticoats are
mach worn By the most fashionable
people, rs also are red wooden stockings.
Indeed, the white cotton stockings are
the exception, but not the rule, for Lon
don wear in winter. Wool is ordina-
ri!y worn, sometimes with scarlet, or
scarlet with black stripes. or plaid with
4 variety fcolors. And then, the shoes
are not Of thin cloth with paper soles,
but Balmoral boots, with heavy uppcrs
and thick soles, iacins mp in front, as il
they were made for beings Of flesh and
blood, bred on roast beet, AMI good for
real service, hard work, sturdy health
and long lite. Our American women are
too much in the habit of following bad
fashions, ard neglec,ing good ones.
If they will just adopt the hcal,hful
practices, as well rs the expensive lux.
uries, Of European aristocracv, it would
be fir better, as well as more credita.
blc to them. We arc glad to see, how
ever, that correct taste is being ex-
ercised by our ladies. They study
health aud comfort more than the fash
Ions, and We may expect to see them
rs rosy checked and robust as any Of
our English cousins.-Home JournuI.
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