The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-07
0A1EY .Ta1URNA L
NE FOLLIEs Ole FAhWION
Severe Structures on HIgh-heeled
Boots, Hall. Dyes, Naked Neeks, Etc.

Severe Structures on High-heeled
Boots, Hair Dyes, Naked Neeks, Etc.
Another hurtful and ridiculous fash
ion is In the high heeled boots, which
have again worked round from our
great grandmOthers A slight heel
is an advantage in walking, but these
high heels, with the excessively
small surface and the sharply bev-
eled sides, make walking a serv-
ice of pain and difficulty. Be-
sides, they destroy the shape of the
leg, which is something to be consid-
cred. Theysthrow the weight,forWard
and they strain on the shin, and con-
sequently they diminish the back mus :
Gle, the calf, and convert the fore part
into an ugly bow. The shape OF our
shoes and boots is itself an outrage
against common sense. but we woman
are not alone IN this absurdlty, nor
are we to blame, so that as the papers
deal with our own fOllies specially, we
may be lot off without any personal
and peculiar TeprOot therefor.
Bat what can we say of the fashion
which dyes the hair, paints the cheeks,
blaekens the eyeli6s with anthony to
make the orbit look larger and the
lashes longer, or that expands the
pupils with belladonna, no matter at
what cost of complexion or future eye
sight? What, too, can we say of the
fashion which uncovers the arms and
neck in the evening, after having
clothed them through the day in fam
mel or velvet. or in warm wadded
stuffs? Woman, threatened with
bronchitis or rheumatism sit all day
in warm room muffied up to the
throat in thick material; at night
they uncover below their shoulders,
and 90 out in the cold winter air with
lust an opera cloak thrown over their
shiveriDg skins. But this is fashion
and none of rs dare disobey it; none
of US dare 90 out iE the even-
ing with dresses made after the pat
tern Of our morning ones, or wear in the
morning low bodies aud short sleeves,
to at least equalize the risk andinure Us
~ the evening attire without damage.
There is no intrinsic reason why we
should not be sitting in low bOdices
~ and short sleeves at this yerymoment,
though we will make it 10 O'Clock;
but If we we're, We should be thought
mad or bad, or both, and not even
onr staunehest friends would stand
nv us. But wholly Que thing or the
other would be a wiser system than
the present, and would be productive
If fewer catarrhs, bronchial affections
and consumptions. All it is a sad
thought which springs up from that
last world If we could only see, as
those removed from our own sphere
would see, the criminal folly of sacri !
Rcing beautiful and valuable lives TO
the fashion which imposes naked
neeks as rule for evening oostumes2
Many a sweet young creature, who
would have lived into happy old age
NJ a beloved wife and happy mother,
has gone to an early grave because OF
that ball or that party at which she
caught cold from exposure. But fash
ion SO willed it; and neither mother
nor daughter had strength to resist
her impalpable but absolute DEGREES.
We all obey her, young and old
alike, those who should keep their
beauties sacred, and those who have
none to show-the delicate who have
to be kept alive by art and care-the
lean who are too ugly for any one to
find pleasure in the compilation of
their ankles-the wrinkled and the
gross we oil parade ourselves In even
ing society without more disguise
than bit Of eauze or lace can give
and only very few of US that, which,
even when well on into the fifties, we
consider it quite superfuous for any,
thing to be gained by concealment.
As 70 the extent to which we cut
down our bodiees, that is matter too
patent and too painful to be discussed,
tits a race among us who shall wear
the dress lowest and show the largest
expanse of shoulder. And yet we mean
on harm we mean oaly to be fashion
able. That is the worst of 1T.
The incest woman among us-pure,
high-minded woman, who would die
rather than be guilty Of improperly,
if it appeared like an in prOprlety to
them, and whose very innocence makes
that unsupieious of evil, yet become
accustomed, as every one must, more
or less, to an Objectionable fashion.
and follow it 10 pure simplicity OF
nature, as a thing without meaning or
effect. Also the incest women among
ms are just those who always follow
who have not sufficient bOldness OF
mind or manner 10 make a public pro-
test against anything Endorsed by the
majority women who are not touch
ed by the evil of a baleful custom,
and by whose own purity is elimena-
ted the poison of misehievous fash
ion. They follow, and their moral
support holsters up the bad habit
and gives cOuntenance to the bad fol.
lowers thereof. But what can We
say when originality is still censurec
rs unwomanly, and o public protest
be it even against evil, is set down as
strong minded aud unfeminineP