Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-29
severe Structures upon High.heeled
Roots, Hair Dyes, Naked Necks.

severe btrlctureb uPOh DiBnnoeAess
Roots, Hair Dyes, Naked Necks.
Another hurtful and ridiculous fashion
is in the high-heeled boots, which have
again worked round from our great grand
mothers. A slight heel is an advantage
in walking, but these high heels, with the
excessively small surface and the sharply
beveled sides, make walking q service Of
pain and difficulty. Besides, they destroy
the shape of the leg, which is something
to be considered. They throw the weight
forward, and they strain on the skin, and
consequently they diminish the back
muscle, the calf of the forepart into an
ugly bow. The shape of our shoes and
boots is 10 itself an outrage against com
mon sense; but we women are not alone
in this absurdiiy, nor are we to blame ;
so that, as the papers deal with our own
folles specially, we may be let off any
personal and peculiar reproof therefor.
But what can we say of the fashion
which dyes the hair, paints tina cheeks,
blackens the eyelids with antimony to
make the orbit look larger and the lashes
longer, or that expands the pupils with
belladonna, no matter at what cost oi
complexion or future eyesight2 What,
too, can we say of the fashion which un-
covers the arms and neck in the evening,
after having clothed them through the
day in flannel, or velvet, or in warm
wadded stuffs? Women threatened with
bronchitis or rheumatism sit ell day long
in a warm room, muffled up to the thro al
in thick MATERIAL at night they uncov er
below their sh oulders, and 20 out in the
cold winter air with just an opera cloak
thrown over their shivering skins. But
this is fashion, and none of us dare dis
obey it; none of US dare 60 out in the
evening with dresses made after the
pattern of our morning ones, or wear in
the morning low bodices and short sleeves
to at least equalize the risk and inure US
to the evening attire without damage.
There is no intrinsic reason why we
should not all be sitting in low bodices
and short sleeves at this very moment,
though we will make it ten o'clock but
if we were we should be thought mad or
bad, or beth, and not even our staunch-
est friends would stand by US. But
wholly one thing or the other would be a
wiser system than the present, and would
be productive of fewer cstarrhs, bronchial
affections and consumptions. Ahi it is
a sad thought which springs up from that
last word If we could only see, as those
removed from our own sphere would see,
the criminal folly of sacrificing beautiful
and valuable lives to the fashion which
imposes naked necks as rule for eve-
ming costume Many a sweet, young
creature who would have lived into
happy old age as q beloved wife and
mother has gone into an early grave be-
cause of that ball or party at which she
caught cold from exposure. But fash
ion so willed it; and neither mother nor
daughter had strength to resist her i'm
palpable but absolute DEGREES.
We will 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 contemplation of their ankles, the
wrinkled and the gross; we all parade
ourselves 10 evening society without more
disguise than bit of guaze or lace can
give, and only very few of us use that,
which, even when well on into the fifties,
we consider quite superhuous for any
thing to be gained by conceslmeRt. As
to the extent to which we cut down our
bodces, that is matter too patent and
too painful to be discussed. 1t is race
among US who shall wear the dress low.
est and show the largest expsnse Of
shoulder. And yet we mean no harm
we mean only to be fashionable. That
is the worst of it.
The incest women among us-pure,
women, who would die
rather than be guilty of improperly, If it
appeared like an improperly to them,
and whose very innocence makes them
uususpicious of evil; yet accustomed, as
every one must be, more or less, to an
fashion, follow it in pure
of nature, as thing without
or effect. Also, the incest
women among US are just those who
always follow-who have not sufficient J
boldness of mind or manner to make a |
public protest against anything endorsed |
oy the msjority-women who are not |
,ouched by the bsleful custom, and by |
whose purity is eliminated the poison Of |
. mischievous fashion. They follow,
md their moral support holsters up the
,ad habit, and gives ceuutenance to the
,ad followers thereof But what can we
Isy when originality is still censured as
and a public protest, be it
wen against evil, is set down as strong
minded and uufeminine T'-BrOadray
HaQdzine.