The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-06-20
Fanny Fern on Dress.

When I say that the street dress
Of the majority of respectable wo-
men of New York to-day is DISCUS
ting, but freely express my emo
tions. 1 say respectable woman,
and yet, save to them who know
them to be such, their appearance
| leaves a large margin for doubt.
/ The clown at circus wears not 4
more stunning or particolored cos
tune; in fact he has the advantag,
of being sufficiently "taut'-to use q
nautical phrase-not to interfere
with locomotion; while theirs-what
with disgusting humps upon their
hacks, and big rosettes upon their
sides and shoulders, and loops, and
folds, and buttons, and clasps, and
hows upon heir skirts, and striped
satin petficOats, all too short to hide
often clumsy ankles-and more col
ors and shades of colors heaped up
on one poor little fashion ridden
body than ever we're gathered in on4
rainbow and all this worn without
,egard to temperature, Oh time, on
piace-l say this presents a spectacle
which is too disheariening even tO
be e0mical One cannot smile at the
young girls whoarc, one day-Heav-
en- help theln--tO he wives anal mO5h
ers. Wives and mothcrsl / say To
myself, as | see the threat and neck
with only the protection OF a gold
Iocket between itself aud the cold
4
eTs! | say, as l see them running
their feet and throwing their ankles
out OF shape in the vain endeavor to
walk on their heels like corks fas-
tened far into the middle Of the sole
of their boots; ami those boots So.
high upon the calf Of the leg and so
tightly buttoned across it that cir
cuiation is stopped, and violent
headaches follow. Wives and moth
ers! 1 say, as l see the heating and
burdensome pannier tackled on the
most delicate portion Of q woman
frame, TO make still surer confirmed
invalidism. What fathers, hus-
bands, brothers, lovers, can he think
ing about to be willing that the wo-
man they love and respect should
appear in public looking like women
whom they despise, is Il marvel t.
me. Why they do not say this to
them, aud shame them into a decent
appearance-if their glasses tannot
effect i'll do not know. Oh, the
relief it is to meet lady. instcad ot
a ballet-girl Oh, the relief it is to.i
see Il tirmstepping, rosy, broad-ches
ted, bright eyed woman clad simply
with dress all of one color, ami tree
from punches and tags. l turn to
look at such a one with true respect
that she has the good taste t. APP
pear on the street in q dress befittiug
the street.
If seem to speak harshly, it is /
because / feel earnestly on this sub
ject. l had hoped that the wo-
men of 1872 would have been worthy 1
of the day in which they live / |
had hoped that all time would not /
have been spent in keeping up with /!
the chameleon change of fashion,
too ugly, too absurd tor toleratioH. |
1t is because l want them to be |
to do something higher /
and nobler than peacock might /
aim at that | turn heartsick away !
from these infnitesimal fripperics /
that narrow the soul and purse, and |
leave nothing in their wake but /
Nor is it necessary, in |
avoiding all this, that a woman
should look strong minded as the
bughear phrase goes. 1t is not ne
ccssary she should dress like her
grandmother in order TO look like a
decent woman. Itis not necessary
she should forswear ornament, be
cause iJ were better and more re
spectacle to have it cOufined 20
testal and home occasions and less
10 public promenade. she is not
driven to the alternative of muifling
herself like an omnihus driver in
January, or catching the consump
ton with her throat protected only
by a gold locket. On, / wish that
a beyy OF young and hand girls,
Of good social position, would inau-
yurate plain, lady like costume for
street and church wear. say young
and handsome, because il an old
woman does this, the little chits toss
heir heads and say, oh, she has
had her day and doesn't care now
and we want ours" Now that ;
perfectly natural, and right, too. that
5ou should have your youth; that
you should, as girls say, make the
most of yourselves, bat in doing
50 don't you think it would be well
lOt to lessen or cheaper yourselves?
md I submit, with all Difference to
your dressmakers and mammal, that
very one of you who appears IN
public in the manner l have descrih-
ID is doing this very thing--is de |
Hing womanhoOd, and bringing il
nto derision and contempt, whether
-ou believe it Or not