The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-29
Fanny Fern on woman,s Fashions.

When say that the street dress of the ma
jority of respectable women of New York to-
day Is disgusting, but feebly express my
emotions. 1 say the respectable women, and
yet, save to them who know them to be such,
their appearance leaves wide margin for
doubt. The clown at q circus wears not
more stunning or parti-colored costume; in
fact, his has the advantage ofbeing sufficient
ly "taut''-to use a nautical phrase-not to
interfere with loeomotion; while theirs
what with disgusting humps upon their backs
and big rosettes upon their shoulders, and
loops, and folds, and buttons, and clasps, and
bows upon their skirts, and striped satin pet
ticoats, all too short to hide often clumsy an
kles--and more colors and shades of colors
heaped upon one poor, little, fashion-ridden
body than ever were gathered in one rain
bow--and all this worn without regard to
temperature, or time, or place. say this
presents a spectacle which is too dishearten-
ing even to be comical. One can not smile at
the young girls who are, one day-Heayen
help them-to be wives and mothers! say
to myself, as / see the throat and neck with
only the protection of gold locket between
itself and the cold autumnal winds. Wives
and mothersi say, as see them running
their feet and throwing their ankles out of
shape in the vain endeavor to walk on their
heels like corks, fastened far into the middle
of the sole of their boots; and those boots so
high upon the calf of the leg, and so tightly
buttoned across it, that circulation is stopped,
and violent headaches follow. Wives and
mothers say, as / see the heating and bur-
densome panier tackled on the most delicate
portion of woman's frame, to make still
surer confirmed inyalidism.
Oh, the reliefit Is to see healthy, firm
stepping, rosy, broad-chested. bright-eyed wo-
man, clad simply with a dress all of one color,
and free from punches and tags! / turn to
look at such an one with true respect, that
she has the good sense and courage and good
taste to appear on the streets in a dress be-
fitting the street; leaving to those poor,
wretched women whose business it is to ad-
vertise their person free field without COM
petition. If seem to speak harshly, 1t is be
cause feel earnestly on this subject. Nor is
il necessary, in avoiding all this, that q wo-
man should look "strong-minded' as the bug
bear phrase goes. 1t is not necessary that
she should dress like her grandmother in or
der to look like a decent woman. 1t Is not
necessary to forswear ornamentation, because
it were better and more respectable to have it
confined to festal and home occasions, and
less to the public promenade. She Is not
driven to the alternative of muffiing herself
like an omnibus driver in January, or catch
ing consumption with her throat protected
only by gold locket. [Oh, wish that bevy
of young and handsome girls, OF good social
position, would inaugurate a plain, ladylike
costume for street and church wear. say
young and handsome, because if an old wo-
man does this, the little chits toss their heads
and say, "Oh! she has had her DAY ana
doesn't care now-and we want ours" now
that's perfectly natural and right, too, that
YOU should have your youth; that you should,
as girls say, make the most 9l yourse,xeS ,,,S
we'll n not to lessen or cheaper yourselves? and
submit, with !all Difference to youF dress
makers and mammas, that every one of You
who appear in public in manner have de-
scribed are doing this very thing-are defiling
womanhood,, and bringing it into derision
and contempt, whether you believe it or not