The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-08-02
Dressing Low.

No woman ever dresses low from a
high motive. No lady goes to the Ope-
Ia CONTINUES the COsmOpOlitan), to balls
nor dinner parties with her bosom bare,
for the purpose of pleasing her husband
or her atfianced lover. Neither does
she denude her breast for the gratifca-
tiOn Of her own sex. What, then, can
be the motive for this scandalous un-
dressing in public? Let us treat this
delicate subject philosOphically, yet
fearlessly. We readily confess that
there is nothing so eXQuisitly beautiful
on earth as the form, the bust of
beautiful woman. And for this very
reason it should not be exposed to the
wanton gaze of vulgar eyes. No Woman
who truly loves her husband ever de-
sircs to exhibit her charms Sacred, Sc
crct, sweet and precious" to any eye but
his. And yet what do we see, in the
shape of naked arms, shoulders, backs
and bosoms at every evening gathering
among what is called "the best society 2"
One is continually reminded of the sar-
casm Of DIR. Franklin, nearly one hun
dred years ago, who when present at
one of these gatherings of Wdressed
! English women, was asked If he had
ever seen anything like it before, blush
| ingly replied, "nOtsince he was Weaned.n
| But we need not now dwell on the fact
of the existence of this fashionable
scandal. Let us strike at the root of
this immoral custom of Glow dressing.n
The motive as we have said, is not a
good one. We have heard men who
consider themselves cOnnoisseurs at
these exhibitions of female nudity de-
clare that they "like to see it, but would
not like to see their own wives half max
ed i'll public" No man who properly
prizes and appreciates his wife ever did,
or ever will like to see his better half ex-
posing her naked bust in public. 1t is
nCcked fashion never was designed OF
followed for the delectatiOn Of husbands.
And even women will always "picz to
pieces" the most audaciOus am dressed
belle Of the ball. Why, then, dOwOmen
indulge i'll this immOdest, immoral and
unhealthy style of dress? One is afraid
to press the question to an honest, lOgi-
cal solution. The true answer is derOg-
atory to woman. She bares her bust tC
excite something more than envy in wo-
man and admiration in men. And this
she knows full we'll when she looks al
her undraped form in the mirror in the
} character OF statue vivante. 1t is, il
plain English, simply the fashion anC
| CIle alG OF S6uuCJlOn. 1nGr6-W0 nave
got the word out which has long beer
sticking in our throat Decollett,
dresses are only fit to be worn by wan
tons, who are sufficiently honest to con
fess their purpose. On the score 0
) health the fashion cannot be too severe
r ly denounced. How many fatal case
j.. of consumption have been caused b,
, sudden exposure to the chill midnigh
= air, on coming out of steaming bal
: rooms and opera houses, with the mos
vital part of the body unprotected? o.
? the tombstone of many a beautiful wo
, man might be truly inscribed, deaf
$ from lOw-necked dresses. Turnin
| again to the moral aspect of the folly
l it is no exaggeration to say that NOR
t cases Of seduction, elopement and do
e mestic ruin have arisen from these wan
s ton temptations than from all other sociG
l causes. The apples Of Eve are to
: tempting to the hungry eyes of on
yielding Adams. Therefore, let a
e modest women remember the iniun(
: ton of the poet
e Hide, oh hide those hills of SNOW"
y And also remember that a fine form
,. well and completely dressed, piques tn
], imagination and excites far more inte
1t lecttal admiration than only hal
Is covered bodies, however perfect the Ou
,, lines and soft the surface may be.
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