New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-31
Dressing Low.

From the Home Journal.
No woman ever dresses low from high
motive. No lady goes to the opera icon.
tinues the Cosmopolitan, to balls nor dinner
parties with her bosom bare, for the pur,
nose of plea asing her husband or her atfianced
lover! Neither does she denude her breast
for the qualification Of her own sex. What
can be the motive for 'this scandalOus un-
dressing in public9 Let US treat this deli
cate subject philosophically, yet fearlessly.
We readily confess that there is nothing
90 exauisitely beautiful on earth as 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
desires to exhibit her charms sacred,
secret and sweet and precious to any
eve but his. And yet what do we see, or
rather, what do we not see, in the shape OF
naked arms, shoulders, backs, and bosoms
at every evening gathering among what is
called the "best society" One is contln-
ally reminded of the sarcasm of DR.. Frank
lin, nearly 100 years ago, who, when pres
ent at one of these gatherings OF undressed
English women, was asked if he had ever
seen anything like it before, blushingly re-
Piled, mot since he was weaned.' But we
need not now dwell on the fact of the ex-
istence of this fashionable scandal. Let US
slow dressing" 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, declare that
they "like to see it, but would not like to see
their own wives half naked in public" No
man who properly prizes and appreciates
his wife ever did, or ever will. like TO see
his better half exposing her naked bust In
public. 1t is clear and conclusive, then,
90 a1,. 10
signed or followed for the delectation OF
husbands. And even women will always
..pick to pieces the most audacious un-
dressed belle of the ball. Why. then. dc
women indulge in this immOdest. immoral
and unhealthy style of dress One is
afraid to press the question to an honest,
logical solution. The true answer is derOga-
tory to woman.
She bares her bust to excite something
more than envy in woman and admiration
in men And this she knows full well when
she looks at her undraped form in the mir
rOr in the character of a statue ctr0flte. IL
is, in plain English. simply the fashion and
the art of seduction. There-we have got
the word out which has long been sticking
in our throat Decollete dresses are only tit
to be worn by wAatons who are sufficient
ly honest to confess their purpose. On the
score of health the. fashion can not be too
severely denounced.
How many fatal cases of consumption
have been caused by sudden exposure to
chill midnight air, on coming out Of steam
ing ball rooms and opera houses, with the
most vital part Of the body unprotected
ON the tombstone of many a beautiful wO-
man might be truthfully inscribed. death
from loW-necked dresses." Turning again
to the moral aspect of the folly, it Is no ex-
a s0verafion to cav that more cases OF sednc-
ton, elopement and domestic ruin have
arisen from these wanton temptations than
from all other social causes.
The apples Of Eve are too tempting to
the hungry eyes Of our yielding Adams.
Therefore, let all modest women remember
the injunction of the poet
..Hide. oh. hide those hilss OF snow"
And also remember that fiDe form, yell
and completely dressed, piques the ima9ina-
tion and excites far more intellectuA ad-
mir4tion than only half-coyered bodiea
howeycf, perfect the outlines and SOFT the
turfDne ms : -