The Van Buren press., 1873-09-30
Dressing Low.
Modest Journal on Lmmodest Bssts.

4 Modest journal on Immodest Basts.
The following costic article from the
Home Journal will be read with varied
feelings: No woman ever dresses low
from high motive. No lady goes TO
the opera CONTINUES the Cosmopolitan
to ball or dinner parties with her bosom
bare tor the purpose Of pleasing her hus-
band or aiIlan0ed lover! Neither does
she denuds her brests for the gratihca-
tioa Of her own sex What can be the
motive for the " scandalons undressing"
in public? Let us treat this delicate
subject philosophically yet fcarlsssly.
We readily confess that there Is nothing
so exquisilly beautiful on earth ~ the
bust OF beautiful woman. And fer this
very reason II should not be cxpossd -
the wanton gaze Of vulgar eyes. No wo-
man who truly loves her husband ever
desires to exhibit her charms, sacred,
secret, and sweet and precious" to any
eye but his. And yet what do We see. or
rather, what do wo not see, in the shape
of naked arms, shoulders, back and bos.
oms at every gathering among what 10
called the "best society,"" One 10 con-
tinually reminded Of tho sarcasm OF DIR.
Franklin, nearly hundred years ago,
whe, when present at one Of these gath
erings of undrcssed English women. was
asked il he had ever seen anything like "
before, bIushingly replied, mot since 10
was weaned' But We need not dwell
on the fact nj the existence Of this fash
ionabc scandal Let us strike at ths
root Of this immoral custom Of "low
dressing y Tn motive, as we have said,
is not good one We have heard men
who consider themselves connoisseurs
these exhibitions OF female nudity de.
clare that they like to see it, but would
not like to see their own wives half naked
in public" No man who properly pri-
zes and appreciates his wife ever did OF
ever will like to see his better half Ok
posing her naked bust in public. It's
clear and conclusive, then, that this low
neckcd fashion never was designed or
followed for the delectation Of husbands.
And even women will always "pick to
pieces" the most aadacious undresssd
belle Of the ball Why, then, do women
indulge in this immodest, immoral and
unhealthy style OF dresss One is afraid
to press the question to an hsnest, logi-
cnl solution. Tho true answer Is derog-
story 10 women.
She bares her bus. 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
tho mirror in the character OF a statue Vi
vanta 1t is, In plain English, simply the
fashion and art OF seduction. There
we have got the word out which has long
been sticking in our throat Dccollets
dresses are only llt to be worn by wan
tons who arc sufficiently honest to con-
fcss their purpose. On the score OF
health the fashion cannot be too severely
denounced.
How many fatal cases Of consumption
have been caused by sudden exposure to
chill midnight air, on coming out OF
steaming ball rooms and orera-houses,
with the most vital parts OF the body un.
On the tombstone Of many
a beautiful woman might be truthfully in
scribed "Death from low necked
dresses Turning again to the moral
aspect Of tho folly, 1t is no exageration
to say that more cases OF seduction,
elopement and domestic ruin have arisen
from these wanton temptations than from
all other social causes.
The apples Of Eve are too tempting 10
the hungry eyes Of our yielding Adams.
Therefore, lot all modest women remem
Der the injunction Of the poet
" Hide, oh. hide those hills Of snow!''
And also remember that fine form,
well and completely dressed, piqncs the
and cxeites far more intel