The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-01-03
About COrsets.

that only the weather rivals It. Why
we are such corset bound race Of wo-
men is a problem that many of the suf-
ierers have tried to solve. Yet in the |
year eighteen hundred and seventy.two
it scarcely approaches solution. There
has been progress, however. The mind
Of man OF woman cannot contemplate !
any question so long without advancing
toward its comprehension.
It is not often, however. that any
complaint Of the present state of things
drifts far enough out for the great public I,
to hear; hut notice in a late number of
the Hearth and Home that this complaint
has found a voice, and there is also
call for information in regard TO this
subject. So / offer few remarks about
corsets in general. and some corsets in
particular.
There was a time when the wearing of
corsets was by no means confined to the
iarer sex. When the martial spirit
ruled the world the corset had its place
under the armor, and when the srmor
was laid aside for the gay dslliance Of
the courts, the corset was still hidden
under the velvet and lace of the per-
fumed gallants. But when men began
to wrestle with the powers of nature and
subdue her instead of one another, they
solved the question that now troubles the
feminine mind by laying aside their cor
sets altogether. Having once experienced
tie deli lhts of freedom from this bond
age, it is scarcely probable they will ever
resume them. suppose tina: some of
my readers can remember in childhood
some one individual Of whom it was ru-
mored that his tapering waist Il corset
confined, and who was gGzed at in great
astonishment and some awe. These
were the connecting links with the far
past; but, believe, this genus is now
entirely extinct.
As for the women, there is no question
| hat we have also taken some steps to-
ward the light. Whoever has rumaged
in old chests full Of noth-eaten iinery
has doubtless come across Il pair OF the
stays our grandmother wore. | have
sound them. They were two feet anl 8
half at the very least. in length in the1
front was board three inches wide; two
siinilar oues held the laces in place in the
hack, and whalehsnes, many and various,
ran in all directions. What wonderful
things they were Almost things of
beauty, but f,rtunstcly not to be enjoyed
fcreverl Indeed, realizing as we do hov
difficult il is to escape from the tyranny
Of custom, we ought to be very very
thankful We are not our own grapdmoth-
ers.
But it is the corset Of to-day with
which we have to do. How many hon.
lilies have we each listened to on the SIN
of corset wearing; and how fruitless have
they all been, because the real objection
able point ives not at issue. Every self
constituted preacher has enlarged on the
evils of tigitldeing; and we have all VOW
cd, with our hands across the breast, that
we do not and never did lace at all, in
the sense in which the word is generally
used; and although we are not believed,
We are telling the truth all the time, for
most women of the present. day do not
and never did lace. Wasp-like waists
have gone out of fashion. The majority
of women, therefore, know that their
corsets are by no means tight. The fact
is selfevident. Assured on that point of
our perfect innocence, we insist that the
corset without tight-lacing) are neces-
sity. They give not only physical but
moral support to our backs; with them
we fell strong and erect; without them,
we are as limp as rag. and utterly worth
less. Take away then, il necessary, our
jewelry, our velvets. and laces, but oh |!
leave us our cOrsets! Thus we think,
but nevertheless, we are not comfortable
in our present style of dress on the con-
trary, we are very uncomfortable. And
We know very well that the trosble is in
our corsets.
Many have been the ingenious minds
that have endeavored to compass this
mystery. No less a person than Mrs.
Hyacinthe Loyson invented new cor
set with all the modern improvements;
but still we are in the tolls, though a
person called Madame Fry has, think,
more nearly succeeded than any one, yet
don't entirely believe in Madame Fry.
The tirst requisite for a corset is that
the support Of the cloths should depend
from the shoulders instead Of the hips.
This support most co,sess do moi give,
and 80 little is the Importance Of this re-
c, gnized. that the ladies who are under
the constant care of distinguished physi-
clans still wear,unrebuked by them, their
several skirts, some Of them heavily
trimmed, hanging on their hips. This
is bad enough in healthy women, but
criminal in invalids. Some coysets are
supported by rubber bands over the
shoulders. Madame Fry's are made
thus. and, moreover, have an arrange
ment in the back for further support.
But straps themselves are injurious, hur-
ting the delicate muscles. In addition,
the most pliable busks are stillan injury,