The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-23
WHAT TO WEAR.
THE DRESS REFORMERs

| The Boston Globe contains the following
account of a recent dress reform convention
| in that city: Just now the Boston women
are busy in the consideration and discussion
of dress reform. A few-d days since the club
held meeting at Freedman Place chapel
for the exhibition of inventions in ladies'
clothing, calculated to give the wearers more
freedom of action and less physical discom-
| fort. No gentlemen were allowed within
sight or hearing; reporters were driven
away with great vehemence; lady reporter
who manifested disposition to take notes.
was summarily walked ont. After brief in |
troductory remarks by the president, the |
ladies who had garments to exhibit were |
called upon. Mrs. r., physician of no little /
local repute and social standing, exhibited
several garments which, she said, she found |
better adapted to her own wants than the !
ordinary female costume: but she would
not recommend them to others, for she
was aware that lady, not menu
Der OF the club, was present, by
invitation, with something far better adapted |
for general use. Mrs. c., another promi- |
nent society lady, took the platform, and
unfolded 70 the gaze of the curious crowd
quite a collection of garments. She also
showed and explained series of ''sus
penders" by which she proposed to support |
hose skirts, etc and a "torm improver,"
with ingenious and complicated straps and
immaculate ruffies. Mrs. c. bright, |
smart woman, and handled and commented
her garments with grace. Mrs. +. came
forward. She took her position on the pull !
pit steps, and instead of holding up limp
white garments for the inspection Of her
hearers. she fist showed them doll about
| two feet in height, which she said repre-
sented the first dress of child when It Is
put in short clothes The principle OF her
invention is an under vest of knit or WOODEN
goods, of any elastic material, to which are
attached bands of q non-elastic or less
elastic material. She said ladies and chill
dren usually wear this garment for warmth
alone, but by the application OF these straps,
which were shown in her model, 1t also
serves as a supporter to hose, etc.. the weight
of the whole being transferred from the
waist and hips to the point of the shoulder,
and the whole of the upper part of the chest.
resting with a uniform and unnoticed
pressure upon the upper part of the body
| Then she showed doll No. 2, which repre-
sented
THE PROPER DRESS OF CHILD
advanced beyond the first stage of dressing.
1t had on loose waist, which, she said,
could be either high or low necked, long or
short sleeved. At the waist, or natural
belt-point of this garment, were two rows of
buttons; one for flannel skirts, etc., and the
it is seperate from the waist In all cases,
she said, the child should be dressed so
loosely at to allow of the raising of is arms
above its head with ease, and the voluntary
adjustment OF the clothes when the arms are
dropped. This waist distributed all the
weight of the clothing, as did the other, upon
the upper part of the shoulders ana chest.
| Doll No. was then exhibited. 1t had on
| lady's uDderdress, which Mrs =. said might
| a u.At. A. AFrC
interrupted to ask, why do you have so
many more tapes on his than on the child's
garments?" To which Mrs. +. replied by
explainging that a lady wears a much great
er weight of clothing, and requires support
| wbic child does not, and she then took
up in detail each tape and button, showing
that she had use for all, and that every
| necessity of lady's costume was provided
| for. She also advised the ladies to use q con-
cave French bone button, for they button
with ease, will hold several button holes on
one button, and never cut the thread, sug
gestions which the ladies seemed to appreci-
ate. After this aggression the exhibitor
proceeded to explain how the garment,
which was without a waistband served as a
support for hose, the weight all depending
on the shoulders as before. In this connec-
ton Mrs. K. said that her own waist meas
ure was % inches, but she made all her belts
a yard long. Mrs. III. here interrupted
again with, 'but, Mrs. f., are you really in
these cIothes?' TO which the answer was:
Yes; l have worn nothing else for more
than year." an announcement which was
greeted with hearty applause. Then Mrs. IL.
questioned again: " Have you really discarded
corsets ?" To which Mrs. +. promptly replied:
; ayes, and weigh 49," which was the sig
nal tor more applause. Another doll. No. 4,
} was then shown, wearing the next stage OF
LADY's UNDERTAKES.
1t was garment combining chenise, I'M
derskirt, corset cover Iif corsets are worm
8 habit skirt, with bosom and undersleeve
with buttons at the wrist to receive cuffs
and at the neck for collar, ruffies, or ruch-
: ing. This remarkable garment, including
so much, was without either gather OF
t. plat, but was graceful and comedy, anC
If created quite a sensation. 1t also served Il
support a hoop skirt, or its equivalent,
: white or other skirt and the skirt of tn,
)f1 dress proper, all depending entirely, as be
1T fore, upon the shoulders for support, ant
n so evenly distributed that there is no undue
1t strain in any direction. In illustration o
e the freedom allowed by this dress, the ex
d hibitor raised her arms above her head a.
l. high as she could reach. saying as she die
d so, ST feel this motion throughout M
/, clothing TO the soles of my feet, and a
1t walk / feel its support in every
le part" The ladies generally expressed
{, their warm approval of this series of gar
1f ments. but Mrs. ID. l.. dissented with con
d siderable emphasis, declaring that the poin
}, of the shoulder was not the proper place fo
Il the support; it should come where man.
le suspenders come, midway between th'
n point of the shoulder and the neck. Mrs
2 Z. defended her position, and assured he
y opponent that If she would call and b,
pr measured she would make her a full suit o
q garments, that she might try them for her
q self. Mrs. +. then hastily put violet dress
ii with an elabrately trimmed skirt on one o
re the dolls, saying that the dress had nothing
re to do with the invention she desired to ex
hibit, but was needed to make something
else plain. She then put upon the doll whs
IN appeared TO be an ordinary waterproof
cloak, its only novelty being that it was Gu
70 In one piece from the point OF the hood t
as the bottom. She presented the model as
&c young lady desiring TO go
xv OUT IN A SEVERE STORM,