The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-12-12
NEW FASHIONS FOR WOMEN.

"Faith Rochester, in the Household
Department of the american Agriculturist,
writes:
They say that our fashions for feminine
garments have long srpung from a very
impure source, hence they have been sense
less and demoraliZing in every way. The
fast women Of France have led us long
enough, and new era has already begun.
Few women, comparatively, have any idea
of the excellent work for humanity that
the women's clubs are doing. They seem
to have the real welfare of women at heart,
and have entered earnestly upon practical
work of the utmost mportance-dress-r
form In Boston and in New York, and
in some other cities East and West, the
women of the best intellectual culture and
social standing, authors, artists, physicians,
teachers, lecturers, and wives of eminent
men, have set to work to invent the most
healthful and comfortable articles of dress
for women, and to secure their adoption.
The ignorance of women generally, of the
first principles Of healthy living, stands
chiefly in the way: SO lectures on physi-
ology, with especial reference to dress, are
to be given free to women and to school
girls BY and by, We are to have tracts
upon the subject scattered through the
country. The Dress Committee of the New
England Women's Club seek to make the
changes in woman's dress as uuobtrusive
as possible. They begin with the under
garments. Those of the old style, which
they utterly condemn, are the chemise and
the corset. Those they entirely abandon.
The principles which they attempt to carry
out are these-perfectly free action for the
vital organs, thus abolishing all tight fitting
waists and all tight bands around the waist;
an equaliZing of the heat of garments over
the entire body, thus lessening the amount
of cloth worn over the lower part of the
body, and increasing it upon legs and arms;
reduction of the weight of the clothing
by making skirts as few and light as pos
sible; the supporting of all clothing from
the shoulders, by attaching skirts to waists
or suspenders.
The garments already devised, which
embody these principles, are the Chemiloon
and the Gabrielle underskirt The first
is made Of flannel or cotton, a long seeved
waist and drawers in one, covering the
person from waist to ankles. Outer draw
ers may be buttoned to these. The stock
ings drawn over the long drawers fitting at
the ankle, are fastened with safety pins or
with buttons on the drawers. No carriers
are allowed, because these hinder the cir
culation of the blood. The Gabrielle I'M
derskir. is made Of white cotton usually,
gored from shoulder to hem, after the plain
Gabrielle pattern rather loosely fitting, and
sufficiently short and scant. The outer
skirts button upon it, so arranged that one
band does not lie over another. If hoop
is worn, land this is recommended, as it
keeps the folds of the skirts from clogglng
the limbs in walking, and holds the tops
of the other skirts SO as to prevent undue
hon Of hn a1x-ic md
should be a stout button hole in the middle
Of the back of the hoop band, to fasten
upon strong button on the back seam of
the underskirt waist. On each side of this
button-hole place the buttons for holding
common suspenders, placing the front but
tons Just over the firm side Examinations of
the upper hoops. This brings the suspen-
ders back under the arms, SO that they do
not interfere with the bust. The balmoral
may rest upon this hoop, with 4 binding
made in semi circular shape, so as to lie
upon the skeleton below its binding.
For outer dress the plain Gabrielle pat
tern is recommended, not too full in the
skirt, and lightly trimmed if trimmed at
all. This for the house dress; and an added
polonase or overskirt and short sack for
the street.
Thus do the educated American women
advise us to dress, ana their recompenda-
tions are worthy of good heed. In cold
weather more than one pair of Chemiloons
at time is advised, one perhaps of flannel
and one of cotton, or two of wool if more
comfortable. All hail the Chemiloon say
l. and l suppose that l am not the only
obscure woman, who quietly discarded one
OF the garments. utterly condemned by the
New England Woman'S Club long ago, for
long slceved and high pecked shirts, and
who never has worn the other instrument
of torture