New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-02
4" DRESS REFORM."

REVoRMERs' SUGGESTIONS MOSTLY Nor WORTHY OF
ADopuON-NECEssrrY OF RETAINING CERTAIN
DENOUNCED GARS ENTs PROPOSED REFORMS
THAT MAY WISELY be MADE.
70 INC Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: There has been recently held in Chi
cage convention OF women, who agItated the dress re-
form question. and who may have accomplished some
thing from their point Of view, but changes have
yet made them selves manifest These women have
had 1t all their own way for some tme and all women
differ from them have kept entirely silent Now l
think that If women generally told the honest truth
they would say they cared for look OF al
mration or Of appreciation from man they loved or
from in general, than for whole volley OF
language from any woman do not say that women
dress themselves solely win admiration, but it has
great deal do with all their dressing. People are
born with different talents. genus capacity for
practical work. good TASTE &c. and no persons or good
taste will ever make themselves singular in dress-be
cause 1t is not good taste.
The point wish to make is this people born thus
and do the ultra dress reformers imagine that there
would not be just as much abuse Of dress II radical
| change were made as there Is now
Now and long skirts the main points OF at
tack. Will deal with the facts about corseis first
Before my day there may have been tight llcng. don't
know anything about that, bu do know that now Is
the exception 10 Ali woman Un0 wears tight cofsets
daro say there may be uncomfOrta3lY TAT women
/
braiuless girls who lace but they the exceptions
There are very few women who havo corsets
who woud be willing 20 without them, FOR the weight
OF skirts upon the hips Is much greater without them
than with them The cutting sensation Of the bands Is
nt3lerble whether they loose ught. Corse,s en-
trey prevent that feeling because the bones In them
extend over tie hips ami do not allow the weight 70
bear down the flesh Then there sort Of hlbbi-
! ness OF feeling when woman attempts TO put on a
dress without her corses underneath so far rs looks
are concerned 10 ~ Iuto certain that woman who
wears corsots looks than who does not Most
women without look dowdy, in fact they almost
| al have sore Of animated raging appearance; 81,
Now, ABOUT long skirts in th6 street, Freely admit
that II IL an lsVon5AuE lac. INA. , Ly sSsl'n tb
Otherwise neat women 20 d'ag tHeir uIesSoS III tue
and that Is the one point Wuch deserves every
attack made upon IT, for 1t Is positively uiic'edn ana
| very extrayagant T'ar however, IL VIII hfFtr %
he pod until the 80 years up in which all iashons
said lie dormant, and short dresses become again
the decree OF fashion. If could made be-
eve that looked better IN short dresses IN the
the victory would be won Skirts made as fashion
0rf1ns dsmi-trin be l9Oped Ia tue street. are mere
satres The snort skirts for loops slip, and woman
her the ground, but 10 nine cases out OF ten
walks along With her Eir dipping at Intervals even
II It doesn't drag all have apologies 10 offer
tni 1inen w II do ali in their power % hasten the
tine when t will be Considered vulgar TO drag dress
in The street, be 10 slightly. II the refOrmers
gonit only Is keen within bounds, they do much
good ana no sensble woman will FOR one moment deny
they have already done much good OUT they y 70
carry their ideas too far. ,,,.
ally inncs who did not wear tnem nye years
ago but women only thirty years
old who have always taem. All women wear tncker
shoes than years. because in the nrSt place II
IL the dress refOrmerS have without doubt
heped To make the IsmOu-And because - years ago IL
WAS almost mpOSSlOlity 10 tad womaus boot Win
thick sole. FrCncl heels out or style because no
WOMAN could walk in them comfortably. II is fact
that may depended upon that no sensOle woman Is
gong to be maze thoroughly uncomfortable by any part
of her dress 1t said that waists should be worn IN
stead OF corsets held upon the shoulders ana
many advocate the suspension or the stockings rom the
waist by means of classics Now consider Ihat any
thing but reform, because there Is constant pulilnZ
downward and forward, and 1t is very uncOmfortaDe
indeed II is that the weight or the skirts shOuld
be essenod by suspendinR the as men suspend tneIr
pautaOOns Now, do nos think put IL too low when
say that there about five women out or nun
bred who can wear suspeners and not be thoroughly
uncomfortable all the time. There are very few women
| whose shoulders square enough ~ hoId them up
| firmly as they stay upon mems shoulders. Wlth the
ninsty-lve it Is constant "pul-pu" 10 got them up
| where they belong, and the unhappy Wearers either
koep IN a frantic and ungraceful grasplng aG either
shoulder or else they undress half dozen times DAY
ami take I'D the suspenders by no means helpng tne
difficulty, but ouly creating greater STRAIN on IAs
shoulders and back. $500. 4. !.
| Now think l have been fair. have meant to DO
| thoroughly So l have admitted all tne good think
these Conventions nave done Us or ever VIII 90 No. ouI
| we do wish they would stop now nave heard these
opinions expressed great times. have only put
| them into writing. a COSsEHfAIlfA NOAA"
| SDringtisld Mass. Dec. 10. 1874.