Sharp County record., 1877-09-28
On Dressing Sensibly.

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sense. IN an one when they consented to
hide little feet and big feet indiscrimin-
ately in bi, :, ugly brogans of boots; and
there il no ;, loubt that it was larger
step towards real emancipation than
was obtained by the celebrated declara-
ton of indepen, 1ence and equality which
are foreign to "a e very nature of things,
and never can eX list, though all the pa
per in the world was employed to assert
them; and there is more sturdy inde-
pendence about pair OF great, ugly
boots than in cart-l Dad OF documents.
English girls and women are strongly
ridiculed by American women abroad
for their big feet and ugty shoes, but |
think it is more question of size of
shoes than of feet. Our girls have small
enough feet, but they choose their
shoes, as they do their gloves, a size
too small, and step-fOr they break
down in walk-as if cramped. An
English girl, on the contrary, is perfect
ly Oblivious of her feet. They do not
look so dainty, it must be confessed, on
the promenade, as those of all Ameri-
can girls; but then she evidently does
not take them out for exhibition on the
street-She takes them out for use; and
uncovered, | have a suspicion that they
would be whittier, softer, and smoother
than those of most American girls,
which are nearly always diSfgured by
corns, bunions, or OvergrOwn joints.
Shall we ever dare, | wonder, to wear
useful shoes, like men, without refer
ence to their looks? think | should
be better pleased to see them doing that
universally, and as matter of course,
than polling a vote, for in it would be
more of future health, happiness and
help for them. Not that | want women
to cease to be beautiful, but ones ideas
change about beauty. Take men on the
average, and they are handSOmer as men
than women are as women. They have
lost nothing by throwing aside gewgaws
and tight boots, but they have gained
much. The other day | saw the pictures
of man and woman taken twenty-five
years apart, at the time they were mar
ried and on their silver-wedding day.
Her face was sweet, intelligent and hon
est; his, immature and raw. But what
a change in twenty-five years! His, no.
bic, much handsomer than when he was
young, full of the evidences of growth
and opportunity; hers, weak, faded,
wanting outline, color, vitality, nothing
apparently behindit, evidently u "cared
for" woman, whose life had spent itself
in little efforts to do and be exactly like
her neighbors. Useful boots, when she
was young, would have given her exer-
else, strength. freedom, and changed
the whole character of herphysiognomy,
besides imparting better life to her
children. 1t is a comfort to see how
quickly American girls get the nonsense
taken out of them when they go abroad
for purpose, to work and study for ex-
ample, with only little money and
great desire to make the most of their
chances. In the British Museum, in
London, and the Museum of the Louvre,
or Palace of the Luxembourg, in Paris,
they may be seen induStriously copying
in short, dark skirts, a blouse belted in
round the waist, dark felt hat, and hair
cut short, no gloves, and shoes of q
kind that will permit them to walk or
stand on the hard, bare stone floors.
American girls at home are also be-
ginning to learn that there is something
in the world besides dress. One, a
school-teacher, wrote letter recently,
asking for design by which she could
make up dresses which would not look
eccentric, but which would be useful,
convenient, and available for two or
three years, or until the clothes were
worn out. She said she was determined
to dress hereafter without reference to
fashion, make her garments when it was
cOnvenient-that is, during the months
of vacatiOn-and her dresses so they
should be good for two years at least,
using no fanciful styles or trimmings,
but better materials than she had been
accustomed to use, so that color and
texture would remain firm. She said
she was quite determined to do this,
and see if she could not rid her mind of
clothes. And young married friend
had, with the consent of her husband,
agreed to keep her in countenance by
doing exactly the same. That is a little
bit of true heroism which girl is work
ing out for herself, and, as she believes,
by herself, in Western village, where,
by the way, it is much more difficult to
do it than in great city, where few
know or care for you.
She does not know that not only the
more sensible and intelligent of the
great and growing army of professional
women do the same thing, but the high
est danes of France-France that sup
plies the world with ideas in fashion. If
one will stop to think for moment, it
will be seen that the dress of grand
dame is as restricted in one way as the