The Osceola times., 1881-08-20
Tight Lacing.
London Telegraph.


Those who in the interests Of health
symmetry, and good taste Indignantly
protest against the present monstrou.
mama oi ught-lacing might be induced
to despair of ever finding an attentive
ear lent to their presentations. did not
history remind us that in more than one
epoch of civilization the serpent of tight
laCing, although only scorched, and not
killed, has been for time satisfactorily
beaten under foot.
About a hundred years ago Button
and Jean Jacques Rousseau lifted up,
with tremendous emphasis, their voice
against female "tour ,andines" corps
a baleines" of their time-stays which
may be terseiy defined as "hour-glass"
ones. The citizens of Geneva vigorously
denounced the corrupted taste which
maintained that the figure is excellent
in proportion to the narrowness of the
waist; while his efforts and those Of
Button were vigorously seconded by an
anonymous pamphlet with the alarming
title: Degradation Of the Human Race
by the Use of Nhalebone Stays, which
are against the laws of nature, are ton.
duclve TO the depopula'iOn of the coun-
try, and subject humanity from its earli-
est years of existence 10 unspeakable
tortures."
"Gourgandines", corps baleines," :"
and other engines of torment of the
corset species dil not-in France, lat least
long survive these bold onslaughts;
and among many other instances and
impostures swept away bv the French
revolution were tIghtly-laced stays.
Europe enjoyed a surcease of these hid
eous and painful devices for space OF
nearly thirty years. With the pseudo
Grecian costume introduced by the
painters DAVID and Girodet de Roussy
no stays at all were worn, but in their
stead was borrowed from antiquity the
"mamlllare, ,"-the Greek "apodismos, p
a mere Oand of soft leather girt around
the bust to support and moderately
restrict the bosom. To the Grecian style
of feminine attire succeeded the era of
very short waists, and, when those
waists were just below the armpits, the
stays were mere buskless jerkins. laced
behind and terminating not far below
the shoulder blades. Unhappily, toward
the close of the reign OF George w.
himself tight-laced monarch, "hour-
glass" corsets resumed their baleful
sway, and wasp waists" came into
fashion. They lasted all through the
reign of William ", but about 1913
sudden reaction took place in favor of
tree as against confined bodice. II was
a wear of revolution, the invention ofthe
crinoline petticoat-afterwards wrongly
ascribed to the Empress Eugenie- was
beginning TO make itself felt; or perhaps
the remonstrance of Harrison, Winslow
and other doctors. had borne good, albeit
tardy, fruit. At all events, so long as
crinoline and hooped skirts enjoyed their
empire. tight-acing was under a cloud
and ladies of independent liberal
opinions would often beast that they
wore no stays at all.
At the present time 1t NAV be unhesl-
tatingly maintained that tight-lacing of
the most exaggerated and most pernic'
ious order is more prevalent than ever;
aud that the only ladies whose corsagcs
are sensible are the unhappy aesthetics,
so odious to the souls of Mr.. Burnand
and Mr.. Du Maurier. Costumes initiated
from Sandro Botticello or Carlo Criyclli
scarcely comprehend "hour-glass 'corsets
and "wasp" waists. How long the
existing madness for tight-lacing will
endure il is impossible TO foretell.
Meanwhile the ladies who indulge in the
silly practice may derive what solace
they can from the reminder that wasp"
waists are not admired, butare laughed
Mt. by men of sense and taste, and the
obdurate persistence IN tight-lacing
bears remarkably strong resemblance
10 constructive suicide.