The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-02
DECoLLETE DRESSING.
A Subject Now Agitating London's Draw
ing-Rooms.
london Letter to San francisco Argonnut.


London Letter to San Francisco Argonaut.
In England the female evening or full dress is,
and always has been, de rigueur, decollete 1t
is the established court dress of the English
court, and there has never been sovereign so
strict in the rules and regulations which enforce
its observance as is Queen Victoria. The Queen
herself in her best days was never alarmingly
reluctant as to the extent of her own display of
those womanly charms. with the possession of
which she is in no small degree accredited. Her
daughters, too, when in evening dress, are quite
lavish in exhibition. Especially may this be said
to be the case with the Princess Louise. The
Princess of Wales makes a great mistake
In dressing so low In many harmless things
an avowed prude her bodices are not only
among the most decollete in England but she
has way of hoisting up her shoulders that,
aside from giving the appearance of effort on
her part to crawl through, shows the complete
contour Of both arms between the top of the
bodice and the shoulder joint One could per
haps, forgive her this trick if the result were
satisfactory in other respects. But her neck is
bony and scraggy to degree. What surprises
one most is that she should be as fond as she
IS OF being photographed in semi-statuesque
fashion
Gladys, Countess of Lonsdale, has a beauti
full neck, and a bust which, to once see as she
graclously condescends to unveiI it. would
make one regard as a species of vandalism any
movement of fashion directed to even a soup
con OF its future obscurity. Mrs. CORVALLIS
West is now getting decidedly passee; but in
her best days, about three or four years ago
she dressed as aseollete as-well, as decollete
as everybody drNsSes now: but at the time she
was considerably sat upon in consequence The
young Marchioness of Kildare, Lady Hermione
Duncombe that was few months ago has a
beautiful neck, of which she never hesitates to
show what would be considered superabund-
ance in less favored by nature woman
And, after all, that is really where it all is.
One doesn't object to the pretty necks going as
decolete as they please. 1t is the ugly ones
that make the fashion detestable Did fashion
restrict the custom to the possessors of marble
shoulders, satin necks and blllowy bosoms, there
wouldn't be word said But unhappily it lets
every one take part in the full dress .'undressn
parade, and, as a consequence fat old dowagers
with necks and dumping like continuation of
purple buckskin; ancient maidens with yellow
parchment backs more rounded than their
chests tall ungainly women who consider skin.
covered shoulder-blades and collar-b bones sight
to delight the eye; and aesthetic young damsels,
the Nile green of whose compilations, and the
unbroken fairness of whose outlines seem to in
tensify as they descend-all find entrance, and
in keeping with the welI-established peculiar
tiles of ugly women, think their charms are so
great that other people cannot be shown enough
of them.
No wonder, then, is it that the sights one sees
at balls are enough to nauseate one, and that
people are up in arms against a continuance of
custom that forces them to look against their
will upon nude hideousness. But could the
fashion, as say, be strictly confined by act of
Parliament to the woInenI have mentioned and
rev others, such as young Mrs. Sassoon, Lady
Beatrix Herbert Lady Garaogh, and Mrs. Lang
try, the anti-low neck movement would no more
be heard of.