Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1884-01-17
LQW.NECKED DRESSES.
HAVE THEY BEEN MORE DECOLLETE
THAN USUAL THIS YEAR,
What the Ladies, the Club Men, and the
Dress. Makers Have 10 Say Of the
Fashion, and Where TIE Line Of De-
cpncy Should be Drawn.

Dress. Makers Have 10 Say Of the
Fashion, and Where TIE Line Of De-
cency Should be Drawn.
The extremely decollete dresses
worn by many ladies at the opera,
balls, and elsewhere in society circles
at evening gatherings this season has
attracted universal attention. While
last year and the year preceding very
decollete dresses were worn 10y some
ladies, they were the exception, and
not almost the universal rule, as Is
the case this year. The subject has
become topic of conversation at the
clubs and elsewhere, and many and
various have been the reasons assigned |
for the seemingly all-prevalent fash
ion. The young married ladies are
the most conspicuous in this matter OF
dress, or rather of undress, and several
who have occupied prominent boxes
at the Metropolitan Opera House dur
ing the season just closing have at
tracted public notice from the un-
blushing display of natural but gen
orally concealed beauty. Last year
low-neoked dresses used to be held in
place by shoulder straps, but this year
these have been discarded and to the
observer the arm straps seem entirely
insufficient and Inadequate to hold the
corsage, and there is feeling of mo-
mentary expectation lest the entire
bodice fall down.
Several prominent society leaders
were questioned yesterday Regarding
the reasons for this remarkable and in
decent fashion and as to it's probable
results and tendencies. Owing to the
fact that the fashion is SO universal
and that their opinions would conse-
quently reflect upon their associates
and fellows, they declined to give
their names for publication.
A middle-aged society and club
man, who is well and widely known,
and who is regular attendant at the
Delmonico balls, said when questioned
on the subject: ''Pshaw, the ma jor-
ity of dresses worn this year by soci-
ETY. women are not cut any lower than
usual. Women with pretty necks and
chests like to display them and some
a little more immodest uncover them
as much as they dare. My explana-
ton of this whole cutlery against de-
collete dresses is that the boxes in the
new opera house, where the fash
ionable women sit, bring them nearer
to and render them more easily seen
] by that portion of the audience, which.
i while it may understand Il F'lathus!
= sociablc, is not familiar with the bal S
. and parties of our distinctively fash
o ionable set in the metropolis, where
these dresses rarely excite any com
3 mcnt, even among the masculine sen
An equally prominent societ.
woman said: sit is a sub jet dc
o not much care to discuss, but the
y whole question rests on whethe
woman is modest Or immodest. Th,
. fashions change in this respect ever.
= few years, and year after dresse
IS have been cut low IN Paris they begil
IS to cut them lower here, but as t.
% where lady shall draw the line rest
). with herself and her own ideas ant
- feelings. Under the directory whel
- high-waistcd dresses were worn, tn
.d bosom, except III the cases Of youn,
80 girls, was often entirely exposed, am
90 | do not know that that period wa
: much more immoral than Il is. Fo
o myself, should never care to wear
$; dress, or allow my daughter to woa
70 one that could excite the slightes
66 suspicion Of thought of lmmodestv o
q, our part in any observers minl
Dresses, save by members Of Roma
70 Catholic families, are eat quite as lo'
in England as here, and certai
- American society girI who married Il
- English lord, and who has been mai
\? ing quite IA long visit here recent
81 created quite "A sensation by her low
% cut dresses when She returned hon
81 last year, She may, to some extel
40 have started the fashion"
An old club man said: "The pre-
20 eat fashion of low-cut dresses, Is,
- think, carried to an indecent and di
~ craccful extreme. cannot but COZ
:. slider it ,morali2in@ to Young ms
and girls to attend our balls and mil
ole with and observe women who,
charms are often wholly uncoyere
! know by personal experience whe
81 have heard young men in this ell
- talk the day after Dclmoneo ba
that the husbands and relatives
Ao some OF the ladies' they discuss cou
have no possible ground for resentir
their imputations di! they hear the
Aud yet | believe the? ladies' to
pure, good women Otherwise, and
the ma ority Of cases excellent WY
and mothers They donot to thin
how greatly, in Yielding to an indy
gence in foolish fashion, they aid
40 lowering the moral tone Of the cor
- muuitx l. seem, to 90 from bad