Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-06
WOMEN AND THEIR DRESS
WHAT THEY GAN DO WHEN
CRITICS DISAGREE.

/ The Influence of WoOl in Summer Fash
r. ,ons-Novelties in Material and Cos
FL tume-summer Styles-The Newest In
FL BLACK Foilets-Japanese Fans.
81 NEW YORK, June 5.-Probablv there
never was so much written on the subject
of clothes as now. Women may well be
distracted by the variety of opinions, all
Of which are agreed upon one point-to
disagree with each Cther-and very few
& Of which contribute anything of value to
the solution of the problem, if the subject
presents any problem that is not explain.
able by trades and competition and the
natural differences in the formation of
men and women.
1t is to be expected that art in its rela
tons to common life will take cognizance
i Of dress, and therefore ''studies" of form.
"studes" of color, and ''studies" of dra
perv, while interesting as such and sug-
/ gestive to the more intelligent minds
Fl among women, do not excite disturbing
II influence; but when old and dlgnihed re-
f views like the North american thinks the
81 matter worthy of symposium" and &C.
lects it is to be presumed) FIVE of the
IL
a ure of the subject, it is rather disappoint
3 ing to find no clearer light thrown upon
81 anv of the veXed questions concerning it.
q nor in fact any suggestions made which
81 have practical value or claim to origi-
r nality.
The best article Of the group is by
n Charles Dudley Warner, who makes true
and subtle remark for a man) when he
saws "The subject Of woman dress has a
81 . ,.,s
continuous and extreme changes in it are
3 related to no physiological fact, and can
Il be traced to no known or regular opera
ton OF the mind"
The next best articlels by Surgeon Cen
Y eral Hammond, and his is principally good
Fl because it is fair, not dictatorial, and does
not pretend to know too much.
Mrs. Helen Jackson is the only one
+ who gives the actualfashion and influences
& in fashions for the past twenty years
credit for the number of good ideas and
sensible sanitary articles of dress which
s. have been introduced, and assisted to
Il maintain their ground against the efforts
4 Of caprlciOus and exclusive social and
trade influences.
The writer of the leading article. Mrs.
4 E. NJ. King, starts off with the platform
laid down by Lady Haberton's dress re-
a form movement, and which was given In
i letters from England to this country by
myself four years ago the present sum-
4 mer. The ideas are good, but not new,
and when she goes on to say that WOman's
dress 'unregulated by the necessary con-
dti0ns of progress has proceeded from
bad to worse, nom (the italic is mine in
juring her body and degrading her mind"
she at least says more than is true. The
dress of women has had its seasons of
progression and retrogressiOn; but it is
to-day, for comfort and convenience, for
whOlesOmeness and health, and even for
lovely possibilities, far in advance of any
period since the days of such simple forms
of covering as gave the free opportunity
to natural grace of movement, but was at
the same time less compact and quite uu-
Mt TOR the rapid movement and business
and social complexities of modern life.
Fifty years ago the corset was an in
strument Of torture see Nine. Genls) J, in
which the young form was compressed as
IN vice, of metal and bone. 1t is now
mere waist, shaped to the form, and use
iul in holding in place the soft flesh that
falls below the line of the bust, and in
preventing also the bands OF under gar
ments from cutting into it. Fashion is re-
spOnsible for much eXaggeratiOn and
many silly whims and fancies, but 1t
could not restore the towering headdress,
the powdered flour and cosmetic era, the
"cages'' and the padded hips any more
than the rigid irOu-banded corset.
1t permitted the introduction of the
short walking dress twenty-five years ago,
and though various efforts have been
made to get rid OF it, and bring the street.
sweeping skirts back again, they have
proved futile. The common sense and in
telligence Of American women are in the
majority among fashionable women as
we'll as among women who make no pre-
tensions to fashion, and they are learning
to keep fast hold of essentials. leaving the
details, as they can very well, 10 take care
of themselves.
DIVIDING THE SKIRT.
1t is useless to preach trousers to the
civilized woman under the name of the
1ylded skirt or any other. She will have
none Of them, unless they are put out of
sight. The "diYided" does not present
any just claims to the SURFACES of women,
apart from the prejudice existing against
trousers in place of skirts. 1t is simply an
ugly and shapeless kind Of drawers, and
Wien II trlCs 10 be pretty, it Is by adding
luHles, pling on weakness, the last effort
OF imbeclity. Mrs. KING, the present
representative apostle OF the divided skirt
movement, was invited to meeting OF
ladies' in New York, which she attended
IN divided dress made after her
own most approved style. The wide
divisions of the skirt were long and
very much rufiled; the skirt was very
short, and ruffied also, and the loose
jacket part much trimmed. 1t WAS a
oress requiring much labor, and very
easily and irremediably solled. 1t had a
patcny appearance, was devoid of grace
ana dignity, and attracted the attention
Oh boys in the street. These are all real
and valid objections. Probably every
woman has some objection TO make TO her
ofess, as every person in the world OBJ
lects more or less TO the facts of their en-
NHonment, whatever they may be; but
"ot one Of the 200 more or less present
on mat occasion would have exchanged
i,leir style or form of clothing with Mrs.
King.
But Lady Haberton in her original idea
had the germ Of "A good thing. skirts,
especially in their varying quantity, pre-
s1eul diihculties which might be remedied.
lue even suit OF fine summer gauze or
heavier wool; the corset bodice which
SHAPES but does not necessarily compress
.ne waist; the silk, linen or cotton combi-
HaIon-all these have been accomplished
ACTS ior the past ten years at least, thus
providing for all who chose to avail Of
mem garments which do not unduly re-
sualn, and which distribute the warmth
9ler the surface OF the body. Add to these
HIaWers reaching barely 10 the tops OF the
ooots made OF the material Of the dress
euu lined or unlined, according TO the
sgsason and the weight OF material, and