Evening star., 1885-06-06
HOW WOMEN OuGur To nwrss
~nat Womsn Can Do when Doeters
orS CristcS DsaYr0e-The In0uenHo
TIES An Material and Costume-6un.
From Our Own Correspondent.

from Our Own Correspondent
NEW York, June 5.
Probably there never was so much write,
oH .ne subject of clothes as now. Women ma,
Wen be distracted by the variety OF oniniops
All Oh which are agreed upon one point-to dis
agree WITH each other-and very few OF which
contribute anything Of value to the solution o
.ne prooiem-if the subject presents any prob
lem that Is not explainabis by trades and com
petition and the natural differences in the
formation of men and women
1t Is expected that art in its relations To com
mon lie will take cosniZanee of dress and
therefore studies OF form "studies. of colo,
@ ana studies OF drapery. while interesting as
such and suggestive TO the more INTELLIGENT
minds among women, do no. excite a disturb
Ing influence: but when old and digniGsd re-
views Ike the North ARIsTscan tiliulxS the mat
Ter worthy OF Symposium and selects Gt Is
70 be presumed) 1--WE of the ablest contributors
IL can find to the literature OF the subject in is
rather disappointing TO find no clearer iiphf
thToWn upon any OF the vexei questions con-
cefDlhg IL, nor in fact any sugse.tions made
ALLY.
The best article Of the group is by Charlie,
dudley warner who makes a true aud subtle
remark (or a man when he says: The subject
of woman's dress has peculiar fascination. BE-
cause tne sudden, continuous, and extreine
changes in II are related to no physiological
fact and can be traced TO no known or regular
operation ot the mind
The next best article is by Surgeon General
Hammond, and his is principally good because
~ Is lair, not dictatoEiai, and dues not pretend
to know tQo much.
Nrs. Helen jack son IL the only one who siyes
the actual fashions and inrusucss on ta.iItony
for the past twenty years credi. for the mum Der
OF good idess and sensible sanitary artieles Of
dress which have been introduced and assisted
to maintain their ground against the efforts of
eapricious and exclusive social aud trade infiu-
epSss Sss ,u,.,
King, starts oil witt rhe platform laid down by
LAZY !.i Haoerions dress reform movement, and
which was given in letters from England tS this
country by myself four wears ago the present
summer. The ideas good but not new and
when she goes on TO say that womap's dress,
unreSeIated by the necessary conditions of
progress. has proceeded from bad To worse uo,c
tine itaiIe Is minel injurins her body aad de-
grading her mind she At least saws more than
Is true Inc dress OF women has had It's seasons
OF progression and retrog ressioE but il is 10 .dy
Tor comfort and convenience. for whole.Qsa,,-
ties, far in advance of any period since the Isvs
OF such simple forms of covering as gave tho
iree opportunity TO natural grace Of movement,
out was at tue same time less compact and O ute
unnt for the rapid movement and business and
social com mpleXities of modern liIe
riity years ago me corset was an instrument
OF torture (see Mime. GeuliS), in which tue
young form was compressed as in a wise OF
metal a9d bone. 1t is now a mere waist shaped
TO the form. and useful in holding in place the
soft nesh that fails below the line of the bust,
and In preventing also the bands of undergar-
ments from cutting into it. Fashion Is respon-
sloie Tor much exagseration and many sily
whims and Lancies, Out it could not restore the
towering head dress the powdered nour aud
cosmetic COST era, the Cess and tine padded hips
" permitted the intrGdu uction 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-sweepi;,r skil.t,
back a. In. they have proved futile. The COM
mon ct q e and Intelligence of a zlerie;.o wuInsn
are IN d majority amsD. iasiIi0na IL wotl,en
as Well a, among women who make 40 preten-
slons 10 fishloa. And they are learning 10
Keep iast mold OF essentials. leaving the details
iff to toll
selves.
DIVIDING THE SKIRT
1t Is useless to preach trowscrs 10 the civilized
woman under the naIne of the divided skirt or
any other She will have none of them unless
they are put out OF sight. The divided" does
not present any just claims To the suffrages of
women. apart from the prejudice exi.tins
against trow.ers in place of skirts 1t is Simply
an ugly and Sllapei5ss kind of drawers ;ysad
when IT tries to be pretty. Ii l. by addin. rufiles
pilng on weakness, The last eiIUrt Of inteelfty
MIS- Ming. the present representative apostle OF
the divided skirt movement, was invited to
tended in a div Ided dress made after her t,va
most approved styte. The wide diyIsiC,,, OF tue
skirt were long and very much ruff,ed; the
skirt was very short and ruiied also aud the
Loose jacket part much trimmed. 1t wa y dress
requiring much labor aud very easit Y aud ir-
asmsdiaelS ance soilsd 1t had Patshy appear
Iracted the attention of boys In the Street
These are all real and valid objections Prob
O'CiS NOihtu sDjue Objection
10 ner dress as every person in tue world e.-5
1ectS more less to the acts of tleir
envfronnent, whatever they may be, but uat
one OF the TWO hundred, (mOre or less) present
on that occasion would have EXCHANGED their
style or form OF c.ot hing With Mrs. King.
the germ OF q good thing skirts. especially in
their varying quantity. present difficulties
which might be remedied. The even suit OF
bodice which shapes but does not necessarily
compress the walt: the silk linen or cotton
combinatioh-a, these have been accomplished
acts Ior the pasi ten year. at least thus proyid-
ing FOR all who chose 10 avail of them garments
winch do not unduly restrain, and which dis
tribute the warmth over the surface OF the
body. Add to these drawers reaching barely to
the tops OF the boots made OF the material of the
dress and lined or uniined according to the sea-
son ana the weight oi nfterial. and skirt in
addition to lined or heavy wooden dress would
De entIreiy unnecessary; The drawers in this
protective and save the weight of skirts az wsiI
as the divided skirt; but they would not pre-
sent an obnoxious appearance would not flao
about the legs, or leave an unnecessary ;Inouu.
OF material lying about loose and in the wav.
Such dress as this would not be ADAPTED 10
the oIawins-room, where the long gown is an
eiement Oh essential grace and beauty: but IL
would greatly facilitate many kind, OF work
ano out-ooor exercise and render school and
business oress more easy and adaptable.
SANITARY INFLUENCE OF DREss.
A vast amount Of rubbish is and always will
be written, doubtless, In regard TO the healthful
and malevolent influences of dress. and ,ba
harsh judgments are largely based ON ths
absence OF liked laws. Are any of the laws
liked that govern our social life and environ.
ment? Is medical science fixed? Were any
Two DOCTORS ever known to agree? Could not
Physicians long nave gotten nd Of all cor.ets
and semblance OF corsets. OF skirts also nd sub
stituted trowsers, had their science taught them
All, and all alike, that these were positive him
ORANGES 70 the attainment of healthy bodic, Ly
women? But the obvious fact is that the average
neaitn OF women Is as good . better than that
OF men, whose dress Is not criticised from u
who now occupy important positions who work
In snops and factories, who support themselves
ana families, al wear tine ordinary dress OF
women and maintain "a standard Of health
superior To that OF male employees
The apparently splendid physcal condition of
women IN new 1Ork and elsewhere In a CON-
slant subject of remark and is due undoubtedly
10 gooo air and plenty OF it, TO good food aud To
ture them As for the necessity lor a upiform
Wel.ht OF covering. covering at all is a mere
matter OF habit, and If avery part should be
evenly covered, why not face, wrists hands.
taro tnroA. ears and every part of the body. The
best thing about the dress Of women is that
they can and do change it--not the naShion OF H.
put Itself Mec would do well TO pay a Ii;,le
more attention TO their own dress and restore
.he linen summer clothing, or at least substi-
tute something that can be washed Flannel
suits and the Ike, cleaned or thrown aside may
meet the requirements of a few but the mi.
!ofity do not SPEND their days in playing ayyn
tennis They go 10 work. They wear daris
clothes reeking with perSpiration and they are
content with a frequent or infrequent change of
shirt W
SOLVING THE PRoHLEM
BOOK discussions do little to clear up the mud
Ole In regard to what to wear and how to wear IT.
but sensible women solve the problem for them.
serves oy oeins their own dre,smakers. Clothes