Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-20
-s-a DECOLLETTE DRESSES.
Miss Cleveland Draws the Line Between
Modest and ImEnOGieSt Toilets.

A Boston special to the Philadelphia Press
says: A friend of Miss Cleveland has given to
the press the following letter in reply to some
recent criticisms of decollette dresses worn by
the mistress OF the White House at official recep-
tions:
81 am very glad you have spoken to me about
this matter, for 1t gives me an opportunity to
say to you. and through you perhaps to others,
what have long wished, but have had no op-
portunity to say. The newspaper statement
with regard to my 'immOdest dress and its
influence in encouraging shocking scarcity of
waists and sleeves in other wOmens dress has
been sent me several times, with accompanying
comments, but always anonymously, so that
have been unable to reply had deemed the
animus of the communication honest enough
to Justify honest response That has not
always been the case; but to-day l received q
note from person who speaks OF himself as an
aged clergyman, who signs his full name to the
communication and seems to be genuinely con-
cerned and friendly, although. i scarcely can
reconcile the true interest and true respect
with which he has given it, apparently, TO the
statement which forms the occasion of his pro-
est.
81 should hardly feel true interest or true re-
spect for person whom believed to be doing
what the newspaper slip represents me to be
doing-f e., using the brief prominence of my
manners which are subversive of Whatsoever
things are pure, lovely, honest and of good re-
port Such, believe, the immOdeSt dress of
some few society women to be, and against
such immodesty have made that silent pro-
test Wnlcn III Is every WOmanS right and duty
to make by having my own dress waists cut in
style, which so far AS mOdesty is concerned,
should be quite willing to have all women, to
whom this style of dress is becoming and COM
Portable, follow.
al approve of evening dress which shows the
neck and arms: do not approve of any dress
which shows the bust. Between the neck and
bust there is a line always to be drawn, and it
is as clear to the most frivolous society woman
as to the anatomist The line need never be
passed, and fashionable wOmans low
necked evening dress need never be i'm
modest. 1t it is so, it is because she prefers
it to be so.
ut is wholly false, so far as have observed
that a shocking scarcity Of waists and sleeves
marks the gowns Of society women. This is
sadly and painfully true of few society
women and it is shocking, nauseating, revolt
ing and deserving of the utmost denunciation
on the score of morality, beauty, health and
every other consideration which good men and
Women should cOnspire to preserve and exact
There is need of a very few words on this SUBJ
ject and no argument. Any American woman
can wear the waist of her evening dress up to
the lobes of her ears ii she likes. There is no
queen to command her appearance in low cor
sage. She can also. alas! so contrive her dress
that by the exposure of her person all true
social ethics, and esthetics well, are reyoted.
Between the two there is appropriate and
beautiful and modest mean which all can, if
they Will, follow"