The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-04-01

81 x
Answering Seme CRITICISMS = The
Lsmiss or Proper aDress Deanea.
Boston, March l7-Miss Cleveland has been
sharply criticized for encouraging At the White
House immodest dressing In society. A lady
sends the following letter to the 7rnsseripf
which she received from Miss Cleveland 10 re-
Spouse to q note OF inquiry on the subject:
II am very glad you have spoken to me about
this matter. for II gives me an opportunity To say
to you, and through you perhaps to others, what
have longed wished but have had no opporiu-
nifty 10 say. The newspaper statement with re-
gard to my imm0dest dress and its influence
10 encouraging shocking scarity of waists and
sleeves in other womens dress has been sent me
several times with accompanying comments, but
always anonymously, so that have been una
BILE TO reply had l deemed the animus of the
communication honest enough to justify an hon-
est response. That has not always been the
case. But to-day received a note from per-
son who speaks of himself as an aged clergyman,
who signs his full name to the communication.
and seems to be genuinely concerned and
friendly, although | scarcely can reconcile the
True interest and true respect with which he
signs himself as consistent with the credence
which he has given apparently 10 the statement
which forms the occasion of his protest
should hardly feel true interest or true respect
for person whom | believed to be doing W hat
the newspaper slip represents me to be doing,
namely, using the brief prominence of my posi-
ton to encourage habits in dress and manners
which are subversive of whatsoever things are
pure, lovely, honest and of good report Such
believe the immodest dress of some lew society
women to be- and against such immodesty have
made that silent protest which il is every wo-
man's right and duty to make by having my
own dress waist cut in style which so far as
modesiy is concerned should be quite willing
to have all women to whom this style of dress is
becoming and com ortable follow.
Il approve of evening dress which shows the
neck and arms. do not approve any dress
which shows the bust. Between the neck and
bust there is a line always 10 be drawn, and it is
as clear To the most frivolous society women as
to the auatomists. This line need never be
passed, and fashionable woman's low-necked
evening dress need never be immodest. Ifit is
so it is because she prefers to be so. 1t is wholly
false, so far as have observed, that a shocking
scarcity of waists and sleeves mark the gowns OF
society women This is sadly and painfully
true OF a few society women, and il is indeed
shocking, nauseating. revolving and deserving of
the utmost denuncaion on the scores of moral
ity, beauty, health aud every other consideration
which good men and women should cOnspire to
preserve and exact. There is need of very few
words on this subject, and no argument. Any
American woman can wear the waist of her
evening dress up to the lobes of her ears if she
likes. There is no queen to command her az
pearance in low corsage She can also, so con-
rive her dress that by the exposure Of her person
all true social ethics and eshcics well are re
volted BetIee the two there is an appropri-
ate and beautiful and modest mean which all can
ii they will follow"