Little Falls transcript., 1886-04-09
stInIMODEST DRESSING q. I,
the A.dys Of the White House peflnss He,
Position ON : DoIieafa Subiaef. #s# 55SSS

ros1tAon on Delicate Suhjo
Miss Cleveland, having been sharply
criticised for encouraging immodest
dressing in society, q lady sends the
following letter to the Boston Tran
script which she received from Miss
Cleveland in response to note Of in
quiry on the subject: @
u am very glad you havespokento
me about this matter, for it gives an
opportunity to you, and through you
perhaps to Others, what l have long
wished but have had no opportunity
to say. The newspaper statement
with regard to my 'immodest dress,'
and its influence in encouraging shock
ing scarcity OF waists and sleeves IN
other women's dress, has been sent me
several times with accompanying COM
ments, but always anonymously, so
that l have been unable tv reply had I
deemed the animus OF communication
honest enough to justify an honest re-
sponse. That has not always been
the case. But to-day I received g.
note from q person who speaks OF
himself as an aged clergyman, who
signs his full name to the eommunica-
ton, and seems to be genuinely con-
cerned and friendly, although I can
scarcely reconcile the true interest and
true respect with which he signs him
self as consistent with the credence
which he has given, apparently, to the
statement which forms the occasion of
his protest. l Ishould hardly feel true
interest or true respect for g. person
whom believed to be doing what the
newspaper slip represents me to
be doing, namely, using the brief
prominence OF my position to
encourage habits in dress and
manners which are subversive OF
whatsoever things are pure, lovely,
honest, and of good report. Such I
believe the immodest dress of some
few society women to be, and against
suchimmodesty l have made that ST.
lent protest which it is every woman s
right and duty to make bNhaving my
own dress waist 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 comfortable, follow.
II approve OF evening dress which
shows neck and arms. do not ap-
prove 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 anatomists.
This line need never be passed, and
fashionable woman's low necked dress
need never be immodest. Ii It'll so, it
is because she prefers to be so. It is
wholly false, SO far as l have observ-
ed, that a. shocking scarcity of
waists and sleeves mark the gowns of
society women. This is sadly and pain
fully true of few society women, and
it is indeed shocking, nauseating, re-
voting and deserving Of the utmost
denunciation on the score eofmorality,
beauty, health, and every other con-
sideration which good men and wom-
en- would conspire to preserve and ex-
act. There is need Of very few words
on the subject and no argu-
ment. Any American woman can
wear the waist of her evening dress up
to the lobes of her ears if she likes.
THERE'S no queen to command her ap-
pearance in low corsage. She can
also, alas! so contrive her dress that
by the exposure of her person all true
social ethics, and aesthetics as we'll,
are revolted. Between the two there
is an appropriate and beautiful and
modest mean, which all can, if they
will, follow"