Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-18
MISS CLEVELAND'S LINE.

recent letter. al do not approve of any |
dress which shows the bust Between the
neck and bust there IL line always tn be
drawn, and It is as clear to the most frivolous
society woman "a to tho anatomists. This
line need never I've passed, aud fashionable
woman's low-necked evening dress need
never be immodest."
Since publishing an open letter to Miss
Cleveland on dress, | have received innu-
merable journals expressing every variety Of
opinion as to the morale and aesthetic effect
OF the present fashion Of the ladies evening
dresses. 1 have been asked questions, ny
conscientious women from Name to Texas
rs to this true line of prOprietN between
laryrx and waist, 50 well understood hN
" society women and anatomists, but sun
so underlined to the ordinary mind, to those
not versed In the mysteries and subtle IN
tluences of a fashionable toilet
In spite of Miss Cleveland's assurance that
it is clearly marked, tn many it is still as
imaginary boundary as was Mason aud
Dixon's line, before the war, or the equator
dividing the globe into the north and south
hemispheres or that dangerous longitude
the sun is supposed to plss over in March
aud September
one journal suggested that, owing to the
indefinite manner in which the lady Of the
executive mansion had left the matter,
council should I've held in the court OF fashion
To have this line clearly defined, aud string
ent measures adopted to enforce its observ-
ance, lest, like the "deceased wifes sisters
hill' in the British Parliament IL should be
forever coming up, without any final settle
ment leaving our daughters in the same
state of bewilderment aS they now are, as 10
what extent true mOdesty will permit them
to unveil their charms III promiscuous assem-
biies.
As permanent settlement of the ques-
| ton, aud simultaneous action among lead
| ers of ton, could only be secured 10y some
| indelible outline, modest and judcious
| mothers, with far-reaChing views as to the
| true interests of the race, might have their
| female babies artisticsliy tattuoed at line
| agreed upon by a council, say, of the wives
| of United States senators, TO be held in W ash
| ington, in December, lSSG.
| In the meantime, let the discussion go on,
| that the well-digested views of the gentle.
| men of the press may aid these distinguished
| ladies in their future deliberations. II this
| is question Of such momentous Importance
| in the court OF st James As to establish laws
| OF etiquette, thus far considered irrevocable,
| it is not beneath the attention OF those who
| give tone to American society, and influence
| the tastes and morals of the coming genera
| tion of women in this republic.
The only journal that has assumed 10 know
| the Cleveland line is the New \ ork sun,
which, in a clear, concise and brilliant edi-
| tOrial, gives an array of facts worthy Of the
reflection of all social philosophers. The
editor, gentleman of refined taste extensive
| travels, and profound research says:
| "Throughout the civilized world, the full
| evening dress for women fails below Miss
| Clevelsnd's line, and Is expressly designed
| to show what she declares so emphatically
| cannot be revealed without outraging taste
| and decenCy-the swell of the bosom. The
| fashion, too, is not recent, but has prevailed
| in all ages, and no less in times when social
| morals were strict than in times when they
| were lax. 1t is true that the portraits by Sir
| Peter Lelly, of the beauties of the court of
| Charles l., show that the bosom was then
| exposed to an extraordinary degree, as was
| also the case in France under the Directory
| but portraits of the women OF courts and
| times equally distinguished for dissOlute-
| ness represent the women closely covered
| from head to foot and from shoulder to
| wrist Marguerite, of Lorraine, famous for
her beauty and her bad morals, appears in a
| full dress costume which reveals only her
| face and hands, while La Belle Hamilton,
| the chaste beauty who escaped the breath OF
scandal even in the scanda.ous reign of
Charles H., shows her bosom almost without
anv covering at sll.
| But while the Sun enlightens us as to the
boundary intended by Miss Cleveland, it
involves us in questions of social ethics,
which COmplicate, rather than simplify, the
| discussion. For lack of time and space to
| pursue the vast field outlined by its editor,
as to the comparative moral status of an
| Clent danes, | would simply say that if the
| most modest and Chaste women in the past
unveiled their charms more generously than
those famous Tor their questionable morals,
| the fact only proves that the latter class were
| more intelligent as to the significance of the
fashion and knowingly paid that tribute to
virtue which their more chaste sisters unwit-
| tingly paid to vice.
| The Hartford Tunes, one OF the influential
journals in New England, speaks out with
no uncertain sound. The brilliant daughter
of its editor, in her department, says:
| at is to be hoped there IL truth in the state
| ment that the recent newspaper agitatiOn on
| the subject of the lOw-neCR dresses has had
some effect in modifying this immOdest
| fashion. The wearers OF such dresses would
| situations and discussions they invariably
| provoke among some pretended admirers.
| Even those truly modest young ladies who
| nnOcently and unsuspectingly wear the half
| low COrsage, not following the extreme of
| fashion, do not escape running fire of re-
| marks that would bring bushes to their
| cheeks, indignation to their hearts, aud
resolves never again to give the shadow of au
| opportunity to call forth such debasing re-
| suits.
"There can he no objection to a dress cut
| square, or in the popular Y shape at the
| neck, when sOitened Dy lace and properly
shaped The latter is also more becoming
| fashion than The lOw-Cut waist that displays
the entire neck and shoulders, no matter
| how handsome they may be- in hard, bare,
| unsOftened outline between the face and
| body. Many refined ladies who wear the
| low cOrsage are under the delusiOn that their
| particular evening dress is cut modestly,
| having given orders to that effect SO it is,
when the wearer gives her undivided atten-
| tion TO the way she sits, stands, leans, moves
| or dances II she deviates a hairs breath
from unCeasing watchfuInesS from the un-
bending line of shoulder and throughout
! the evening, her modestly cut" dress be
| comes instantly immodesL 1t does not
stand the test OF ease, OF one graceful, natural
| motion OF the body.
| "COnsequently,a all low neck dresses are inn
modest 1t is iEcomprehensIble why that
| paragon Of proprietes, Queen Victoria,
| should force this indeicate and unbecom-
| ing style upon all ladies presented at her
| otherwise severely yirtuous court II is
| equally incomprehensible why so many
| American ladies, modest ones too, should
consent TO initiate this questionable fashion,"
| But, in my letter to Miss Cleveland, ]
| make no question of lines, OF dresses cut
| square or pointed of the comparative
modesty of different styles, of what charms
should be veiled or unveiled but simply to
try TO prove to my countrywomen that all
| and occupations are based upon the idea OF
their being a subject class, made to please
man, and that as in ancient times, women
were bought and sold in the matrimonial
| market, and required to unveil their beauties
| to the purchaser so now, this hereditary
| tendency perpetuates the custom, although
| new conditions and higher type of woman
| hood have given them too, the right of choice
| in the matrimonial market
| My position is that women should dress,
| primarily, for their own comfort, health, and
| happiness. This might involve entire nudity
| at the equator, but, in the temperate zone,
| during the fashionable season in Washing