St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-12
PetticoatS and Skirts Are Dis
carded for "LegletteS,"
Which She Exhibits.
Various Costumes Described
Are Worn and Their
Merits Extolled.
Working Girls Should Wear
Silk Underwear Trimmed
With Lace,


woman's dress. The audience was COM
posed largely of ladies, but here and
there lone man sat under the pretec-
ton of his wife or sister.
Mrs. Clara Holbrook Smith intro
duced the speaker by a few well chosen
remarks. Mrs. Jenness Miller is bru-
nette, with brown eyes, olive COM
plexion, and irregular but expressive
features. She is about five feet nine
inches in height, and has symmetrical
figure, although, to quote her own
words, she says: Il have no particular
advantage over other women in form.
AS a girl. was as lank, stoop-shOul-
dered and awkward as any girl could
be. By physical culture l have so de-
velOped every muscle that, although l
weigh 150 pounds, and measure twenty
eight inches around the waist, yet peo-
pie call HE slim.o
HOW WOMEN SHOULD DRESS.
Mrs. Miller. on her first appearance,
wore black velvet dress, with coat
OF black and white brocaded velvet.
close sleeves, with puffS of black velvet
at the elbow. She thought that women
were in danger of losing their original
form, and radical change in style of
dress offered the only hope for them
selves or posterlty. Dress for woman
must be absolutely without bands or
ligatures. Ii men were compelled to
wear garments as uncomfortable as
those now worn by women, the mascu-
line element would soon be reduced to
gibbering idiots. A sensible and health
full attire for women should consist OF
an entire suit of stOckinet. covering the
body from shoulder to toes; a lightly
boned corset waist without front steels;
a chemisette reaching from shoulder to
knee, taking the place of corset cover,
chemise and drawers; then, not divided
Turkish drawers reaching to the shoe
tops. Neither petticoats nor any
sort of skirts are worn. Mrs.
Miller claims that more than $4,000
women in the United States are wear
ing legletts, and she enumerated their
advantages over the ordinary skirt. By
posing in various attitudes she showed
the symmetrical development of her
own figure, and invited some lady from
the audience to come upon the stage
and have the defects or her figure
shown tor the edification of the others,
but nobody offered for the sacrifice. .
Mrs. Miller then stepped off the stage
and appeared in different costumes,
each change taking about two minutes.
The first was .
A CARRIAGE AND CALLING SUIT,
suitable for young girl, the underskirt
of Sea-foam green China silk, with
band of Persian embroidery at the foot.
The overskirt, shirred in several rows
at the waist, was Of pale terra Gotta
wool, falling in a straight line at the
back, Topped on the left side at the
waist. falling in graceful cascade,
showing a small portion OF the UNDER
skirt. The waist, of terra Gotta, was
cut out in the throat and fastened with
a diamond star; the sleeves, of green,
we're shirred to the elbow. and finished
with deep rutfle of terra Gotta lined
with green. The next costume was
A TEA GOWN
of rich old gold plush, having shirred
front of canary-colored satin, confined
at the waist by broad band OF plush,
the back fitting closely to the waist and
falling in long full train, edged with
a pleating of the satin, the close sleeves
reaching just below the elbow; ruff1es
of cream lace edged the sleeves and
neck.
The ''Willard" street costume was
copy of one designed for Francis Will
lard to wear at the National w. G. 7.
U. convention. The costume was of
black Henrietta cloth, trimmed with
checked silk. primrose yellow and black.
The skirt, of ordinary walking length,
had full draperieS and cascade of silk
on one side. a tight-ftting jacket of
black was finished with loose pulled
vest front of silk, also a puff of silk fell
M oil factnnpI nln
about the wrist.
The prettiest costume was a dinner
dress with loose front of cream and
gold brocade falling from the shoulders.
a cascade Oh the left side being faced
with Gobelin-blue satin: the right side
being finished with rutfles of brown
satin about an inch deep. A long, full
train of golden brown satin was lined
with Gobelin blue; the V-Shaped op en-
ing at. the neck being edged with folds
of satin; elbow sleeves were finished
with deep fall of real Honiton lace.
Heavy pearl paSsementerie made a
girdle posing across the hips, and
band of the same Ornamented each
shoulder.
OTHER DRESSES SHOWN.
A rainy day dress of indefinite color
was Shirred back and front for several
inches below the waist, falling in full
pleats to the ankles, the plain jacket
being finished with full vest and cuffs
of plaided wool.
A spring suit had Directoire coat of
electric gray Henrietta cloth, dark vel
vet collar. cuffs and pocket; pastron
of faWn-cOlOred silk, Shirred at the neck
and confined at the waist by strap of
the gray, fastened with four large vel
vet buttons. then falling in straight
lines to the foot This suit was heavily
braided with black in an arabesque de-
sign.
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
After repeated invitations, the gen.
tlemen were at last persuaded to de-
part. Then Mrs. Miller appeared with
long plush cloak of dark gray, lined
with ruby satin. Throwing aside the
cloak, she appeared in chemisette and
''leglettes' of white surah, land infinitely
explained the cut of each undergar-
ment and the manner in it should be
worn. The audience were as curious as
women prOverbially are, and insisted
Oh having Mrs. Miller walk about the
stage, and even put her foot on
a chair, so that they might be
fully assured as to the make of her gar
tiers and shoes. Her carriers are the
Armstrong duplex coiled wire, fasten-
ing Just below the knee. The shoes,
are lined with wool, and have ventilated
soles and low heels.
Mrs. Miller thinks the underwear, in
order to be artistic. should be of silk,
ecru tint, and trimmed with real lace.
Then with charming consistency she adj
vises working girls to adopt her system
because of its comfort.
Mrs. Miller is fluent, but not elo-
ouent speaker. Her fashionable audi
ence listened attentively, but was some
what divided in opinion. Some thought
the speaker might be comfortable, but
didn't look graceful. Many resented
the imputation that corset or hustle
was hurtful and were inclined to think
Mrs Niller'S GOWNS NOT much removed