Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16
Copyright. lSS9.)


NKw loBK, March IA. 1889.
What Is or is not proper is becoming a
tremendous question among American women.
The lines OF social etiquette in America are far
more distinct than those of any other country,
| and hence the perpetual and never-ending dis
eussion of what lady may or may not do, and
still be considered above reproach. 1t is pity
that the o1d-time habits of American women
are becoming hampered and prejudiced by
social customs. The day when an American
woman did exactly what she chose has gone by.
Nobody thought the worse of her for her free
dom and courage. On the contrary, a charm
was added to her long list of attractions
by this very trait of her character. That the
day has gone by when she can do what she
pleases was well illustrated last week by party
of Nassar girls who came to the city and went
to a matinee. The only thing that the news
papers disagree upon concerned the number
of young women who visited the theater A
great conflict is raging between the college
authorities and the the theatrical managers
The number of girls who attended the matinee
Is placed at various figures from two TO eighty
two. What surprises me most Is that anybody
should care rap one way the other. Sup
pose lot of college girls did come to New
York and attend a first-class theater
The light opera which was presented
was OF thoroughly inoffensive nature,
absolutely nothing to which any sensible man
could object to in the whole performance.
Since when has it become a crime for girls to
attend matinee? II reminds me of the war
OF words which ensued after the hansoms We're
introduced IN New York For at least wear a
very large and constantly growing class of peO-
PIE have been writing to the papers persistently
saying that 1t was a disgraceful thing for any
woman to appear in public in a hanson. There
was no particular reason for 1t, of course. as
no Il.
ant vehicle. and thousand times more pleas
ant than stutfy cab. and at this time no one
sees any harm III them. Indeed. the best and
most careful women here. as elsewhere in the
world rather fancy the two-wheeled vehicle.
and yet if anybody were to turn TO the files of
the newspapers about two Years ago he would
md the most hot-headed and violent criticisms
against the use of these hansoms.
Low-NECKED DRESSES.
Another phase of the matter may be seen in
the time at present about the inaugural ball
and the subject of wearing low dresses thereat
| The women of to-day do not dress half so low
as their grandmothers did. and. more import
ant than that. the young girls of to-day do not
dress low at all. The popular theory in New
York city Is that young girls go to balls and
dinner parties with dresses that display a lavish
eXpanse of bust, back, and arms. 1t il true
that young matrons and married women wear
low dresses here, just as they do in every great
city In the world, but the young girls and debu-
tantes always have the neck of their bodices
hlled III with lace. This perpetual harping on
| what is supposed to be indicate in the attire
OF women is particularly unpleasant phase of
criticism in my mind. | do not know whether
am particularly obtuse or thoroughly hard
ened in such matters, but must admit that
have hot been able to see the evil which men
and women SO constantly complain of in
THE ATTIRE OF AMERICAN GIRLS
I hppp all no hos fro,, Main ~
Cape May aud have seen great many thou
sands of women in bathing costumes 1 have
read glowing accounts from various CORE
spOndentS of the awful suggestiveness and in
decency of the costumes of the young girls at
Long Branch, Narragansett and Atlantic City,
and have seen some of the bathing suits that
were so wildly described. believe il all TO be
lot of arrant humbug. Why is there anything
more suggestive III a well-httlng bathing suit
than in a big and voluminous one? After woman
has once entered the water the outlines of her
figure are revealed whether her jacket is an
exact fit or made ten times too big for her.
cannot see the awful indecency of the thing
either. American girls. rule are
1.-the, supple and graceful to the last de-
gree. Their actions in the water and on
the beaches are those of happy and unconscious
girlhood. 1t seems to me it is wilful effort of
a perverted imagination to ascribe to them
, such nasty motives and to cry out forever
against the indecency of their attire. In the
detail of the neck, for instance. l have never
yet seen a bathing suit on a woman in America
which was cut down like ball dress, though
descriptions of such have been numerous The
necks are always high and the skirt is usually
ample enough to cover all the needs of proprie-
ty 1t is this sort of criticism which will event
uaiiy rob our girls of their greatest charm. and
that is their unconscousness of wrong II
must be said in general way that an American
girl can go anywhere and do anything with per-
feet Indifference to the misconstructOn of carp
| ing criticism. BLAKELY HALL.