, 1890-03-16
null, whispering to me, at goes nicely
in an lnsertionT"

Ons article of underwear deserves es-
pecial notice, and that Is the corset. A
certain class of reformers have bent their
energies more or less for many years to
the destruction and exile of this "means
Of grace" and with some success. A hid
eous garment, or, rather, an agglomera-
ton Of garments, known as a ''dress re-
FORM or a combination" has been
invented, and a large class of brave and
determined women have worn them,
and some continue to wear them, but
whence the satisfaction they seem to de
rive and the benevolent wish to induce
everybody else to follow their example,
never could understand. They certain
ly lose in appearance, for | don't think
the mos rabid reformer can really pre-
fer the bulky waists, the fiat busts and
the queer look as if the woman and her
clothes were walking in opposite direc-
tons, or as If the house were on fire and
she had thrown some shapeless wrapper
over her nightdress. .
Ofcourse, everybody comedies, in these
days of hygiene and common sense, that
a corset should never be worn tight
enough TO hinder respiration, even under
violent exercise. 1t should never make
one feel it uncomfortable to throw ones
self upon a lounge in the daytime, nor
should it be n relief to take it off at
night. 1t should DC simply, as the old
fashioned name implies, a "stay" to the
body. holding it in comely form and
making n smooth, harmonious surface
over which to fit the gown. And to do
this properly the corset must be well
made and of good material. Don't buy
poor ones, if you go without one of your
gowns to secure the price OF good ones.
If you nave a naturally good figure a
cheap corset won't fit you; if you nave a
poor figure nc dressmaker can make it
better unless you give her a good corset
to fit over. Cheap corsets are always
straight up n down, scant in the bust
and hips, stiff and unyieIding Of fabric
and furnished with bogus bones that
warp and break at once. Leave every
thing under 50 to the dress reformers as
objects of holy horror and whets to their
appetites for anathema.
A caprice of fashion in these later
years has suggested underclothing and
corsets of various tints and fabrics, cul-
minating in black silk. During one of
my visits to Paris / allowed myself to
be persuaded into buying some sets of
this black silk raiment, including q cor
set, but | did so merely to secure a me-
mento of a yagary of the mode sure to
soon pass away; for however pretty and
piquant rose, or blue, or scarlet, or black
may be in contrast with a soft, white
neck and arms, nothing satisfies the eye,
or soothes the conscience of good taste,
like creamy white in cambria and lace
and embroidery. One, however, must
here make an exception in the matter of
hose, which should, to my mind, never
be white, unless in harmony with some
especial costume.
Boots, again, are n matter where one
may not judiciously economic. Be your
foot pretty or ugly, be sure you will
spoil it both as to appearance and feeling
by wearing cheap. and therefore i'll fit.
ting boots.
When | have time l mean to devote
myself to the question of why cheap gar.
ments, c~orsets, shoes, skirts, gloves,
whatever you please. are always fash.
Toned for i'll shaped forms. Why is il
not as easy to cut a cheap shoe long and
narrow and with a high instep as short
and wide and fiat? And SC with all the
rest; you cannot economic on corsets,
shoes or gloves and be well dressed. And
one word more: If you have slippers let
them be chronic invalids, never leaving
the bedrooml 1t is very nice and com
Portable to have a pair to slip into as you
90 to your bath or your wardrobe, or sit
at your toilet table at night, but there
ends their appropriate use. Well fitting
yet coy boots are the wear for every
other emergency of life. They are the
most becoming Of all foot gear; they
brace and protect the ankle, and they
are IN the long run mo pun intended) far
more comfortable than slippers or low
shoes.
OF course they may be so prettily and
dellcately made as to suit the ARREST cos
tune, and when Of that style are a fas-
cinating detail Of q dancing costume. |
remember a pair had made Of violet
silk to match a costume, which were
really ioues. And as a proof that good
and well fitted boots preserve the feet
from change or infrmity, | will mention
that my own hav been made upon the
same last for twenty years without the
least change, and that l can put on a
new pair before breakfast and wear them
all day without ono remembering them.
But they are good boots. So having dis.
posed OF what may be called the conf.
Dental portion of a woman's toilet, let
us consider those outward and visible
signs" by which the world will judge
whether she is well dressed or not.
As to material. So many womer
seem to fancy that a very cheap silk il
necessarily better than a good wooden O
even cotton fabric. Now, it is not SO
and l always want to say as much to tn,
deal struggling souls whom | often NEE
in much trimmed robes of that thin anc
rGstl;ng silk which reminds one of drieC
autumn leaves whirling along before
dusty breeze. Even such silk costs quit
as much as good cashmere, or some on
of the hundred other varieties of sof
wooden fabrics, and the cost of the cheaI
and snowy passementerie used to trim
the silk would have provided enough
good silk, or velvet, or handsome but
tons to make the wool dress all that i
should be. Here is a little secret: AM
one accustomed to think of such things
seeing you in that silk would perceiv,
that you could not afford to buy a gooC
one and had to put up with the seconC
choice or the third, but, seeing tn,
good wooden, would take it for granted