Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-12

MOVEMENTS
From the New York Sum-
CHAurAuoUA. August 1.-THE dress reform
crusade will be ultimately narrowed to two ar
ticles instead Of four" said woman here to-
day who is one Of the reformsrs. ''Thess two
will be the tights and the dress. The days of
the fourteen articles in women's apparel, Just
like the thirty-nine articles in the religious
creed, are numbered; and we are on the thresh-
old Of revival of classic simplicity in matters
OF clothing. 1t will be the dress for the woman,
not the woman for the dress"
This little speech but mildly reflects the
prominence and potency of the new move
ment. Conspicuous reformers arrive at Chau-
tauqua nearly every day, and even DIR. ]. NJ.
Buckley, the little wide-awake editor Of the
Methodist Christian Advocate is printing him
self for double-leaded editorial favoring the
reform.
Helen Potter, the well-known impersonator,
came up from New York to get the latest news
on the subject, and Mrs. Frank Parker, the
leader, is simply deluged with inquiries.
Previous movements toward better dress
have failed, the reformers say, because they
were not comprehensive enough. The first
movement aimed only at comfort and utility,
the second was guided by those interested In
improving the health of women, both ignoring
or failing to provide for the element of beauty.
The present Parker Crusade includes all
principles of Delsarte. 1t means something
more than the mere putting off Of cOrsets. 1t
means nothing less than that the beauty of the
line from the armpit to the ankle must be ap-
preciated and insisted upon, and that perfect
physical proportion is obscured, II not accom-
panied by grace of motion. The beauty OF the
lines of the female form must be seen.
To show how the leaven of the new move
ment is working at Chautauqua it is only
necessary to say, and this on the authority OF
xh,., 4hxt no.
women here are making sweeping changes in
their wardrobe, and that the old style under
garments may be had for song The younger
element are quite enthusiastic over the reform,
for the spirit of athletic sports is fairly ram
pant here and the girls compete splendidly
with the boys in rowing, racing, riding, fenc-
ing, club swinging, bicycling, tennis playing,
shooting, bathing: in fact in every outdoor
sport. The new style dress frees the young
women from many conventional customs and
gives them greater play OF the muscles. Con-
strlctions from cOrsets and collars and the
bondage of bands are unknown under the new
dispensation. Hence it is that the reformers
are counting converts by the hundred at
Chautauqua.
The southern girls here are the most enthu-
siastic on the subject. Whether or not it is
because the hot weather in their section has
taught them to welcome any movement that
discards superhuOus stays and skirts, it is GER
tain that the young women from Tennessee,
Georgia and the Carolinas spending the sum-
mer here look upon the abolition of skirts with
decidedly more favor than did their fathers ON
the abolition of slavery.
Mrs. Parker has slipped away for a short rest.
Before leaving she said:
1.-The new crusade means something more
than an embroidered bathing suit, as Kate
Field intimates 1t means something infinitely
better than DR.. Mary Walkers unwomanly
trousers or Elizabeth Cady Stanton's ugly ruff
fed boomers.
Neither has it any sympathy with Ella
Wheeler Wilcoxs nightgown, which is a sug-
gestion of the bed chamber. Our climate is not
suited to this Mother Hubbard costume. Then,
too, In the evolution of dress, you must take
into consideration the prejudices OF women.
The dresses must be apart from the nightgown.
Mrs. Wllcoxs idea ignores the principles Of
beauty. II you want beauty you must follow
the outlines OF the figure. The trouble with
line, which is only one-third of the body.
lis lowered too much. She would put on a
boys vest and boyish, high, stiff collar.
The upper part of such figure would look
like a sophomore in college and the lower part
like peasant girl Mary seymour idea is
too uondescript to notice. Such q skirt reach
ing down to a point near the ankle, with
boy jacket, vest and tie, would be out Of the
question. There's no unity in the costume.
The knlckerbocker notion is entirely too radi-
cal departure, and is the mere imitation Of q
boy.
The masculine figure is essentially different
from the feminine figure, and what would suit
man, from the point Of comfort, would not
suit a woman. In the tailor-made costume the
The triangular effect is ugly and stiff. We be-
lieve We are on the track Of the right system,
and shall adhere to our present plan until We
can discover q better one."