Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-27
AGGREGATE BRAVERY
On Lake Chautauqua's Shores Differs
From Individual Bravery.
THAT'S WHY DRESS REFORM FAILS.
Importance of Putting Art Works Of Merit
Before Youthful Eyes.
NEW FADS AND FANCIES FOR THE SEX
WRITTEN FOR THE D1sPArcH.l j

WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.l
Evidently the Chautauqua dress re-
formers are not yet ready to make their
concerted movement. The enthusiasm of
the gathering by the shore of the pretty
lake in Western New York was probably
lump enthusiasm; now that it is broken
into pieces and scattered it will not again
solidify. Certainly no smallest bit of the
leaven seems to have got into New York or
Pittsburg. The theaters are filling up with
home audiences, and there is no hint of
austere reform in the pretty and elaborate
toilets seen in box and parquet.
In point of fact it is going to be an ex-
tremely difficult matter which these ladies
of Chautauqua have undertaken. Granted
that they are able to persuade womankind
en- masse to adopt the uniform costume sug-
gested, in a week the blondes would be
adding ''a touch of blue" the brunettes
Just q suspicion of red; the tall would dis
cover q need for "hint of drapery," and
the short some lines to increase their
height" the stout would want "this altera-
tion" and the slight "that addition" In
brief time all uniformity would be gone and
the dress reform costume, if met by its
mother, would not be recognized. You see
number Of generations, and the
instinct is too strong to be eliminated save
through an age of suppression. And that
"age" is going to be very trying time to
the reformers
This view of the case Is in regard to the
extreme measures suggested by the inaugu-
rators of the new crusade. There has been
a marked and valuable reform in woman's
dress within the past quarter of q century.
Women dress with much more regard to
comfort and hygiene than formerly. Our
grandmothers minced along in paper soled
shoes and skirts that were balloons in cir
cumference from enormous crinoline; they
knew nothing of the advantages of the
union suits of fine wool and silk which now
clothe most women from neck to ankles;
skirt supporters were not in vogue; the cor
sets of olden days were cruel, ponderous
boned stays of to-day as possible,
and short skirts for the street
were simply unhearG Of Every woman's
gown trailed all around, and when, some 20
years ago, some modiste originated a sue
cession of stiff little festoons about the
bottom of dress skirts, like lambrequins in
upholstery, that kept the garment clear of
the ground, everybody thought the mil
lenium had come. To-day short skirts are
almost universal; they have invaded the
ball room as we'll as the promenade, and
trains yards long are confined to brides and
dowagers. Women wear broad-soled, low
heeled stout boots, with splatter dashers for
stormy weather. Many of them have al
ready discarded corsets, and few women
who wear them lace with the zeal with
which they are accredited Fashion and
good taste have set their PAGES against the
wasp waist. 1t is in two ways not good
FORM" Mrs. Jenness-Miller and Mrs. Rus
sell have done much good work for their
sex in the matter of dress, but it is a very
open question if we need to make frights of
ourselves as these last reformers are trying
to persuade us.
Originality runs riot in these days. There
is such an effort to secure or invent nov
city that everything, artistic sense, the fit
ness of things and divers other virtues are
sacrificed to it. Open work plates, perhaps,
are not atrocities in their simple form; in
deed some of them are very pretty, but
when they become complex, l. e., combined
with ribbon, they cease to attract. At a re-
cent dinner the soup was served in plates
through whose open border ran silk ribbon.
Shades of propriety and consistency, where
were ye?
Bicycle fashions are becoming distinct
department. A golden rule for women
cyclists is that which is vigorously fol-
lowed by thoroughbred horsewoman: AL
low no loose ends. Have everything about
your toilet secure. Loosely done hair, flying
8, Ill e
are to be tabooed. The new enclosed"
skirt is specially adapted for wheeling. 1t
is pettlcoat with the lower edges
sewn together. An opening is left to
slip the feet though. The gar
ment is put on a shirr string at the waist
and is complete protection for various
athletic sports, rowing, tennis, mountain
tramps and bicycling. 1t should be men,
toned that this skirt requires considerable
more fullness than an ordinary petticoat,
as, being held at the knees, there must be
room for free movement of the limbs. No
other skirt is worn over this, and its exist
ence is not suspected from appearances.
The gathering in at the knee is allowed for
by extra length, and the effect is that of an
ordinary skirt with the bottom loosely
turned up.
The use of fropes of flowers winding in and
about the table service and garlands festoon-
ing from statuettes or candelabra seems to bea
distinctive feature of dinner parties at the
present moment. The low center pieces
had become monotonous, high ones are stiff
and unsightly, screening the company from
one another-the present style seems to be
a happy medium combining the advantages
of both designs.
How many house mothers say at spring
and fall housekeeping times snent some
shabby, broken down bit of furniture: ooh,
take that up into the nursery" or 'ft will
do for the children's play room" 1t is such
a sad mistake. 1t is educating the children