The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-31
III MUDLESS GOWNS.
ns Why They Are Not Likely
to Jump Into Popularity
at Once.
Drapery Serves to Cover q
Multitude OF Anatomical
Irregularities.

Multitude Of Anatomical
Irregularities.
OF = Question of Modesty-Confss-
sion OF One Of the Four
Hundred.
I Correspondence Of The INDEPENDENT
w YORK, OCT. 28.-I HAVE JUST
ad what I insist upon considering
he unusual nerve to interview q fsm-
nine member Of the four hundred.
mudless gown having made its APP
100 in Boston. and a formal movement
appeared at the hub. leaving the
the continent to follow suit--tailor
|uit-it seemed to DO imperative that
xpression of opinion should be ex-
from New York. In order to acquire
MON that might be considered IN
Measure official, I improved IN excel
bportunity which presented itself yes
to talk on tho subject with a lady
name appears In MI. McAllister's
will believe that there are subjects
which it might be easier to conduct an
~. Yet the way has been prepared
9 measure by the dress reform ten
that has appeared in 10 much modern
sion. For some months tho New
women have been talking vaguely and
lusively about dress reform; sending
b to tho newspapers in illustration
ain timid theories of dress revolu-
nd all the time helping tho street
AZ commissioners to remove from tho
horoughfares that peculiarly fine
of mud in tho produstion Of which
ork holds a unique distinction.
prt skirts?" said the lady of the four
ID. "Well, they are an excellent
and it is true that they will neither
he dirt from tho sidewalks nor from
feels. Then men could not step on
that were eight inches from the
although / have seen men accom-
|erformances that might have seemed
8 impossible. / suppose there are
distinct advantages, 80 far az the
of a rainy day costume goes. But
lress reform movement necessarily
with the shortening it not with the
oning Of the skirt, and here the dress
Ter meets the two great obstacles
have so long stood in her way.
. first of these obstacles is the preju-
Rainst the loss of the drapery feature.
tic preference ia for the maintenance
perry. We cannot get away from the
OF long flowing drapery. We may
PRACTICAL reasons for giving ii up
or in part, but you may be very GER
hat for distinct beauty We will never
B to get a substitute for graceful
Q lines. And the greatest practical
II drapery brings us to tho second
obstacle-the satisfying Of women
Q not beautiful" .
o meant began. d
!, 7 do mean that dress reform il gen
direct threat at women who have not
igures. Now, drapery Is a democratic
1t leaves SO much to the imagina-
at a woman that is too heavy or too
10 shielded by the convsnionalizing
! I her gown. The minute You begin
ming skirts or doing away with them
ther you begin to make it very hsrd
Fery portly woman to look anything
hat she actually is."
d that is q SIM" l added.
course it is a sin. There are q great
pretty women in the world, but the
Etion Of Venus de Medicis to the whole
or is diatressingly small. We CAM
a., you know, to consider these Venus
|dicis only. The great majority rule
lestion and the great majority will in.
bon something that leaves enough &c
Imagination to give them a chance in
mpetition for distiction."
{ do you moan to say" / suggested
some hesitation, that the modern
Inable gown always leaves much to the
nation?"
IL, does not it is not artistic, and ]
only the exception sins in this respect.
st every gown has the flowing skirt,
9 at least conventionalize half of the
That is the strong point, for WI
ntionalize that half of the figure
a person with a podgy figure finds il
st to manage, or would find 1t hardes,
mage in o costume that made de-
cies more apparent"
en- do you hold out no hope to the
reformers?"
ertainly do. ! really think that this
" shortened skirt is a step in ths
direction. Especially as these Boston
ates are taking the cold edge off the
alton by wearing riding boots thai
le about the ankles. You see people
not mind exhibiting their ankles il
we're always pretty"
} you mean by this that the general
ance is not due to modesty aloneY"
q afraid that is exactly what / mean.
a woman may show her neck or not,
3 she chooses. If she has pretty
Tho shows it whom she gets a chance
kes a costume that gives hcr the Ad-
90 of this alternative in regard tc
parts Of her anatomy" ."~.
&C." was all 1 could say to this.
there il any doubt, the majority wants
bnefit of it. Now, very heavy women
lore likely to have = good wrist than .
ankle. The chances are very greatly
ct the ankle. especially in women who
passed middle life. while the wrist
ally retains it's slenderness where il
bver had s%lenderness to start with,
q why I say the riding boot idea ia 8
one, and the new movement may sue.
because it ia moderate, A slightly
ensd skirt il all the rsformers car
I for a long time to come. And yet il
bucceed in that they have won more
half the BATTLE"
hat is your own opinion as to a desir-
irection for reformP"
think that women should adopt &
costume, what might be called al
f-door or business costume, without
taking to modify indoor or reception
!. Let us have freedom and comfort
street and in our outdoor exercises
1t us hold on to drApery for all occa-
when it ia feasible for as to think Of
y alone. Let our reformed gowns
s. as little as possible--not because
sty forbids any honest display of the
but because charity. tho democracy
Fial habits, forbids it. When you
anybody accusing women Of false
sty when they are cautious about
changes, you may be certain they dc
nderstand women. Ask men to wea,
breaches. Your Apollos will consent
20. Who will hesitate? Who will in
be the decision Of the MAJORITY The