The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-16

Tho Ethics of Tights.
The Court OF Appeals has affirmed the
Judgment in favor OF the plaintiff in the
case OF JAMES g. DUFF against LILLIAN
RUSSELL. The action grew out OF tho re-
fusal Of Miss RUSSELL to wear tights In u
comic opera wherein tights were a requisite
OF her part. Her excuse was that II sho
wore the tights she was likely to catch
cold. and perhaps might lose her voice in
consequence. Accordingly. she broke her
| contract with her manager. and now must
| pay him damages.
| She did not attempt to defend her course
on the ground that tights are lmmodest.
| for such plea would have boon plainly I'M
| tenab!c. The seaside season has now be-
| gun. and from this timo forth until tho salt
water becomes too cold for bathing, many
thousands Of modest women will appear on
the beaches at Concy Island. Long Branch.
| Newport. Narragansctt. Cape May, and nil
along the New Jersey and Long Island
coast clad In costumes which reveal tho
| figure not less generously thrn it's proper
| tions are exposed by the tights worn on tho
stage Nay, the exposure OF the bathing
costume Is even franker. for 1t is not miti-
ments worn in the water are the short
tunic. the trousers down to the knees. and
the stockings. with or without the addition
Of canvas Shoes Sometimes, too. even the
stockings are omitted. though sometimes.
| also. Us we are informed, corsets are worn
| from motives OF vanity.
The current bathing dress Is very he
| coming costume to II woman of a handsome
| figure, and as 1t permits the greatest free
| dom OF movement. it gratillcs exceedingly
| tho eye Of taste. 1t also serves to make con-
| spicnous tho encouraging fact that multi
| tudes OF our women possess strong sym
mctrcnl supple and beautiful figures which
have not been deformed by art. The stage
| tights do not afford the same assurance. for
| it Is rumorcd that they give opportunities
| for padding which may be improved deceit
fully. The stage figure may be made up
| by art. Tho figure of the feminine bathcr
clad in the conventional bathing costume
Of the day is as nature made it. AS it is. it
! frankly appears as the wcarer walks along
the beach and plunges in the surf.
| OF course this costume is strictly and
| scrupulously modest. for it is worn by
many thousands Of women whose notions
| OF modesty are the most delicate. In phys
ical and moral perfection they arc among
the choicest Of the noble and beau
tiful examples of womanhood. The hope
OF the race is in them. its highest
| glory. They keep the lamp of pu-
rity burning in the world. Yet they wear
costumes which prurcnce would drive from
the stage. as il long drapcrics were always
and everywhere essential to feminine mod
esty. and no thought Of improperly enters
their heads. They wear them as uncon-
| scously as well-bred woman wears her
ball dress. Its appropriateness justi1es
the costume.
at Chautauqua last summer there was
much discussion OF n reform in the usual
feminine dress. and 1t Is likely to be repent
ed this year. In general tho model recon-
mended was based on the present bathing
dress for women. The object Is to devise u
costume which shall relieve women from
the embarrassment OF draperics clini,ing
about tho legs and feet and permit Il free
dom Of movement necessary for them II
they nre to compete with men in the work
Of tho world. Nothing practical has como
OF the discussion. however. for women do
not take their fashions from Chautauqua.
though nothing is moro obvious than the
total inappropriatencs Of the present
dress of working women who are
compelled to leave tho scclusion OF
homes to earn their living in shops and
factories. But until the women OF the Fifth
avenue set the fashion Of dress reform
there will be no reform in the feminine COS
tune in any quarter. Distinctions in dress
which mark distinctions in employment arc
into!erabe IN tho eyes Of the women work
crs. Even women servants oftcntilncs
object to the cap and apron which advertise
their occupation. Thoy want to go abroud
clad in tho prevailing feminine fashion.
When. however. n manner OF dress be-
comes conventional II cannot be irnmodest.
whether IL be the costume OF the Sea Island
ers or Of New York. When it is usual and
| prescribed 1t ceases to attract attention.
Hence women who would shrink with
| horror from exposing their logs, in a ball
room think nothing OF wearing low-nccked
dresses there. while ut the sea beach they
will show their legs and hide their busts
1t is purely II matter Of convention and of
appropriateness.
Miss RUSSELL would have been absurd,
therefore. If she Ind refused to wear tights
on the score of modcsty. for she was ro-
uuircd to wear them whore they are
sanctioned by custom and convention. She
would rather have betrayed immodesty. If.
however, she was afraid OF her health. or
her legs are not SO fashioned as to bear such
an exposure. she is dci"nsib.e In tho court
of feminine taste and morals, though u
cruel court OF civil law has condemned
her To pay damages f." violating hor CON
tract 10y trying TO run away from Its obll-
cations.
David Is. HIPS Credentials at Chicago.
TInn IN n @ follnxu, i,, ,lo ,,, .