Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-17
THE DRESS OF WOMEN
A PLEA THAT OUR SISTERS JOIN
COMFORT TO BEAUTY.


svston Of dra.x9 Ia correction of them
neca.sorv nnd desirablcy Can we look
lovely and fool comfortable at tho same
,ir,a9 I .t ~. co,sidcr tbese three vital
questions
Most ,vor,ep vein confess to sudden and
cornnlctc comfort when they remove their
"tbinpsp at ni,ht and slim into n warm
wrauner for II lounVinp time before get
ting into bed l. there n woman in all the
world who has MOI, heaved n sigh of relief
and filled the poor. starved bases of her
luu..s thereby when an Unfortunately tiuht
corset hos been onrnrd after half day of
conuressiopg surely every one has eXperi-
enccd ~ drliphtful sensation Of lightness
| and A desire for active movement in the
| change from the iunumerab bic trappings of
ordinary attire TO the bathing or gymna-
SUM suit? Now is there not something
radically wrouu when our eliot hes are ever
in the least burdcnsome or irksome, when
TO be relieved of them is to enjoy mild
uleasureY
! admit, and many other women admit,
that our clothes are too tight and too
heavy, and that their warmth is uncqually
and badly distributed.
/ The corset ha, dc-ervedly received the
/ brunt Of all the cen,ure and odium Law
! ished by the medical profession on wom-
ans abuse, of herself. We are told that
/ unless corset is 50 loose that when re-
/ moved not the slightest degree of relief is
felt it is too tight to be healthful. If the
/ average woman wore her corset so, it and
F her petticoats would slip down on her hips
| in an uncomtort able and uutidy fashion.
We are quite familiar with our own nat
ural figures; compare them with the dress
makers models. There is nothing more
ridiculous and yet pitiful than those amaz.
/ ing waists of the Young ladies in fashion
/ plates submitted to a reasonable female
public for imitation
Ii is II common thing for women to
measure about the waist from one TO four
/ inches less in II corset than without it.
/ The corset, even if it is not pulled in"
congresses the vital and most delicate or
CANS of the body, causes deficient circula-
ton and presses down in II lopg sustained
/ sitting position when the body is inclined
/ forward, with the ahOminable steels, the
soft abdominal cavity with injurious re-
suits. \ doctor only could enumerate the
effects of tight laciug.
The corset should 20, A boned waist
might be substituted in the case of stout
people, but the lean, the young, the
strong, the weak could be stripped of all
| COMPRESSION and trained by exercise and
| healthy domestic labor to new erectness
! of stature and muscular endurance and
activity that might he bcoueathed as n
precious legacy to the coming generation.
Take "A woman at the fall season of the
wear. when She is DOMINIC her winter fan
/ nels She will then be CARVING on her
person. with the exception of shoes. stock
ines and outdoor garments. nine different
articles of apparel. With two petticoats-
a flannel and an outside one of silk or mus
lima dress skirt and two sets OF drawers.
n considerable weight is sustained by the
abdomen and hips. About her waist nine
different LAYERS of material. mostly double.
will be bound Bat She has weight With
out warmth. \ woman's lower limbs are
not properlv protected from cold by this
petticoat system. The heat of course cen
tiers under the heavy corset and numerous
waist bands, and thatl part of the body luav
be bathed in PRESENTATION when the .X-
tremitics are numb with cold. Ope-Lalf
The women We see on the street the sever
est dav in winter are only wearing, i'll adj
dition to their customary household garb,
a wrap or iucket reaching lust to or below
the hipS.
The remedy for this insutTicicr: and cum
bcrsome clothing of our bodies is si,nple
and direcr We can reduce the seven ar
ticlcs of underwear to two-or three at
most.
First-A combination garment of wool
or wool with cotton back or silk or merino,
reaching to the wrists and ankles, to be
worn next the skin. This may be of Isle
thread or silk or fin wool for summer
wear, without sleeves and short to the knee.
Secord-Tne underskire and waist com
bincd of muslin or Sill. If short jack et
or wrap be worn outdoors without other
warm covering for the limbs than the dress
skirt and uudergarment it may be made
of flannel and adjustable to the waist.
Third Equestrienne tights or legging7
to the thighs, to be worn only i'll winter
when going out and removed on return.
The only pctticoat might be a divided
skirt, but the divided Skin. has proved it.
self to me 4 snare and "A deusion. The
I equestrieunc tights or leggings certainly
do keep the limbs delightfully."- warm and
snug, but one cannot remove them handily
at the theatcr or church or when dropping
in for a friendly chat with a neighbor