The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-17
SUGGESTIONS FOR woMEN.
How to Dress so as to Get the Most {
Life


BROOKLYN. Jan. 6.-"Radicalism has
modification Of women's costumes" a
famous man dressmaker told me the other
day "If you observe be continued, you
know that every effort that has been made
to bring women to the point OF considering
the adoption Of masculine locking garments
has signally failed. II always will fail, be-
cause every day Of our lives the artistic is
getting flrmer hold. The trouble in the
past has been that the comrades which God
Intended to be inseparable, art and health
good taste RGd hygiene, have been sepa-
rated. It is utterly impossible for any
thing TO be arts &c which produces a
strained effect. You may drape a COM
preston In the most artistic manner but it
| Is like festoons upon a corpse. The most
Of the drapery of late has been
of this Kind beautiful by itself, but hideous
when applied 1t seems strange TO have an
| old customer come to me now and say:
| Please throw my gown on me, monsieur; l
desire something | can turn round in but
| you see, my dear madame this lady with
| thousands of others has been studying and
observing, and the divine light Of true art,
only feebly diseerned at first, has at last
| penetrated and illuminated her own atmos-
| phere. She haB now an admiration for
| long lines, fer soft effects and desire for
|
always come from comfort. All, madame,
could talk all day and yet not give any
adequate idea OF the wonderful prog ress
that art hos made In the matter Of dress in
the last three years"
Ipondered upon this all the way homo,
and the words OF the wealthy customer:
PLEASE throw my gown on me, l desire
something can turn round in" struck
responsive cord in my own heart. This was
| a charming sermon from a charming
source albeit have always pursed little
| prejudice against men dressmakers. There
is no excuse for such an absence Of logic,
| because II women are at liberty to do what
we have heretofore been taught to consider
| mems work. there is no reason under the
sun why men should not take up the moro
| feminine occupations IL they have a talent
for them. Let us be just though the hea vens
| fall.
When we arrange drspery OF any sort,
our ambition is to have it fall naturally
| into whatever form the material adapts it.
self to. This idea is row being carried into
the construction Of wemen's costumes, and
though 1t may take great many years to
| convince the ignorant and the silly that art
| and health are sisters, it will not take 50
many to assure them that il they desire to
be fashionable they must be artistic whether
| they like it or not.
| For the comfort of those who fear that
| the radical and Ottre will obtain in this
matter, l will say that consultation with
| the highest authorities convince me that we
| are in no danger. Women, for instance,
| will not wear trousers upon the street as
men do, though they will and do wear
| equestrienne tights without petlicosts in
| hundreds OF instances in New York city
| alone. These garments are warmer end
safer than the old fashioned sagging under
and outside skirts. Not very long ago a
woman to be properly dressed must wear a
| white embroidered flannel pettic7at aud
an outside one. The latter was generally
heavy and rested upon the hips. In any
| case 1t had a band like the under one and
] both were Snug" Now women who have
thought these sub ects out upon the artistic
and hygeinic lines have declared against
bands about the waist, using the soft COM
bination wool underwear next the skin
and the lightweight black trousers to take
the place Of the Anticipated ard unhy gsinic
petticoat AS every dress skirt hes its lin
ing, the absence of the petticost is not
noticeable.
l thought would take an inventory of a
friends costume the other n light, for knew
it would point moral and adorn a tale.
True art had not yet shed any light upon
her way.
AZ wonder" abe remarked. "what makes
me so tired. II you will excuse me ! will
pub Ou u lOoSo HIhpDoL huQ SOS now bnaU
will feel. Do you know," she added, with
the most charming ndirete. that some.
times when undress myself feel ell made
over new 2"
Indeed ~ said l, in the same tone
"Strangs, isn't 1t !"
Indeed ii is. What can be the reason q
These are the garments she removed
First, a wide jet collar, next q black sill
waist heavily trimmed with jet aud a.
tight as a drum head. Then she steppet
out Of a trained silk skirt trimmed on one
side, from the waist TO the kues, with tbs
richest, and consequently the heaviest pas
sementerie; next cane quilted silk petit.
coat weighing forty pounds or less, ther
the usual flannel, then the elaborate corset
waist, and then the corset Words fail tt
describe the fit Of this garment. The bulg
ing adipose tissue at the bottom and the TOY
told an awful story, and the sigh Of relic
that came from this simpleton's mouth al
this instrument of torture dropped to thu
floor. was enough TO make the very stone,
cry out in pity.
~ am so particular about dressing warm
ly," she said as she lifted the quilted petit
coat for me to examine. "1hsss pettfcoats
are not very fashionable now, you know
but am determined TO keep warm whether
or no."
"How do you feel nowr' Inquired, when
wrapped in a soft, fleecy chamber robe she
Sank comfortably INTO rocking c0alr-
10, lovely" was the enthusiastic answer
Did say to this misguided woman that
she could just as easily feel "lovely" oil tht
time as fragment Of It'll
did dot. Net the remotest glimmer OF
the light of art had yet penetrated her at.
mosphere, ard have learned not to waste
my ammunition. After while some friend
whom she recognizes as an exponent OF
style will modify her manner of dressing
and then this pretty friend Of mine Will
begin to ask questions That will be my
opportunity.
am delighted with the scores OF letter,
expressing satisfaction with my new Iaper
Eleanor Kirk'S Idea, and am particularly
grateful to the gentlemen who have praised
it, especially as | never expected them t.
read il. One man writes: Thank heaven
that while you are radical on many subjecti
you are no crank. and that your efforts FOR
your sex are IN the line of health and com
mon sense. can trust my wife and foul
daughters TO your care without a tremor.
A thousand thanks. No one can tell how
precious such words are except TO those who
work hard to deserve them.