The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-28
THE DECOLLETE DRESS.
An Answer to a Question That Was
Asked by a Society Journal
The Views Of California Woman on the
Styles of Society Dress Adopted by Many
Of the Fashionable Bellies.

Some time ago there was great agitation
in LordOn over the decollete dress ques-
tiOn, and an extraordinary query was pub
lished in a weekly called Modern Society,
which read as follows: "What would soei-
ETY. do if a man entered ballroom with
his arms and shoulders exposed from where
his braces cross at the back to the third
button Of his waistcoat in front?"
My answer was given in the next issue,
and it was this:
Last week correspondent suggested
novel and startling method of turning the
tables on the ladies of fashion, and could
any man be found courageous enough to en-
ter a ballroom with his arms and shoulders
exposed to the extent mentioned, l think,
though a ludtcrous mode of procedure, it
would have tie desired effect Of making
society feel heartily ashamed Of herself.
But however outrageous the decOllete style
of dress may be, on behalf Ofjmy misguided
sisters | must remiHdI the opposite sex that
when the demand ceases the supply VIII
follow suit; thus, as ladies always attire
themselves Ia tie manner they think most
fascinating to tie LORDS Of creation when
the latter universally show their disappTO-
baton OF the prevailing lmmOdest
fashion, the result VIII be that all
who are naturally sensible, but whose heads
nave tetu eHEhllN tuIUtu Dh the iuuAiNd-
ton of vanity. will see their error and will
in future remember that mOdesty is one OF
the greatest 8doTnmeDtS Of a woman, and to
such | would say, while suffering the tenn
pOraTv UnpeasantneSs Of being dubbed uR-
fashionable.
NeyeT miad though naughty damsels
Csli you dOwGy, prlm er meek,
Some true heart tired out with fashion,
VIA the modest maiden seek.
REFORM.
In Vt Of no o1uanaa1 q
that the reform must begin with the oppO-
site seX-I will relate an Incident founded
on fact. the hero Of tie story, whom | Will
call Captain II, being one Of the finest and
most courteous gentlemen in connection
with the White Star line OF steamships.
and quite a social lion when IN London
on hying visits.
During one If his voyages a lady with
whom he was well acquainted approached
him. altired IN a dress which altogether out
ragged lis sense Of prOpriety and in
SpriEhtly manner said Captain, wont you
take me d. 10 dinner
But looking fyedlv at her he answered
Crave}y, Madame, / viii be happy 10 90
so when YOU have dressed yourself.
Colorug deeply. the lady took tile hint and
shortly after appeared IN a different cos
tune. Now all men have not the moral
courage of that brave captain, nor are all
women sensible enough % accept we'll
meTted reaUke without taking Otfeuse. but
surely II fathers, brothers, yea, aud nus
bands would refuse. yes, absolutely refuse
to take out the female memhe Is of their
family unless mOdestly attTtd. though the
result might possibly be a social upheaval.
from II would be evolved new era Of purity.
But apart from the opposite sex, how much
even one woman can accomplish In this
matter f she has the principle In her heart
and the requisite amount Of viii power to
enable her 10 successfully carry il out.
Take, for instance. Ant0inette Sterling,
Americas great ContraliO - great IN The
tTueSt sense OF the wCTd. When she en-
tered the London cOnCert-rO1m years ago
il was the fashion for singers to wear
sleevet dresses, but though possessed
at that time Of a magnlhcently formed
figure she persistently refused to conform TO
the custom and in spite OF a few CaTplng
critics she never found her immense audi
enCeS less kindly IN their reception OF her
on that account, even though they must
have wondered AT thu solitary specimen Of
fully clothed w0manho0d Standing before
them.
What was tie result Of such conduct?
Why, to-day, al honor t. AntOiuette Ster-
ling. the high dress is the prevailing one for
cOnceTt-siugeTS ~ London.
Even the Queen made an exception ia
favor Of this woman OF modest Instinct,
and when sending for her 10 sing al o.
borne the Il essage was that Miss Sterling
might wear what she liked; and so in q
louE-sleeyed. hlgh-necked black satin dress
the very antitheSis Of what is prescribed bv
the stringent rules of court etiQuptte-the
great C0ntrajto sang before her Majesty
with such success that next day she received
q solid silver tea service as a sOuyy mir Of
the occasion.
NOT OBJECTIONABLE.
a decent barring OF the neck is not OBJ
jeCUOnaDie, but how SWEEP young girls
who would crimson with shame on being
caught IN any sort Of Undress, can enter
ballroom but half-clad is surely one Of the
problems of the age. \ lovely New York So
clety belle, when demonstrated with on this
point, argued; But other girls dress 81,
and besides, she added cnaXmgly, doesn't
1t make me look sWecIY and even as she
settled the question comfortably In her
own mind the little pneumonia tieud was
laughing in his sleeve at the thought Of an
other prospective victim.
The plump and pretty girl who revels in
dec0liele dress ana who imagines all men
are subjugatgd by IL, likes TO assume that it
is the scraggy and unattTactlye female only
who disapproyes of her, but, il she only
knew it, every man worth having either
pities or dcspises her vanity. while her
points" TO use the term OF the
arIst0cratically born but slangily dis
posed. are often the theme and subject
of discussion among those who admire her
aWfully, you know" but who talk so
lightly Of her that IN the same breath they
diate on the charms Of the latest star OF he
ballet All, but the future has in store a
wiser maiden. one VINO viii be strong in all
the moral attributes that shape to noble
ends a wOman's lile and one who will have
too grand scheme of health to allow her
to run needless risks. IN the meantime, let
us remember that the perfection OF dress is
the harmony OF ensemble that bespeaks
the modesty Of innate refinement in opposi-
ton to the false training Of fasGion-loying
generation. MARIAN TAYLOR.