The morning call., 1893-07-02

the designing of human garments. Take,
for Instance. Mrs. Jenness- MIller's re-
Gently designed costume which is her
avowed ideal of what is suitable and appro-
pirate for an American business woman to
wear on the streets. If Mrs Miller has de-
signed this costume with a view to dis
gushing the whale world with the idea Of
dress reform. she has succeeded admir-
ably. Could anything be more unpleasant.
than the cuirasS-like she'll she proposes?
1t gives rise at once to an impression that
the wearsr. diScarding the usual feminine
draperies. has considered 1t necessary to
encase herself in some sort of impenetrable
armOr-a subtle suggestion which at once
conveys an idea of improperly about the
garment. The outline is ugly. giving one a
sense of construction about the hips.
The skirt is too short to look we'll and
not short enough to give the wearer any
added freedom of M otion about the knees.
The puffed sleeve gives an impression that
an appearance OF masculine breadth of
shoulder is sought for, and the absurd.
Irrelevant little jacket, open before and
behind. is palpa5! d. signed merely to
pretend to conceal the outline Of the figure
which in reality it accentuates, while the
hat has no possible relation to tie rest OF
the costume.
Moreover. and fatal omission, there Is
palpably no provision for pockets in the
whole outfit, no place where a pocket
could be placed, and the costume has TO be
supplemented by the little shopping bag.
The artist who drew the picture dld we'll
t. put bundle ia the hands of the figure.
1t is absolutely necessary to break the
glarlng unpeaS antneSS OF the whole effect.
A pretty contrast is the costume worn by
Mrs. Bertha Morris Smith at a public
meeting recently, which is neat, sensible
and appropriate and thoroughly modest.
Flowing robes, beautiful draperies,
lovely, soft, ciinging garments, women will
always wear, in proper places, and on
field of feminine activity demands some
modification of wOmen's attire that shall
make it comfortable and appropriate for
active life. Whether we will ever have
such4a costume is asomewhat discouraging
question when w consider that in all these
centuries we have not even, as yet, arrived
at a suitable costume in which woman
may do the round of household work that
has so long been her ''divinely appointed
sphere"
The average woman In the sanctity OF
the home still Dutters around the kitchen
in dress too long FOR comfort, too full for
cleanliness. brushing against stove and
rubbing against sink, catching in doors
and on chairs and projecting corners.
She still goes upstairs with her hands full
of clean clothes. the baby under one arm
and half a dozen other things beneath the
other, giving her skirt sidewIse kick at
every step that she may not trip on its
borders. She catches her heels in it CON-
ing downstairs and she carries liberal
supply Of grease about in its hem in token
of her numerous encounters with spatter-
ing fat around the stove. "Greasy Joan"
has always flourished in the kitchen, and
in the parlor Praxln0e has ever mOnrned
the tyrannical uses of costuming. Read
that wonderful fifteenth sidyl of Theo.
critus where he describes one Syracusan
woman calling upon another and narrates
their conversation. It was written, 266
years before Christ, and 1t might have
taken place yesterday in any San Fran
cisco drawing-room. Thus 1t runs:
GoRGO-Is PraxinOe at home?
PRAxINOE-Dear Gorge, now long Is It since
you have been here. She. Is at home. The
wonder is you have got hefe at last. EunOe,
see she has chair. Throw a cushion on It,,
too
i. - /.
GoRGo-Praxinoe, that full body becomes
you wonderfully. Tell me, now much did the
stuff cost you, just off the loom.
PRAXINOE-DOn't speak OF 1t. Gorge! Moro
than e8, In good silver money. and tue work on
it! nearly shaved my soul out over it!
Then. too. the adventures Of the two