Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-08
SUNDAY. ...... JANUARY 8. 1873
Hoopskirts as a Fashion.

From time TO time this unofending gene
ration Is threatened with return OF that
female fashion of dress popularity. OF rather
unpopularly. known as "hoop-skirts," but
we earnestly trust that we may DO spared
at least awhile longer.
Hoop-skIrts had their origin in the long
ago. Queen BEss wore them. She had no
beauty TO be spoiled by them. The EN-
press EUGENE revived them for reasons OF
her own. and it was only after some three
or four decades marked by violent warfare
from the male sex that the fashion was
abandoned IL went out about the time
that street-cars came into general use. Inc
two things would not mix.
The street-car companies have that sort OF
public spirit which approves and commends
men who relinquish their seats 20 ladies
and make room for two 20 ride where only
one could ride before; but they would
decline to expand their rules of practice
of oivility so far as to allow hoop-skirted
woman 10 occupy three seats for one 5-oent
fare. We maliciously hope that If the
fashion does come IN again they Will MAKE
the women pay dearly for It. However,
our fair friends, whom we may now make
ugly enemies. are ingenious creatures and
will not willingly throw away On street
car monopoly a l0-cent piece which could
be more agreeably expended for caramels.
and they NAV maneuvre TO gather up their
skirts so as not 10 be amensole to double
or triple fares.
When hOop-skirts came into vogue n the
reign Of EUGENE the ponderous gates
which now disfgure the Capitol Square
had not been put in place. Instead OF
them, each gateway was staked about with
posts set III row in the ground about
fifteen inches apart.
These posts were intended to keep the
cows out of the Square, tho grass of that
place being very allurng in the spring and
summer TO the numerous COWS which then
roamed our streets.
II was ali that man who was short in his
legsand big at the belt could do to Wedge
himself IN and out of these post-rows,
and it was thought that they would surely
prove to be an iasupcrable obstacle TO the
exit and entrance of women wearing
hoops We are not certain but that they
were devised 70 keep the COWS and the
women both out of the Capitol Square.
The women thought 80, too, for long
time, and many of them walked around the
square rather than venture TO make q
short cut through these distractions; but
at last the dear creatures found that by
comprising the hoops on the sides they
could reduce the front measurement cor
respondngly and thus could sail through
almost as easily as q man. II was grace
full and coquettlsh tactical movement SINH
lar TO that which the captain orders when
he reduces his company from company
front to column of fours.
The ingenuity that they displayed in this
matter makes us distrustful of depending
upon superintendents of street-car com
panies as our sole protection against this
threatened invasion; but we shall hardly
be disappointed if we appeal to the wo-
men who have (or think they have) good
figures and beg them to repudiate utterly
and entirely the proposed readoption of
the fashion.
When we assert that we know whereof
We speak, and when we do declare that O
woman with fine figure who puts herself
IN hoop-skirts puts herself on level with
woman who is ill-fgured We trust that
we have said enough to demolish the whole
race OF conspirators who are endeavorinG
to war against the peoples peace and tins
human form divine.