The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-01-27
ent feminine costume is of great beauty
and remarkably comfortable.

and remarkably comfortable.
Even if the c~rinoline started with a
moderate extension of the circumference
of the petticoat, past experince indicates
that the tyranny of fashion would carry
it to an extreme before it was abandoned.
The hoop skirts of thirty or forty years
ago began with constructions of hair,
which pulled out the petticoat to a com.
paratively slight extent, but they were
succeeded by patented devices of steel
hoops which rendered their size prodi
gious. During their reign a manufac-
turing concern in this city made a great
fortune by producing the elliptic skirt,
as it was called, and every household
was embarrassed by the necessity of get
ting rid of the huge constructions when
they had become damaged or had been
discarded. A man accompanied by a
woman dropped into physical insignia
canoe alongside Of her vast proportions
as increased by the hoop skirt. A score
of women would fill a large sized room
I L W. Ol luCu Woulu AlI CoIIIoSOS elu
their entry into it required much dex
terity.
The remembrance of this past extrava
gance is confined to the oldest people OF
this generation. Men who have not
passed what is called middle age know
of it only from hearsay, and hence we
infer that the violent English rebellion
against the revival of the c%rinoline has
started with women who have come
down from a period whose distance
makes them no longer youthful. Recall
ing the hoopskirt as was in the long-past
DAYS Of its dominance, they tremble at
the thought of its temperance, fer it
must have made the chains of fashion
peculiarly calling for them.
We observe that some English hus.
bands are threatening violent r~etaliatOry
measures if their wives adopt such a
fashion again, no matter how arbitrary
its authority. They make a mistake. 1t
is useless for men to undertake to inter
fere in the business. If there is to be a
rebellion, itmust be conducted by women
solely and it is very doubtful whether it
will be successful under any circum-
stances. If the mandate that crinoline
shall be worn is promulgated, eve the
rebellious may yield rather than submit
to reflections on the singularity Of their
dress, for with crinoline prevalent the
close-clinging draperies Of the present
would provoke ridicule. The English
demonstration, however, may have a de-
terrent influence on the Partisan tyrants
of fashion, the more especially if it has
the sympathy and c~ountenance Of the
Princess of Wales; but if the fashion is
once really introduced, no matter to
what extremes it may go, it is likely to
be. followed by women generally. The
great hope is in the manifest superiority
of the present draperies both psthetically
and reasonably.
The dress reform movement started in
England is chiefly interesting and i'm
portant as an indication Of the growing
spirit of independence among women
which distinguishes this period. They
are making bold to assault even the
citadel of fashion, and though they may
be beaten in the first encounter, they are
bound to triumph in the end. Probably
1t may be assumed that 0 they will
be successful SO far, at least, as to re-
strain the crinoline within sensible limits.
1t may be the beginning of the great
dress reform which will be advocated
and exemplified by selfsacriticing women
at the Chicago fair.