The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-02
They Are no Longer Worn Exclu-
sivsly by Those Of tho
Male Sex.
Canadian Women Have Adopted
Them for Use in tho
Winter Time.
They Arc Worn by Horse and bicycle
Riders, Toneers aud Many Otbors
-Bathing Dressea

that city's carnival uttered an exclamR-
ton Of surprise when she read that thou
snnds, perhaps tens Of thousands Of Cana
dian women now wear trousers during tho
Canadian winters.
"Well, " said she, "thnt tends 10 show
that trousers may be going to become "A
common general garment peculiar 20 nei-
Their sex. IL destroys the point OF home
ly old saying that credits "A masterful wife
with wearing the trousers for in these
days what wife does not wear them at
some part OF the day or the week or in at
least some one seasonf"
With that prelude this woman went on
to say that she was the proud possessor
Of two pairs Of these garments, and that
her daughter also wore pair at times.
One Of her two pairs were those she uses
for horseback riding-the others were part
OF her fencing costume. Her daughters
trousers were worn by the little girl in the
gymnasium at the school she attends. Had
she counted the trousers that form part OF
her bathing dress for use at the seaside,
she would be able TO say she owned three
pairs of these things, which not long ago
were only thought Of as masculine, like
suspenders and razors. When she called
TO mind in how many ways and In what
important parts of Christendom the wom-
en- are wearing this newly adapted addi-
ton to their attire, the recountal grew
interesting. In Switzerland, she said,
within the past two or more years, full
trousers, like the Turkish ones, are worn
for mountain exercises by English, French
and German women. The same trousers
are worn IN the Scotch highlands by the
English, and OF late movement has be
gun for the adoption OF trousers and long
tailed coats for equestrianism in London.
This fashion has been introduced by wo-
men of standing who wish their sex TO
adopt the masculine manner of riding
horses. 1t is true that we have no news
that the new idea has proved popular;
but, on the other hand, no news Of its
abandonment has been sent over. The
leading English fashion papers have pub
lished pictures of the dress worn by these
new votaries Of the bifurcated garment
Of the master sex, and the costume has
been seen TO be pretty. As many as half
a dozen women have appeared simulta-
neously in Hyde park in this new dress.
In all the fashionable girls schools of
New York and Brooklyn trousers have
long been worn in the school gymnasiums,
but this has not counted TO the fullest ex-
tent toward the coming revolution, be
has ever been made. There was no good
excuse for this privacy. The trousers
formed part Of a modest and pretty dress,
which found favor in the eyes of all adult
women who saw it, The publicity had
to come and already has been accomplish
ed. The daily newspapers now report ex-
hibitiOns in some Of these schools to which
the parents and friends are invited. More
over, the usefulness OF the trousers keeps
extending, and we now read of handball
and other games being played by the same
young girls in this same dress. Among
grown women the old fashioned equestrian
tights have been succeeded by cloth trou-
sers very like those that men wear, and
trousers have for a long time been worn
in the fencing clubs and fencing classes.
More than that, there are many women
now riding bicycles who wear what are
called the Turkish trousers. 10 is only
now and then that a woman so dressed is
seen in Central or Prospect parks or the
streets that lead to those parks, yet some
are seen every now and then, and in the
smaller cities OF New England, New York
and New Jersey they multiply rapidly, so
that in certain Of these towns no one turns
a head for second glance at a woman in
that dress
The bathing dress shows marked signs
Of following this movement, which pro-
crosses so fast in so many wholly discon-
nectod ways. In this country the fashion
able bathing dress has seen its skirt cut
less and less Of a figure as each year rolls
along. The skirts have grown shorter, and
less and less material has been put in
them. But in France, where fashions begin,
the startling news is several aristocratic
. Ia - rr-f1 Ia
without any skirts over the tight fitting
cloth trousers which, with waist, slip
pers, stockings and hat Of the same col
or, compose their very pretty though star
thing bathing outfits. With this rccollec-
tion the story Of the progress Of the trou-
sers among the gentler half Of Christen-
dom terminated. The woman who gave
the recountal was Of the opinion that
trousers will be more and more worn by
women for especial occasions and uses.
Whether the sex will substitute them for
skirts she would not go so far as 20 say.
She argued that they will be adopted for
bicycle riding and equestrianism, the lat
ter being sport which 10 women would
take up for every one who does now, II il
were not for the painful and ridiculous
manner in which women have been fore
ed, by the exigencies Of their apparel, TO
mount n horse. She prophesies also that
trousers on women will grow more and
more common in the suburban and coun-
try towns whenever rain Is falling, OF the
roads are bad, or walking or tennis or
any athletic sports are nhder way.
"The divided skirt hung fire, she says,
because IL came before the women were
ready for IL. IL will come again and take
permanent place in our oostuming with
in n very few years"
"Will women ever abandon, will you
ever give up, the beautiful draperies you
now wear for the commonplace trousers
Of mani"
ooh, for evening and full dressf ] don't
say that That Is indeed far cry ahead.
But the reason that the women Of Canada
have adopted trousers IL the reason that
50 many women are taking Co them 10
kindly. That reason Is that they permit
us to 10 without the weight and hindrance
Of skirts. They make II possible for Ms to
Join in sports of nearly all kinds with the
men, and to fear no accident which with
the old style Of dress would humiliatc us.
The Canadians wear an outer skirt, aud
look as they used 10 look when they dress
ell like other women. Perhaps the outer
skirt will stay, even after all women wear
trousers But perhaps IL will give place
20 the divided skirt. ard we shall only
wear the outer skirt at home or on special
occasiuns-that is what we must wait for
time to settle New York sun.
To clean black silk. sponge ON both sides