The Washington times., 1894-04-05
A Few Thoughts
On Dress Reform

Dress reform, says the Ledger. is topic
upon which innumerable changes are just now
being rung, and about which there is such q
, wide divergence of opinion that it is difficult
to decide which way public taste has the
strongest leaning. Certain it is that most oi
the models already brought forward are SO
Objectionable that it is question If any woman
will be found who is willing to adopt them as
her regular attire.
There is one very curious feature OF this
dress reform business that seems to have been
overlooked in most OF the discussions, and
this is the prominence that the feet are given
| in the arrangement of the various articles oil
wearing apparel. This seems to be the point
on which all the difficulty turns. They can
get along with the waist; that seems to matter
| less than anything else, although it is in many
respects the most important; but it takes sec
ondary rank by the side of the question
whether a woman shall or shall not show her
ankles on the public streets. If she wears
long, trailing petticoats and holds them up
! high enough to show her ankles, that seems
not to trouble anybody, but when she makes
her skirts short enough to exhibit the same
portion of her anatomy there is great hue
and cry.
As matter of fact. fashion. that arbitrary
and unnatural tyrant that is always tripping
| up the heels of every reform in woman
attire, is not pleased with short skirts. Ihey
are too easily managed and too inexpensive,
and, to get things down to a very fine point,
there is nothing in them that pays. There
fore they are ridiculed by designers. and II n
costume Is made to order there is sure to Dc
some feature about it that renders 1t oblec-
tionabie; besides, in the present state oil
t,..f- Il
made and there is no such thing as salts
factory ready-made reform dress to be had in
| the market So women are driven to all sorts
of makeshifts and as natural consequence
they have got n lot Of incongruous and emf
nently absurd garments, and dress reform
falls practically fiat.
II is a very easy matter to get up q CON-
Portable and attractive costume that shall
have very little. if any, objection for stormy
davs or. indeed, any ordinary use. Make a
light-weight serge. cut with Just enough fuil-
ness to make it hang well without being
heavy. with skirt unlined and faced at the
hem with piece OF thick material-ladies'
I switched with heavy twist in half dozen
rows not over n quarter of an inch
| apart. This gives firmness to the hem and
prevents its Tapping, in case il should be in
clined to do so. which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, it will not if properly cut.
corselet, fitting the figure comfortably and
| with whalebones enough to prevent its
| wrinkling. This does not in any sense,
argue that the band should be tight or un-
| comfortable or that the whalebones should be
/ arranged so that there is any compression of
the figure. A blouse, blazer, jacket or mod
erarey close-titting waist may be worn with
it, all of which can be arranged with regard
to health, and this. too, without losing sight
! of grace and symmetry. One ofthe very best
! arrangements in the way of n modified dress
/ reform outfit that was ever prepared con-
t sisted of u navy-blue serge skirt, somewhat
| like the one described-a blouse OF dark-blue
India silk. made on a lining and a blue serge
| blazer. The blouse waist was arranged with
! eyes. and the skirt had hooks by
which the two were attached. thus
mailing practically a one-piece garment
/ Underneath this was Worn petticoat OF
| black silk. made without lining except in the
front BREADTH which portion was lined for
the sake of added dura ility. as the silk is
! very likely 10 split over the knees when one
! sits down. Gossamer vest and drawers, with
/ full-length stockings and white petticoat of
| thin cambric extending to the knees were the
underwear. Instead Of anything in the cor
/ set line an under-body of coutil was made,
! and to this the black silk petticoat was but
toned. The garments were easy-fitting and
| very stylish in effect. There was moth
| ing Objectionable in their appearance, as the
| dress ski,t was Just short enough to touch
| the instep. and the entire weight of the out
! fit was little more than that of one ordinary
| dress made after the regulation models
! For cold weather, short. flannel under
shirt and cashmere hose over the Isle thread
/ ones afforded needful protection. OF course.
a thick long. ample ulster or other cloak was
! necessary.
| One point in woman's reform dress is that
| they do not wear clothing enough 10 keep
~
ature. The garments as prescribed are sus-
| ceptible OF little alteration or addition. As
! for the divided skirt it is uncomfortable. un-
| managetle. untidy, and undesirable in almost
every way. The only legitimate use to which
! most women can think Of ever applying it is
! for equestrian purposes when women come to
ride cross-saddle. Then it will have reason
able excuse for being.
Unless the divided skirt is up above the
ankles ii has no points of grace in reform cos
tune, and then il must be supplemented by
some sort of skirt in order to reconcile women
to its Use. One can hold up q skirt in emer-
gencies. but when it comes to holding up
garment in trouser shape tits likely to bother
the most ingenious woman to do il effectively
and gracefully; and as for going on the street
and making guys of themselves sensible
women are not going to do it.
All this ado and nonsense and rubbish
| about the handicap of a woman's dress are
mooGshihe, unless she chooses to make it
otherwise; for. without allowing her nearest
and dearest friends to suspect such thing.
she can array herself in what answers every
purpose Of the ultra-eXtravagant apparel
that trouserites seem determined to force
upon her Many z woman owns a stormy
day dress. in winch she can go out and defy
the weather, and she can come in, too. with
out the fear of being wet or draggled. If she
wants to wear long skirts and hold them up,
it is a free country. and no one is likely to
prevent her doing so.