The herald., 1894-03-27
RAINY DAY RAIMENT.
nTrs. Grannis' Tdoa of the Proper Costume
For Stormy weather.

Madison Square Concert hall before a
large audience of women, the subject for
the day being 1.-The Rainy Day Dress, y
Mrs. g. b. Grannis, tho president of the
National Christia:l league, appeared on
tho platform in what she considers the
proper costume for stormy weather 1t
was a simple black dress, the striking
feature Of which was the extreme short
ness of the skirt, it reaching only part
way down the cSlf Of the leg. "Per-
haps," said Mrs. Grannis as she turned
about to give every one a good view,
''you think it doesn't need raising. Well,
it doesn't" In describing the outfit she
said she wore first a union suit Of all
silk, over this one of silk and wool. as
she needed warmth, thon pair of black
silk tourists trousers coming just below
the knee, and over all the short skirt
The feet and legs look comfortable and
trim in leggings or Polish boots reaching
above the knee, made of fine cloth.
a voice-If woman has pretty feet
and legs, all right.
81 believe great many women think
that" replied Mrs. Grannis. II " car a
No. Alb, and l can go to sleep in my
shoes as well as in my bonnet. and in
my bonnet as we'll as in my stockings.
Fleshy women look we'll in the dress"
Another Voicc--I don't believe it.
Mrs. Grannis-There is Miss Bates of
Michigan. who is largo and stylish. She
looks remarkably well in the dress. 1t
is only the poor little snippety women
who suffer.
Miss E. Marguerite Lipdley, the chair
man, who was also on the platform, said
that, according TO her experience, which
had been gained in the gymnasium, it
was the trimmingo Of the waist that made
the suit becoming or unbecoming.
Fleshy women always demurred when
the gymnastic suit was suggested, and
when they donned it they felt uncom-
Portable. But she discovered that when
they could make the waist as their fancy
dictated, with pretty trimmings and
pretty sleeves, they were at ease and the
effect was good.
Mrs. Grannis added: "Some one once
said to me, But are you with your dress
reform going to take away all the sweet
womanlincss of leces and ruffieS?' Ruff
des and laces are not for rainy days,
where they are bedraggled and bespat-
tered until there is no sweetness or dain-
tiness about them"
Mrs. Grannis does not wear the short
skirt in public without long cloak made
with cape. She has pocket in the
cape and one on the side of her skirt
within easy reach, "for l WON'T" she
says, ''get up aud twist myself and my
clothes all out of shape in public to find
my pocket"
While Mrs. Grannis went to put on
the summer rainy day dress, Miss Lind
ley remarked: II am an earnest advo-
cate of short dresses on the street It is
q great strain on q woman's nervous sys-
TEN to carry bundles, purse, umbrella
and at the same time try to gather up
voluminous skirt. am the only woman
who has ever climbed Mount Mansfield
in gymnasium suit, and when we
reached the top ! was the only woman
IN the party who was not breathless.
"When the fashionable women of New
York take up the short skirt, all New
York will take it up, and it will never
sink into disuse. We have been for 40
years preparing for tho short skirt, and
When it comes it comes to stay. Some
object that it is iinmodest. 1t is no more
immodest to show the leg to the knee
than to bare the shoulders and arms. It
is only custom. My idea is not OF radi-
cal reformation, but of evolution"
Mrs. Grannis then appeared in knic1-
erbocker trousers of black silk. These
she wears over short linen skirt, and
she pronounces it the coolest costume q
woman can have. In place of the long,
heavy cloth cloak she has ore made Of
thin silk for summer wear. The trou-
sers are as full as an ordinary sxirt-hve
widths of eilk-only divided Black silk
she considers the most serviceable and
economical material a woman can use,
for it always looks we'll and Is suitable
for almost any occasion. In black silk
dress, she said, u woman can do her du-
ties in the morning, 50 to business for
half day, reception or literary club
meeting in the afternoon, dinner and
reception in The evening, never being
terribly out of order. she finished her
talk by saying that woman has no no.
ton of freedom of body If she has always
worn long skirts Women ore like race
horses. If you put ever SO thin a cover
ing over horse, he loses the race, and
women havo lost many races on account
Of having their knees bound.
Some one asked why trousers were pre-
ferred to the short skirt. Miss Lindley,
answering the question from a hygienic
standpoint. said that it was because with
the divided skirt the legs were evenly
clothed, and this is most desirable for
health and warmth.
Miss Lindloy introduced Mrs. Board
man, tho cyclist, who appeared in the
full cycling costume, boomers, leather
leggipgs, box coat and cap. She spoke
Of tho favor with which cycling was
viewed in England and read extracts
from letter written by Lady Henry
Somerset indorsing cycling and giving
en- account Of club of which she is
president that had been formed for wom-
en- cyclists in England. New York Let
ter.
Wouid Liisa TO See Her President.