The herald., 1895-03-31

But the skirt is not the worst feature of
wOman's dress to a reformer. Corsets
and the system by which a great weight
is suspended from the waist are consid-
cred the worst evils. Skirts are bad when
they are long enough to gather up dirt,
but many reformers included them prop
erly curtailed in their schemes of rational
dress, says the New York World.
Dress reform is not accomplished in a
day. The change is now taking place.
Thoughtful women throughout the land
are wearing reformed garments. Women
bicyclists who wear boomers are doing a
noble work in preparing public senti-
| ment for the change.
The dress reformers of the National
Council, whose views are given at length
| here, are both practical and moderate in
| their ideas. They TO not wish to provide
amusement for the frivolous. Some
would rather conceal their most cherished
devices.
Certain general principles, governing
| the construction of a rational costume,
| may be deducted from their remarks. 1t
should allow every part of the body its
natural action and be short enough to re-
| lieve the wearer's hands from the neces-
sity of keeping the skirts out OF the way
| of her own and other peoples feet. It's
weight should as far as possible be borne
| by the shoulders. Corsets are by these
conditions obviously excluded.
Among the most active dress reformers
| in the council are the Rev. Ida G. Hultin,
Mrs. Clara Colby, Miss Leavens, Mrs. An
ME Jenness Miller Mrs. Francis E. Rus
SELL Mrs. Frank Stuart Parker and Mrs.
Octavia W. Bates.
The Rev. Ida c. Hultin, pastor OF the
First Unitarian Church OF Moline, H.,
said to a World reporter:
~ have never been radical dress re-
former. My address at the councillor the
Ethics of Dress was made at the sugges-
ton of the chairman. Mrs Russell, with
a view to elevating the subject above the
mere matter of details of the dressmakers
art in the consideration of dress as a
means to an end. The Dody is not one S
self, but a tool wherewith to do. But
nothing can touch or have to do with the
body without exerting spiritual infiu-
| ence upon it to a greater or less extent
''TheIe will be no perfect dressing
among men or women until we accom-
| plish it in three ways-with regard to
comfort, beauty and economy. For com
| fort our brothers. side of humanity eXces
u.s. and possibly in the matter OF economy,
| but they have never yet succeeded in
making their clothes beautiful. The
which the minimum of thought shall be
displayed, and the maximum of comfort,
of beauty, of personality and OF economy.
| AT the council always dressed as in the
pulpit-where | wear black dress with q
rather short skirt. My idea is that no
woman on the platform or in the pulpit
can go to extremes in any way without
attracting unfavorable comment and
bring discredit upon the cause. | could
not bring about the adoption Of the divid-
ed skirt or the short dress by wearing
them in the pulpit | think the time may
come when these simple costumes may
become universal. and | shall be glad
when the time does come and when
women shall be emancipated from dress.
But the reform must come, If 1t does
come, by the home women, the women
of fashion and society who will intro
duce it, so that it will be taken up by
everyone. When the new dress becomes
common it will not be noticeable, be-