The National tribune., 1895-09-26

big bow with lace-edged ends Under this is
worn a plain white, higI-eollared vest. Many
women wear this costume with Dickey." a
stiff collar with Picadfiiy points and little dark
satin tie; but SO arranged tit is an exceedingly
masculine costume, without any dainty details
to make it passabIe A pretty frill to wear in
the place of the ichu is double ruffle. very
full. lace-edged quite wide and sewed in the
middle of plain white vest piece the rufile
reaching from the collar to the point where
the lapels cross each other. A rufile like this
futters aud falls very gracefully.
~"
The Bloomer question is being discussed fnri-
ously in Paris, London, and New York papers.
The opinions of prominent women are sought.
but some are for and some against, leaving the
question as unsettled as ever. Time, of course,
will answer it, as it does most all questions,
and it is well nigh impossible to say beforehand
what the outcome will be. Most women see
the absolute foolishness, dirt, injury. disease,
tiresomeness, aud expense of long skirts, either
for walking-dresses, costumes for athletic sports
or for homework. The opinions of all these
fashionable folk are interesting enough for
their theories, but the question for the house
keepers all the land who do their own
work-who scrub bake. wash, iron, sweep, and
mind babies-is whether they could not make |
life much easier for themselves, aud therefore |
much better, if they would adopt some short |
skirted divided skirted costume for work |
dress. There is some sentiment against it, and
If it meant what its worst enemies say loss |
of feminnity. loss of pretty and dainty |
IL 81 ,,oI
then reform dress would be deplorabe. But I
the working dress Of the average housewife is |
not thing of beauty aud grace and he is a |
dreamer who fancics it is. There are some |
women who can work and be dainty at the |
same time, but there are others who cannot.
An absolute, undeniable fact is that long SIX irts
become damp and draggled, ugly and product
i've OF rheumatism when a woman scrubs, |
washes or cleans windows. They hang heavily |
upon her when she is ironing and baking or
running up and down stairs.
Would it not be good plan for her to have
a Boomer costume for work dress-not to re.
ceiye visitors in, nor to visit in. nor to be at |
leisure in--but to work in. The dress could |
be easily changed blouse and Boomer cos.
tune is marvelousiy easy TO get in and ont Of
or skirt could be slipped OH over the objec-
tionable bifurcation for all times when she |
must be seen by her neighbors. The question
Of modesty is funny one. Nothing is more |
false than many of the conventional ideas.
That sentiment which will allow young girl |
TO wear an exceedinglyllow cut evening dress, |
or an exceedingly short bathing skirt, ought not |
10 prohibit the farmers wife from wearing her |
modest Boomers. Tire bicycle craze has done |
this much in a short time-it has proved that !
one very easily gets accustomed TO a change to- |
wards Boomers or short skirts. Our mothers |
who have worn bustes need not speak of fool |
ishness. and our grandmothers vino wore hoop |
skirts need not speak of immOdesty, for they |
have done these two things that mon |
strousy more scnseless and mmodest than |
either Boomers or short skirts possibly be, |
and the two older generations cannot scoId us |
for our fads, for theirs were worse. For q |
street frock-especiaiiy for rainy-da street |
frock-a short skirt is absolutely necessary and |
soon as the bicycles have made it incon-
spicuous, why probably most women will APP
pear in leggins and short skirts for stormy |
days. There is nothing more offensive and |
against all ideas of decency and clean dainti- |
ness than woman's skirts after q mornings |
shopping in the city streets.
They say-women say-"Oh, the u.en object |
so to BloOmers!" As though that really made
any difference Though / am not saying it |
shouldn't.) l am only quoting history.
Woman does whatever she sweetly pleases,
any way. Did not the men make fun of and
scold about those same bustles and hoops; and
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