The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-15
Copyright. 1881


time IF Year the shop windows are filled
with the most rena arkable Of white gar
ment>, while the newspapers arr filled
with advertisements OF what they call
cheap underwear" hut which is more
Elegantly referred IL hy the >lle>womrn
! fine lingerie" Whether il i that the
.idcouS dress reform undcrgarment is
going out Of fashion. ard his has
brought all these alsOmina ions to the
fore. or the hol.kes1acr. apprcciating
hat 4 reaction has sci in has concluded
hat he had better get riu of Ill this old
stuff or what. nobody exactly knows
mt ii is certain that some of The most
nidcous things are diSpllyed and un
,iorhtealy some deluleJ women Will
,uy them. What d. | mean hy hidcuus
rhmgS? I'laItingS rnftipd With abomi-I
lati0n> in the shape Of Hamburg cd--
ingS and ovcrfrillc. hits IF cluthin.
fhat would ruin the figure OF Venus.
really the usual sort Of trash that up-
pears every Year about This time and Vet
which j. always Il surprise. l. j. funny
how man-loycly man. faithful man.
lthletic an-iEiS talked and preached
Ind had pictures printed IN the news
papers of what women should wear. rs
Il ne klltN tplit group lil:tt SIN
which bore the signature Of Il we'll
koWn artist represented as necessary for
Il woman nine out OF he most da-
bolcal garments that the eye ~ The
printers devil ever rested upon. Now.
I'm not i reformer hllt | have. had CON
Siderable experience. and il 4 1olcrably
Ong ANA varied life | have never mct
/ woman Who wore nine pieces of un-
,crwcar 1T one time. Starting with the
fact that ones pettcOat has 4 firm
foundation ;,ls firm rs Plymouth rock
ana much better shaped. the average
woman in good health need only wear,
ffst. i somewhat long silk underveSt.
Stockings Of course. stays. and. If She
| IS inclined 10 be chilly and has Il ten
Iency toward rheumatism. q Well cut
and not cumbersome flannel petticoat.
with the one or two pieces OF nalnsook
| that are displayed in the shop windows,
| but which are seldom talked ,inout The
peiticoat may he of silk or may be Of
| moreen. but it is never white for street
| wear. With your heavy cloth skirt
| you need a stiff mor2en pctticoat. that
it may be properly held out. but there
| is no use buriening oneself With il lot
| Of unnecessary underwear to oh,igc the
| stupid shopkeepei's. \ woman walks
| well and easily when she has not got
| on lot Of starchy underwear, and the
| inc OF beauty shows to much better all
| vantage than Wlcn She is overruffied
| md has strings ana belts cutting her.
because she has no stays on. and is al
| together tiurried and fiat looking.
The human form divine, specially the
| female edition of it, does come III FIR
an awful lot of discussion. The line of
| d womans figure is talked about viii
! the JUNCTION OF Dumas. while amy or
| every where one IS liable to face II p!t
| ture of Venus. and it is quite possible to
| stumble over her III plaster OH the side
walk. Fancy wearing such draperieS aS
Venus wore. Why. YOU would have 10
| put heavy iron weights in them. white.
| would make them bang against youl
knees. and YOU would sit on them and
| be wretched and would find yourself
wishing that Venus had Staii iii the sea
and been comfortable. But ii is queer
| how these people. who are supposed
| to cultivate the mind. or the soul. of
| the brain or whatever is the thinkiA :,
| part Of people. are continually bothern; :;
about Il wonlan's frillS and friyols.
| She must he rather 4 nice woman and
don't know what induced her 30 wri.c
| to me- but She asked. evidently in all
| sincerity: DO you think skirts viii be
wired this year" or if thought 4 small
| hoop>kirt would obtain. Personally |
have always dreaded the hoop,kirt. I
| never wore one. anf | don't believe !
! world ever learn TO control ore. ! feel
sure chat | could mover sit on il Ger
| re.tly: that it would flare where il
oughtn'r 10 and give me Il generally ride
ulouS appearance. ihen. TOO. as | have
| Il; very feminine weakness for hi-h
heels. should probably put my foot III
| ii. and ''thc flying women would de-
| scribe me as | came dowr stairs. |
know u man whose f:lyorlte story i
j telling how Il lilgo rat got caught III MS
mothers hoopskirt. 1t j. i story that
strikes awe to ne feminine heart. though
| the feminine irain refuses q accrpE 1t,
and the feminine mnf thinks that the
man is telling 4 yarn.
/ Fashion writcrs-that IS. people who
write histories of fashion. learned peo-
ple-are prone TO say. In describing
hooIg>kirt> that they are dignified Ill ef-
| feet. Perhaps they are. but to produce
Il diGnified effect III one Il woman of
about SIX feet would be required No.
/ may tell the pleasant little woman
who wrote that | do not think wires
or horSkirts Wills be worn. Women
have been looking too well lately 10
care 10 make any great change IN thel
| appearance. The cloth skirt fitting the
| figure evenly and easily and the hand
| somely trimmed bodice make not only
/! 4 smart get Up. hut that i useful
| Tic reason | like the tailor-iGade frock
/ Is that | believe it 10 he an incentive
10 cleanliness. ANY girl who wears one
| likes = have her skin look az white
as possible. her hair as tidy. and. know
| ing that her boots show she walks,
| she does not permit an unOccnDlcd but
| tonhole. nor is She satisfied with Il bro
ken lace tied into Il knot. She IS parti-
! cular about her gloves. and if she wears
| any white liIfen it is immaculate Fash
! ions may come and fashions may go,
but the wise woman will retain Il smart