Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-10
spNclal Correspondence n enzette and journal

Special Correspondence NJ Gazette and journal
New York, Feb. always about tbi |
time OF wear the shop windows are filled |
with the most remarkable of white gar |
ments, while the newspapers ARE filed |
with advertisements Of what they call |
cheap underwear but which is more |
elegantly referred 10 hy the saeswomen
as fine lngerieP Whether 1t is that |
the hidcous dress reform undergur-
mept is going out Of fashion, and his has
brought all these denominations to the fore
or the shopkceper, approaching that reac.
ton has set in. has concluded that he bad
better get rid Of all tins old stuff, or what |
nobody exactly knows. but it is certain that
some of the most hidcous things are dis
played, and undoubtedly some deluded
womeL will buy them What do mean
by hidcaus things nlaitings ruillGd with
denominations i'll the shape Of Hamburg
elgiug ard uverfrilled bt- Of clothing that
would ruin the figure Of Venus, really the
usual sort of trash that appears every year
about this time and yet which is always a
surprise. II is funny how man--lovely man,
faithful man, athletic mar--has talked and
preached ami had pictures printed in the
newspapers of what woman should wear.
As il he knew One group that ! saw
which bore the signature of we'll known
artist represented as necessary for woman
nine of the most diabolical garments that
the eye of the printers devil ever rested
upon. Now, / am not a reformer, but have
bad considerable experience, and in "A tolera'
bly, long and rather varied life have never
met Il woman who wore nine pieces of I'M
derweAr ut one time. Starting with the fact
that ones petticoat has firm foundation,
ns firm as Plymouth rock and much better
shaped, the average woman in good health
need only wear first, somewhat long
SIX undervest, stockings of course, stays
and, II she Is inclined to he chilly and
has a tendency toward rheumatism, Il
well cut and not cumbersome flannel pct
ticoat, with the one or two pieces of main
sock that are displayed IN the shop win
dowS, but which are seldom talked about.
The petticOat may he of silk. or may be of
moreen, but II is never white for street wear.
With your heavy cloth skirt you need stiff
moreen pettlcOat. that it may be properly
held out, but there is no use burdening
oneself with "A lot OF unnecessary underwear
To oblige the stupid shopkeepers. y woman
walks well and easily when she has not got
ON lot of starchy underwear, and the line
OF beauty shows to much better advantage
than when she is overrnilled and has strings
and belts cutting her, because she has no
stays on and is altogether Hurried and flat
looking.
The human form divine, especially the
female edition Of it, does come in for all
awful lot of discussion. The line of womans
figure is talked about with the JUNCTION of
Dumas, while any or every where one is
liable to face u picture of Venus. aud il is
quite possible to stumble over her i'll plaster
on the sidewalk. Fancy wearing such
draperies us Venus wore Why, YOU wonld
have to put heavy iron weights in them.
which would make them bang against your
knees, and you would sit On them and be
wreched and would find yourself wishing
that Venus had staid in the sea and been
comfortable. But it is queer how these
people, who are supposed to cultivate the
mind. or the soul or the brain, or whatever
is the thinking part of people, are continu-
ally bothcring about woman's frills and
fryols.
She must be rather nice woman aud
don't know what induced her to write To
me, but she asked, evidently in all sincerity,
DO YOU think skirts will he wired this
YEAR, Of if ] thought small hoopskirt
would obtain. Personally ! have always
dreaded the hoopskrt. never wore one,
and ] don't believe ! would ever learn to
control one, feel sure that could never
sit on it correctly; that il would flare where
it Oughtn't to and give me generally
ridiculous appearance Then, too, as have
very feminine weakness for high neels, |
should probably put my foot in it and the
flying woman" would describe me as came
down stairs. know man whose fayorite
story is telling how huge rat got caught in
his mothers hoopskirt. 1t is u story that
strikes awe to the feminine heart, though
the feminine brain refuses 10 accept il, and
feminine mind thinks that the man is telling
yarn.
fAsnlOn WTllcTS-llldL Is, people WHO
write histories of fashion, learned people.
are prone to say, III describing hoopskirts,
that they are diSniied in effect. Perhaps
they are, but TO produce disnifcd effect in
one a woman of about six feet would be re.
uuired. No, I may tell the pleasant little
woman who wrote that | do not think
wires or hoopskrts will be worn. Women
have been looking too well lately to care to
make any great change III their appearance.
The cloth skirt fitting the figure evenly and
easily aud the omev-trimmed bodice
make not only smart get IN, but one that
is useful.
The reason like the tailor.made frock is
that believe it to be an incentive TO cleanl
ness, Any girl who wears one likes to nave
her skin look as white as possible, her hail
as tidy, and, knowing that her boots show
as she walks. she does not permit All un
occupied buttonhole, nor is she satistioC
with broken lace tied into a knot. She il
particular about her gloves, and if sh,
wears any white linen il is Immaculate
Fashions may come and fashions may go
but the wise woman will retain a snar
looking cloth gown for street wear becaus,
there are hundred good reasons for il AM
not single one against it. By-tbe-by thu
letter writing lady also asked somethin,
else. She wanted to know, do you thinl
y dec0llcte bodice immoral ~ That depends
! believe that with a low bodice the mech
should be white and well shaped, and tina
the frock should be cut so that the neck an,
shoulders show mOdestly.
woman may write Sanskrit and speal
Greek; she may be AT the head of Il society
for the elevation Uf women in Africa ant
she may know the finest line of difference
between furniture made in the time of Loui
tlninZe and that achieved in the Cpntur,
before but ii she hasn't SENSE enough Il
know Just how much of her neck AM
shoulders she should display she Is II
Ignorant as the youngest baby in the house
A wnmans arms, round. white, firm an,
well formed arc delights, and woman
throat well shaped and white, is a murbl
column supporting the head above it, whcl
Is presumed To hold a sufficient amount O
brains TO hint to the world at large that th
owner knows enough to show that worl,
only what modest woman would wish
To see. Modesty is great virtue, but 1t is
complex one. There are many absolute
nlocest women and many who arc so i'm
modest that one feels ashamed to eve
belong to the same sex.
| don't think it is quite right to hea
women talk of their miseries and the mar
ner in which they are beng treated to tn
world at large. and yet women do it.
! don't think II is quite modest to gus
over ones friends in public. Friendship
an exquisite plant, but it is one which ca
be easily killed. and if you want to be fires
and beautiful and "a joy in your life the
you must protect it from the vulgar eye.
don't think it is quite modest 10 On
whoever YOU may be fond of by pet name
before other people. In fact between yo
aud me- don't think it is quite modest
let the world at large see ones inner fee
ings. You needn't cultivate horrib
frigidity of manner, but you can be lit
deserved. a-....