The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-13


the same fear of making II mistake
that is felt by a mere follower and imi-
tator, who feels no confidence in her
own original judgment of the fitness of
things"
What are the principles OF your
theory Of dress improvements"
Health, comfort and grace, which, of
course, carry with them beauty. l am
not making war upon fashions but
only upon certain very injurious
phases. The desire for health inspired
my work. / was a frail, hollow-cnested
girl and finally became a confirmed
invalid. In a species of desperation L
concluded that nature never Intended
one to be so out of joint with The beau
tiful universe, and that / must have
violated some of the laws of nature. In
due time the conviction was forced
upon me that my backaches We're due
to heavy skirts which l wore suspend
ed entirely from the waist and hips.
without even the protection of u corset
to keep the bands from cutting into
/ the flesh and dragging down the vital
organs.
Study Of anatomy and physiology
quickly showed me that my bodily or
gans could not properly perform their
functions without a radical change in
the character of my clothing. To relieve
the waist from pressure / adjusted my
clothing so that every part would car
~ its own weight. | then began by
muscular effort and correct breathing
to restore normal relationship My
vital organs were lifted to their proper
height in the thoracic and abdominal
cavities, perfect circulation was le-
stored and nervous equilibrium was es-
ftablished. The result was perfect
health.
"One need not sacrifice grace and ap-
pearance to dress properly. On the
contrary. whatever natural grace and
! beauty a woman may have is greatly
kehhanced by observing the rules Of ma
lure
I How many women have adopted the
ideas you advance on this subject?"
MANY Observation-Disclosures of thou
sands, ] may say-in one particular or
another. Yet / would not have you sup
pose that ] have been the sole inspira-
ton of the changes which have been
made for health and comfort in Wo-
MANS dress. l have been an instrument.
When l began my work women were
secretly on the verge of revolt against
certain restricting and unreasonable
features Of dress. They We're only TOO
ready to follow a leader who could
prove TO them that dress rlight be
made at once healthful and pleasing to
the eye. In this l was fortunate hence
my success.
MY reception by women in the very
highest classes of society has been Dr.
dial. Everywhere my lectures have met
with a greater SUCCESS than l could
have anticipated. Those who were pref
indeed have, upon hearing what l really
am working for, admitted the sense and
practicability of the work.
My work has also been made de-
lightful by many personal attentions
hnaJITifl1l iraft A =
one place in California the ladies made
bedspread of roses for me. and have
had all sorts of pleasant social export
enceS from ocean to ocean. | couldn't
single out a place where people have
treated me in any way but enthusiasts
tically
'At several places women shaye en-
gagged me to give them private audi
ences at the same price as a public lee
ture, fee 500 Zone hundred dollars). and
it has often been difficult for me to get
away from the eager people who were
hungry for what they believed meant
health and happiness. Money has often
been no obstacle in the way-women
have been willing to pay anything for
advice and personal attention But
my work has been legitimate platform
lecture work, and have had to gem
orally decline private interviews
What do you regard as the most in
| furious things about the ordinary
method of woman's dress?"
The suspension of the skirts from
the waist This drags the body down.
disturbS the internal organization, dis
torts the form and seriously INJURIES the
health. The corset. if it is properly
made and is not tightly laced, does less
harm than many other things. The
next most injurious thing to skirts
about the waist is ill-shaped shoes.
| which are a constant source of discom-
fort, injuring health and disposition
and nerves. An ill-shaped shoe is ugly
and uncomfortable. A shoe should not
be too large or clumsy in shape. any
Emore than it should be foo small 1t
| should exactly fit the foot being snug.
around the arch of the foot broad in
the sole at the ball, with room enough
| (no more) for the toes to rest fiat upon
/ the sole, no matter what the shape
Of the toe may be. The idea that
fort in a shoe that the feet move all
Imade to hold the foot snugly, but per-
uniting the toes to be moved freely the
clasping of the shoe being at the arch
| and the breadth of the sole at the ball
| of the foot.
1.-THE fact is that all the covering of
the body should be made to fit COM
fortabley in conformity to the figure,
without inordinate pressure at any
point. Anatomy should be considered.
When dress is perfect it is always
beautiful. Oh, no, l admit dress reform
was not, but I am not a. dress reformer.
only dress irnprover, and a student
Eof physical culture and the art of eX-
preston"