The Worcester spy., 1901-12-08
TOES WERE
ONCE CHAINED
TO THE KNEE S

THE PHILOSOPHY OF
WOMEN'S WEAR
1t is often said that the present is
put little Improvement on the past in
matters that depend on the exercise of
reason or sense, but G. & L. MacLach-
Ian, the cloak and suit dealers, think
that so far as dress is concerned there
was never so much good sense and
good taste shown at any time in the
history of civilization as is now eXhi-
bited in ladies' apparel.
As a proof of this they point to the
appalling absurdities of the 10th centu-
ry when women wore contrivances that
carried the skirts out from the hips and
made them look as if they were stick
ing in balloon. Mr.. MacLachlan
thinks that the huge ruffs of Queen
Elizabeth's time were more ridiculous
than any neck decoration that modern
times have known, but the Spy man
thought the big sleeves of a short time
ago were more atrociOus and unseemly
than the starched ruffs of Elzabeth's
time. From this, however, Mr.. Mac
Lachlan dissented.
The Spy man asked if the compress
sion of the feet by the Chinese was
any worse than the compression of the
waist by European and American wo-
waist compression as now practised by
American women, was of such mod
crate kind that it added to the grace
of the figure without interfering with
physiological conditions or functions,
and was therefore quite in keeping
with the spirit of culture and sense
which is abroad in the land.
Mr.. Mac. Lachlan admitted that the
Roman toga was a graceful and artis-
TrlT ~ ont for hn for tot
man, and also agreed that the garment
worn by the Greek women-a single
piece of textile fabric sewed together
and worn as a long garment fastened
under the bust by a girdle-that this
must have been a most graceful cover
ing capable of being made extremely
attractive by proper draping and en-
broidery, but to show how little sense
past centuries had in the matter OF
costumes compared with the present,
Mr. MacLachlan spoke Of the grotesque
head dresses of the 18th, 14th, 18th and
10Th centuries that compelled a woman
to stoop when passing through a door.
He also spoke of the time in England
when shoes were so long in the toes
and so pointed that the toes had to be
fastened to the knees to enable the
wearers to walk straight.
Mr. MacLachlan thinks that the
lHOuelu lIOuSeIS are an improvement
on the flowing robes of classical times
at least they are more useful-and he
says that men with trousers conquered
the rObed nations of old. But there is
one exception he thinks to the principle
that trousers are best for work and
war. Where" asked Mr.. MacLach-
Ian, "can you find the equal in fighting
or working ability to my ancestors
the Scots wha hae wac Wallace bled?"
Mr. MacLachlan thinks there is a
philosophy in ladies' costumes. and that
this philosophy should be adhered to
amid all the minor changes of fashion.
He says that all lines should radiate
from the shoulder and waist, that
freedom of movement should be
characteristic of every dress; that the
individuality of the wearer should in
some way be expressed in a garment
that artistic proportions must be pre-
served; that harmony of color is es-
sential and that, above all, utility
must be insured
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