The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15
LOW-NECKED GOWNS.
Queen Alexandra VIII Not Insist Upon
Them nt Royal Functions.
New York Commercial Advertiser.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
The land of low-necked dresses (also the
land of bad" threats and tuberculOsis) is
to have a good example Of ways sensible
and comfortable set by it's new and beau
tiful Queen. Alexandra. This lovely lady
has announced that "dispensations'' will be
granted to those ladies who attend court
functions and for any good reason do not
wish TO wear the almost bodiceless dress
insisted upon by Queen Victoria.
The late Queen was not above her little
vanities. it seems. When a young woman
her shoulders and arms were of singular
beauty, and even when she grew old and
dumpy In figure her little hands remained
so soft and shapely that they made one
forget that the Queen was not a pretty or
a regel-looking woman. Out OF the young
Queens natural vanity for her best points
grew the regulation sleeveless and very
decollete court Dress. Many were the pro-
tests against IL, especially among the thin
and rheumatic old dowagers and the new
ly-fedged debutantes. But no exception
was ever made. Health, age and bones all
had TO give way before the decree. The re-
suit was that the irreproachable Queen
Europe" and the dress OF her daughters
was a revelation 10 visiting princes, who
have recorded their amusement (and
amaZemenD in their notes OF travel.
Sweet Alexandra has other ideas Even
at the coronation no one is to be uncom-
Portable or unhappy II she can prevent il.
The coronation bids fair TO be a fearful af-
fair. as far as comfort goes. 1t will be in
June. and ermine and velvet cloaks are TO
be as common peers. There is still much
uncertainty, however, as to how far tradi-
ton will be followed. and If the King and
Queen. who are practical. kind-hearted and
very much I'm touch with the world and its
ways can have their way (Which being a
King and n Queen. they rarely cam the
poor peers won't die or sunstrOke or be
smothered by their splendid robes and the
pretty peeresses won't have headaches
from wearing their coronets for seventeen
hours at a stretch.
Many women OF the smart world do not
care for low-cut dresses. When the En-
press Eugene set the fashions of Europe
she frowned upon decOllete old ladies' and
her mother Nine. De MOntijO. never wore
a low-cut bodice. The beautiful Countess
De Kessler. of Paris. whose shoulders were
Aexquisitely lovely. did not wear decollete
FOR many years. because she had a delicate
chest and preferred caution 20 fashion
Mime. Broisat. OF the Coincide Franchise
never wore low-cut gowns. no matter what
the play was that she appeared in Nine
Pannetier de Melville. Nine Porges the
Duchess De Doudeauville, Nine. Paul
POirson, all women OF the elegant world"
in Paris. seldom appear decolletees for rea-
sons OF health or beauty. Ii Is 10 De hoped
that the fashion OF low-necked gowns will
never become extinct, for many women
otherwise plain have lovely necks and
shoulders. and a pretty woman with pretty
shoulders is more OF a delight 10 the eve
than a beauty with thick neck OF pain
fully visible cOllar-bones. Nevertheless the
court or St. James will seem a strange
place when the poor thin dowagers or the
shy debutantes come yelled In chiffon in
stead or bare-necked and bars-srmed.