The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09

points Of beauty In the East and the women
Of many Oriental countries enhanced this
peculiar charm by wearing voluminous
muslin or silken trousers gathered as full
as possible above the hips. This was their
innocent "improver," but when they were
introduced to the genuine full-fedged
European variety in the shape Of a fardingale
their simple minds were enlightened az to
what might be done In that line.
The occasion was when Sir Peter Wych
! went as Ambassador to Constantinople In
the early seventeenth century. Sir Peter
took with him his wife, and his wife took
with her her fardingale. from which she
could not be parted as it was then the latest
fashion in England.
The Sultana expressed desire to see
Lady Wych. whether upon hearing rumor
Of the fardingale or not Is not stated; out
her ladyship In full dress and OF ciroum-
ference Of four or Ave yards around the
hips and attended by her waiting women.
whose figures were equally fashionable.
waited upon her Highness. The Sultana
tried to he very polite to her visitor, but she
was so stunned by this extraordinary de-
veopment of hip that she asked with per-
feet seriousness if that vas the natural
shape Of Englislf"cmen, and could not be
convinced to the contrary until the whole
mon umental fraud was exposed before her
eyes.
The type of beauty In which the peculiarly
feminine chara cteristics are exaggerated,
tho full bosomed, sloping shouldered.
,, slender WASTED, wide hipped type which
implies life devoid of muscular effort. has
been admired for thousands Of years, and
we have to look backward through very
long vista before we find in pagan Greece
the prototype Of our modern woman.
The odaisque type had hips wider than
her shoulders, the ANA ION type had shout
ders wider than her hips. There is good
reason for this, In Sparta girls were
trained in running. eaping, wrestling and
throwing the spear and discus, and their
dress was no more than chiffon without
sleeves reaching nearly to the knees and
divided below at the sides 50 that the body
was much exposed.
The other Greeks disapproved heartily
of so much feminine freedom, but they
we're obliged to acknowledge that the
Spartan girls we're the strongest and most
beautiful of all Greece. 1t II easy to see
that the modern girl with her open air sports
and athletic training is surely approach
ing the Greek type, tall, muscular. broad
shouldered ana "i'h comparatively slndi
bust and hips.
It Is vel known fact that vigorous
physical exercise tends to reduce the size
of the hips and keep them Of moderate
proportions. 1t also gives them long,
smooth, tigerish lines Of perfectly trained
muscles in place of the swelling curves
Of voluptuous flesh which come with an
inactive life
In connection with this question Of hips
there is yet another reason why hoops
will not Re welcome. There is a theory
that the fardingale, the hoop, the hustle
and most other fantastic fashions were
invented or revived by a certain great
lady or famous ,eauty to cover deformity
or ugliness. If this Re true. and it is as
likely to he az not. there will never again
be any need Of "improvers,' For what
with surgery. physical culture. athletics
and all the blessings of this life, beauty
and symmetry Of shape will in generation
or so be the common lot Of woman, and
when she has by 80 much pains acquired
a perfect figure is it likely that she will
ever consent TO hide 1t under bushel7