The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27
y ELEANOR moYT DR.INERD.

issue. If present day modes
are &c endure and he developer
to their logical conclusion w
must make over our figures.
The new silhouette came befcr,
women were ready for 1t. but ther
women would never have been ready
for II II II had not come. which sound,
1rishly bullish but is strictly true. a
sllgat change of carriage. "A lltt,e NOR,
pulling in here and letting out there
a triic more or less foolishness oi
walk or p-iu swing. one can readil,
manage: and woman has always
adapted herself quickly and casily &C
such vagar!es of fashion. but the
corsetless figure, so called. has had
q long inning and has brought about
results not lightly set aside.
1t has been comfortable. this mania
for corsetless lines, though what was
taken OF above the waist and let out
at the waist was often painfully put
on and pulled in below the waist, but
y has not been altogether a blessing.
Granted that the human figure should
not need the support of bones and
stays. that the Venus de Milo and her
Olympian set do not display the
moulded figure" OF which fashion
makers talked so ~eloquently before the
corsetless mode arose. the fact re-
mains that the corset,ess female figure
l. beautiful only when well and prop
erly developed.
II along with the practical elimina-
tion OF the corset fashion had de-
manded physical training, erect AR
rage. expansion OF chest. fiat back.
perfect poise. this same Dame Fashion
might for once in a way have had COM
mon sense and anatomy on her side,
but no indeed! Along with the en-
larging Of waist lines and freeing OF
the torso came the vogue OF the
cebutante SLOUGH. II was natural for
muscles unaccustomed to supporting
the body to slump when called upon
for this purpose. and in addition 1t
became fashionable. was acclaimed as
beautiful, graceful, altogether de-
sirabIe.
Straight. slender girls capable of
standing erect with or without corsets
deliberately cultivated the droop, hol-
lowed their chests. rounded their
shoulders, protruded their abdomens.
One Of the most fashionable OF the
New York corsetieres. helping her
ultra modish customers to acquire the
pose for her bone.ess "slipons" and
elastic corsts' two years ago, used
to say en~couragingly:
1T Is easy. Let YOU shoulders drop
forward, relax your knees and stand
as II o were trying TO reach some
thing with your stomach"
She was quite serious. Her method
was admirable. IL one yearned for the
modish figure. but look at the pre-
scription in cold blood and take It
seriously IL you can.
Practically all Of the feminine world
attained the results for which her
method was advised. Some OF them
did 1t to be fashionable. More did It
because, deprived Of corset support.
they naturally slouched, having not
the strength or energy to stand erect.
And then. when all the world was
slouching, the Simons who rule the
"thumbs up" and thumbs down" of
fashions world suddenly became
enamored of fitted basques. Of trim
waists. Of military shoulders!
The corsetieres are pleased, frankly |
pleased. Even she of the rules for
modish s%louching Is delighted. II
SLOUGH 1t must be. she was determined
that her patrons should SLOUGH prop
erly. but she re1oices over the revival
Of her art and the renaissance Of the |
corseted figure.
mo pulled in, not the wasp waist, |
you understand" she says reassur-
ingly. but moulded. graceful curves,
huot epnnavt Aatta-in- Lzl.- 7
flesh. the fine art Of figure building
again." ,
And there you are. mesdames!
Willy nilly. we must rebuild our
hgures. and, frankly speaking, 1t Is
high time ~ did something to save
the rising generation from hollow
chests and rounded shoulders. II only
the rebuilding will stop short Of cramp-
the vital organs the new corset
modes will be a blessing.
h corset makers are a bit dis
couraging. however. Our figures. II
seems. have gone very completely to
the dogs. 1t will take anywhere from
months to a yea Of conscientious
corseting and exercising to bring the
figure around to the desired
lines. And so w must be up and
1t. Sacrifice you Incidence and love
Of ease.
Choose a new corset with back high
enough to control the flesh around the !
blades n high enough in
front to give a smooth line twixt
waist and bust. yet soft and flexible
avoid pressure on diaphragm or
Have II boned more thoroughly
than has been the rule of late. though
hip space may still be free. Let
II Indicate slight but evident curves Of
waist and hip. Keep the back as
as possible in the new poise and
Use elastic insets front or back, below
the hip curve, to give comfort, yet
the corset cling.
You won't like the feeling of the
new corset at first. You will tire In