Evening star., 1925-10-09
Short Skirts Not New.
Press in 1867 Was Exercised by
Proposal to Cut Them.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star
The women Of today are very much
agitated over the question as to
whether skirts should be worn
longer or shorter. 1t is not the first
time that the feminine world has been
in such commotion on this subject, as
is evidenced by the following article:
The Star. April 10, 1867. The New
York Times says that the introduc-
ton of the short dress is attended
with considerable embarrassment.
Ladies' fear ridicule and imagine that
it will have but a brief run, even II
1t should come into general use. The
short dress Is not SO very short as
to offend the taste or the ScrupleS OF
the most faStidiouS. 1t simply dis
penses with superfluous length, there
by enabling women to make some
other use of her hands than holding
her dress out of the dirt and mud.
1t subserves cleanliness, for the most
disgusting sight Of all sights is that
of a long dress after a walk upon
muddy streets. 1t also removes the
extra weight from the waist which
has heretofore been so destructive OF
female healthS In short, with the
thick soled boots that are coming in
vogue the short dress is sensible in
every point OF view.
Flora McFlimsy had nothing to
wear" but from the appearance OF
some OF the fair sex 1t appears as II
they were wearing next to nothing.
and should there be any reduction in
the amount Of raiment It would not
be surprising some day to see upon
our streets some or our women ar
rayed after the manner Of Cleopatra,
the Queen Of Sheba, perhaps Salome.
It's remarkable that for hundreds of
years the style of the Dutch women's
habiiiments has not changed. 1t IL
usual for them to be possessed of
quite d number of skirts Of various
colors, and IT was the custom to wear
four or five Of these skirts at a time.
Under the Directoire in France 1t was
considered CONNIE II faut for women to
appear In the streets scantily garbed
In single raiment, and at the time II
caused no comment other than that
the physicians claimed It was very
harmful for their health.
Many who are possessed OF puri-
tanical prudery have been greatly
shocked on account Of women ap
pearing In public in bare arms. In
the bygone days It was quite custo-
mary for women Of all classes on all
occasions to appear in bare arms.
The ladles-in waiting on Empress Eu-
genie on all occasions, morning, noon
and night, moved about with their
arms exposed. and even in the OcCi-
dental court Of the Empress Josephine
IL was quite in vogue for the women
TO appear in sleeveless garments.
And even in the days Of good Queen
Victoria ii was the fashion for women
to appear in Hyde Park with their
arms exposed, as it was the custom
OF the day. There is a report that
the Pope has prohibited women from
entering any place Of worship in hare
arms. This mus, be a slight eXagger-
ation-probabIy there are reasons for
such an edict, and It probably re-
ferred to extremely low neck dresses.
The hosiery manufacturers have
now decided TO make the upper half
or all silk stockings of cotton, on &C.
count OF the high price Of material.
This would prevent in n measure,
women from wearing a very short
skirt. The rolled stocking does not
seem to be in evidence as much as
formerly and is confined to the
younger set.
1t is claimed that women have al.
most abandoned the use OF corsets.
notwithstanding millions Of these
articles are manufactured every year,
as statistics will show.
In Germany il was quite prevalent
for the younger officers to be Corseted.
and, Of course. ii would be a humor-
Gus sight to see these fellows with
their narrow waists doing the goose
step.
In 1865, at Saratoga, the then fash.
ionable resort. many of the women
affected what was termed the Grecian
bend. The body was inclined well
forward the elbows held close into
the waist and hands were turned
down and resembled the position of
a kangaroo's front paws. In fact,
this was known as the kangaroo
walk At that time the hustle was
very much in evidence, It being an
abbreviated hoop skirt, which caused
the skirt to stand well out. In many
instances Il bunch Of crumpled news
paper was used as a substitute for
the regular hustle. In the early
Cos the skirts were made very
volumlnous and expanded out in every
direction to considerable length, due
to enormous hoops and crinoline.
This applied to dresses OF morning
wear as we'll as evening Later on
the prevailing style of the skirt was
what is known as the pin back" and
1t was very remarkab BILE how women
were able to hobble about when the
skirt was bound SO tight around the
lower limbs, but after all, there never
was time when the style of skirts
was so grotesque as they are TODAY.
and never before was there a time
when women's clothing was as costly
as 1t is today. In the bygone days L.
or IA yards were required for a dress
pattern; today a robe may be con-
structed out of three or four Yards.
and yet the price far exceeds that of
an elaborate gown such as was worn
in the 70s. which usually con-
sisted of flounces, furbelows and
trimmings, but then everything is
higher now than then, even the skirts
And the eyes OF both were opened
and they knew that they were naked.
and they sewed fig leaves together
and made them into aprons" Cen
eSes, iii.7.
FRANKLIN STEELE.