Year: 1871

ture loose and spreading, so that the waist really


increases in SIZE from below the arms, the pre-


vailing mode insists that it shall taper to the
smallest possible dimensions, and to insure this
| the ribs are crowded into q false position, the
organs beneath thtu are displaced; and all ex-


pansion of the lungs is limited 10 their upper
| portions. In time the dsused cells most become


diseased, while the others can bat feebly take in
the supplies of oxygen.which are essential to iFe
1t is not too much to say that fashionable lady
of the present day never draws a natural breath.


gentleman of our acquaintance, apprehsnding


that such must be the result Of the tight laciug
so universally practiced, counted the inhala,ions
made in breathing by his wife, his daughter and


himself in the same space of time, and found


that the ladies, though calling themselves in per-
feet health, drew in, by actual count over twice as
many inhalations in one minute as himself
Their breathings had hurried, futtering motion,
but bis were slow, deep, and sustained without
eifFft. Moreover, for the lack of loose garments,
thdarms are virtually pinned down TO the side,
so hat it is impossible to lift or swing them
abave the head and the weight of the articles
COT nosing ls.ay's dress, which is really enor-
mo 1compared with her strengi i. for the
san reason, prevented from hangiis, freely from
the a.2ulders


ri must we omit the protection given the
feet while our shoe store. sssrnish to men boots
with broad solos, and hee, ;, s1ttable hight and
wid b, those provided fot ..dies are as much IN
like 'de natural shape end posture of the foot as
if I ~ were ordered for the Chinese market
The prop up the heel to so great hight and
fore it to rest upon so small base, that the
whole weight of the body is thrown forward up
on the ball of the foot, already cramped over
the narrow sole, rendering firm, steady walk
out of the question, and forcing young ladies to
90 hobbling and balancing along the streets in
the absurd manner which we now behold. In
no store in Boston can be found ledy's nice,
modern boot with reasonably broad sole and
heel OF the same relative hight and width as
those furnished to men. 1t was a shrewd dealer
in fashionable shoes who told US few days ago
that he should take good care to be out of the
business before the next i've years were over,
giving as his reason that he could never then fit
shoes to the feet of his lady customers, distorted
and injured as they would inevitably become by
the dainty boots and slippers which they now so
much admire.


In view of these manifold evils in woman's at
tire, it is no wonder that an experienced ply
sican declared he had ceased to recommend the
young ladies under his care to walk out every
day, as he was convinced that, with the styles of
dress which they wore, it did them more harm
than good Exercise, therefore, in the open air,
is judiciously prescribed and so they must sit
day after day in rocking chairs, without exertion
of any heathfu sort, breathing close air, and on
ly half breathing that; and whoc can wonder that
women are feeble, and addicted to shattered
nerves? What man could survive such
life half so long as they =? The weaker sex is
misnomer; they must be blessed originally with
constitutions Of iron to enable them 10 keepaive


For all this, the feminine garments coa'iaue to
be cat and fashioned after the old suicidal
models, ard TO ore appears to tolerate the sug-
geslion Of n change. Yet every wCmah knows
that the evils here enumerated are not txagger-
ations; and there are many indications that un-
der the apparent suhservieucy TO wicked fashions
there is strong, earnest desire for something tet-
ter Certain it is that wCmen Of sense are every
vi ere anxious that It may he attCn ped. Such
dNNntent cum years ago in the des-
perate attempt to introduce tbe B!oomer costume,
which, despite its oddity and un1race!ul l9ok
was welcomed secretly by thousands who never
donned ii during its brief career, for they eheld
in it the possible deliverence from the burden
some habiliments of the past. They saw ii
hooted cut of existence with q sincere pang, for,
though it might not be all they wished, any
thing, however ugly, was an improvement upon
what they had had But its lack of beauty was
not its fatal defect it appeared as the work of
an American woman, instead of heralding itself
as the favorite fancy of The demi-monde of Paris,
and this was sufficient to condemn it in the eyes
Of the sex Women have become so easlaved to
recognized authorities that the question with
them has never been, is the fashion sensible, but
who wears it they never ask what it is that is
said, but who says it. Yet till some combined
action is taken by women in this matter of dress,
it will remain next to impossible for any indi-
vidua to secure for herself material increase of
comfort, since all manufacturers dressmakers
and tradesmen are naturally in league to enforce
submission to the reigning modes.