1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
423 
RATIONAL DRESS AT HOME. 
WHAT SHALL THE HOUSEWIFE WEAK ? 
Where cm I buy illustrations and patterns of 
hygienic dresses for women ? I often feel like 
rebelling at the uncomfortable fashions which 
compel women to dress as they do, while the men 
can dress so that they are not conscious of their 
clothing all the time, much less does it do them 
physical injury. I cannot wear a corset or an 
ordinarily tight waist and skirt with comfort. 
There are other women who feel the same way, 
else why do we continually hear of women’s dress 
reform? Several years ago, a young woman 
came to the town where I was teaching school, 
and gave a two-weeks’ course of physical cul¬ 
ture lessons. That was the first I ever knew of 
how to stand and walk properly, “with hips back” 
and “let your necktie lead.” Her gowns were 
models of comfort and beauty, but I hardly real¬ 
ized it all till she was gone. In the woman’s 
column of The R. N.-Y. some time ago, I remem¬ 
ber noticing a reference to a lecture given by a 
woman in New York City, on artistic and hygienic 
dressing for women, illustrating the same by her 
own costumes. If you could only give us in your 
column some suggestions that would show where 
we could get such patterns or publications 
showing such gowns, I think you would be inter¬ 
esting a large number of women. I mean gowns 
for visiting and afternoon wear, and not just 
morning wrappers. For my own part, I think 
there isn’t a much more uncomfortable combina¬ 
tion than the shirt waist and skirt. The belt of 
the latter must be tight enough to be held up, or 
else it doesn’t look well. Imagine a man sub¬ 
mitting to such an uncomfortable arrangement! 
Or would we women endure a band or belt as 
tight on any other part of the body—say fordn- 
stance, around the muscles of our arms ? Surely, 
there is no part of the body where such a stric¬ 
ture can do so much harm to the vital organs as 
around the waist. I hope you will consider this 
as a Macedonian cry, for I have been wanting 
some information on this subject for several 
years. I have to make my own dresses, and I 
wish I knew where to get comfortable patterns. 
Iowa. MRS. w. T. 
The Graceful Reform Dress. —The 
subject of dress reform recurs perpetu¬ 
ally, and it is a subject which must be 
settled, to a great extent, by each 
woman individually. The lecturer to 
whom reference was made in The R. 
N -Y. some time last year, made a most 
attractive appearance, but personally, 
we would not consider her style of dress 
at all practicable for a woman who must 
“ hustle.” The reform dress which she 
wore was most graceful in its lines, hung 
entirely from the shoulders, and the belt 
was placed just under the bust, after the 
style worn in the beginning of this cen¬ 
tury. The dress was slightly trained, 
and was, of course, most graceful. But 
cut the same dress off short, develop it 
in an inexpensive material, instead of the 
rich uncut velvet worn by the lecturer, 
and it would appear to the average eye, 
merely a very ugly wrapper. 
We have seen other wearers of reform 
dress in which, by the use of a little 
Eton jacket over the short-waisted shirt, 
hanging from the shoulders, very little 
difference was apparent from prevailing 
styles. Many a woman never learns 
how to stand or walk properly, until she 
hears the subject touched upon by some 
teacher of physical culture. If she can¬ 
not stand properly, the use of the corset 
is an actual necessity, and she is less in¬ 
jured by that compression than she would 
without it, standing in such a manner 
as to bring all the weight upon delicate 
organs, as Nature never intended. 
Comfortable Underwear. —We would 
do well to begin the reform in the under¬ 
wear ; for example, by wearing a union 
suit—wool in the Winter and cotton in 
Summer—a health waist, rather than a 
corset, and well-cut knickerbockers in¬ 
stead of cumbrous skirts, a woman may 
get about with better freedom, and do 
away with the dragging of ordinary 
clothing, without wearing the startlingly 
. “ reform ” dress. 
The abolition of clinging underskirts 
is a wonderful source of comfort. One 
young woman told us recently that, when 
engaged in house cleaning, she wore her 
bicycle knickerbockers, without any 
skirts. Said she: “Just try putting 
down a carpet once without wearing 
skirts, and see how easy it is. No drag¬ 
ging or tangling—it’s no wonder men 
can work better than we can ! ” Daring 
several bitterly cold Winters in a windy 
western city, where the streets are very 
dirty, we dispensed entirely with under¬ 
skirts, and greatly added to comfort and 
health thereby. All-wool equestrian 
tights, worn over a union suit, gave 
ample warmth, and for a woman who 
had to climb the stairs of the Elevated, 
hurry off and on surface cars, and lead 
an active business life, both health and 
cleanliness made such clothing neces¬ 
sary. 
Health Waist vs. Corset. — For a 
woman who feels discomfort in an ordi¬ 
nary corset, a “health waist” and 
knickerbockers would, perhaps, be more 
comfortable. The weight would be 
evenly distributed, and pendent from 
the shoulders. Many women seem to 
think that, in wearing a so-called health 
waist, they have solved the corset ques¬ 
tion, and ought at once to feel comfort 
and freedom. This is not so, for unless 
the body is properly trained, and the 
waist properly fitted, it may be quite as 
uncomfortable as the stiff stays. Most 
American women wear a high corset, 
which presses up the bust, destroying 
the natural contour, while the French¬ 
woman wants a low corset which, no 
matter how tightly-laced at the waist, 
gives freedom to bust and hips. Last 
year, when New York went wild over 
that great singer, Mile. Calv6, fashion 
approved what was called the Cal?6 fig¬ 
ure, which required a low, straight- 
busked flexible corset of easy girth, and 
it is a noticeable fact that the most ex¬ 
pensive corsets are still following that 
style. Many of the imported corsets 
are every whit as flexible as a health 
waist, and, when fitted (as they should 
be) to the individual figure, are quite as 
comfortable, unless one feels the need of 
straps over the shoulders. The corset 
question is one which each woman must 
settle for herself. The writer finds a 
waist with shoulder-straps a veritable 
instrument of torture, whereas another 
may find it a necessity. 
Simple Gowns. —Any dealer in patterns 
will supply princess gowns, which are 
the nearest approach to the “reform” 
outside dress we know. Many of them 
are very pretty and, by using Eton 
jackets or bolero trimming, they may be 
made becoming to most figures Their 
comfort consists in the fact that they do 
away with the tight waistband, and the 
weight falls from the shoulders. A few 
years ago, we knew several women who 
wore what they called “reform gowns,” 
most of them being fearful and wonder¬ 
ful adaptations of the Empire style, 
close-clinging, with belt just under the 
shoulder blades, and this style was then 
hailed as the only hygienic mode. But 
we never see such gowns now, and some 
publications which exploited them have 
peacefully died. The truth is that, on the 
average woman, these frocks were, as one 
cruel man coarsely expressed it, “ sloppy - 
looking.” This year princess gowns are 
“ in ”, and they can be made to be both 
comfortable and becoming, without look¬ 
ing too suggestive of a glorified wrapper. 
Shirt Waist and Skirt —We know 
several women who say that they cannot 
wear shirt waist and skirt comfortably, 
because of the constriction about the 
waist, and the only season they could 
enjoy such garments was a few years 
ago, when fashion allowed us to wear 
suspenders and a Spanish girdle! The 
skirt and coat, with shirt waist, is, in 
many ways, the most comfortable, con¬ 
venient, and becoming style for general 
wear, but it is open to this one objection. 
However, it is possible to substitute a 
skirt whose weight is held by braces 
passing over the shoulder, and in place 
of the shirt waist, a Norfolk jacket or 
blouse. This pleated blouse is usually 
becoming and, made in linen crash, 
duck, or piqu6, is suitable for Summer 
wear. It is belted, but there is no reason 
for undue tightness. We have seen, this 
year, some very smart Norfolk jackets 
of brown linen, strapped and stitched to 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup ” for your children 
while Teething. It is the:Best.— Adv. 
resemble a soldier’s blouse, and they 
were very becoming. Perhaps this would 
meet the views of our Iowa friend. 
The Aftermath. 
-Cardinal Gibbons : “ Ill-assorted 
marriages would become rare if the pub¬ 
lic were convinced that death alone can 
dissolve the marriage bond.” “ The can¬ 
cer of divorce is * * * poisoning the 
fountains of the nation.” 
_National Divorce Law. —Any on 
who is tired of his wife, any wife who is 
tired of her husband, finds in the law 
an arrangement by which the veriest 
strumpet can put herself on a level with 
the purest, bravest, most constant wife. 
This is the literal consequence of allow¬ 
ing every State to have its own marriage 
law; the only remedy is a National 
divorce law. 
_Geo G. Williams : “ The first lesson 
I would impress on every boy is that 
next to absolute integrity, nothing 
counts so much as politeness. It oils 
the wheels of business as well as social 
life. It makes the day’s routine easier 
for you, and pleasanter for every one 
with whom you come in contact. It 
costs nothing, and it pays. It is the 
secret of every man’s popularity. Make 
it the rule of your life to be polite to 
every one and under all circumstances 
Some day you will find that this stock of 
politeness has yielded you big returns.” 
... .Mrs. Russell Saqe : “ The best ad¬ 
vice I can give to a girl is : Have a pur¬ 
pose in life. Don’t drift. Whatever you 
do, do it earnestly, honestly, seriously 
Before you look for something to do in 
the outside world,.see whether there 
isn’t any work for you in the home 
Try to make that happier, better and 
brighter. If you must follow some 
occupation fit jourself for it. Don’t go 
at it in a hap-hazard fashion, and trust 
to getting along some way. Work, when 
well done, is noble ; poorly done, it is a 
reproach.” 
Old Dresses Made New. 
EASY WAY TO HAVE GOOD CLOTHES 
FOR LITTLE MONEY. 
Home Dyeing a Pleasure with 
Diamond Dyes. 
There’s no easier way to save expense than to dye 
over your dresses, wraps, ribbons, etc., with Diamond 
Dyes. A packaKe costs but ten cents, yet It will often 
save the expense of a new dress or jacket. 
It’s easy work to use Diamond Dyes. They are 
prepared specially for home dyeing, and will dye 
more goods for the same money than any other dyes. 
Never use dyes that claim to color all kinds of ma¬ 
terial with the same dye. Diamond Dyes can be 
depended upon to make colors that will not fade or 
crock 
2^'Sample card of colors and direction book for 
horns dyeing mailed free on request.—W ells, Rich¬ 
ardson & Co., Burlington, Vt. 
$ 2.45 buys a Seed BODY Baby Carriage 
EED BODY 
32 pago Catalogue Free. We Pay Freight and ship on 10 
day? trial No money required in advance. Address 
- -UTACTURING CO., 
lie 
VICTOR MANU 
— — & 
Dept. 11 56, 295 and 
ACTURING 
97 Fifth Are., Chicago, 111. 
MANY LETTERS 
are received daily from all parts 
of the country highly endorsing 
the perfect cereal food— 
WHEATLET 
We append one: 
“After a thorough test in my 
I own family, I can hold up my 
hand and say on my soul that 
Wheatlet, is the host cereal 
food in the World,and I feed 
my five children on it. 
E. C. Hazard, 
Pres. Food Mfrs. Ass’n. N. Y., 
Your grocer keeps it, If not 
send us his name and your order: 
we will see that you are supplied. 
Made only by the 
FRANKLIN HILLS CO. 
Lockport, N. Y. 
B. &B. 
a wash goods special 
—three different lots at one price— 
20c. ginghams, 
15c. fine Madras Percales, 
Extra quality new cambrics, 
Best lot of choice inexpensive wash 
goods in all our experience. 
Neat styles, pretty colorings—not an 
indifferent style among them. 
Splendid goods and value for shirt 
waists, everyday gowns and children’s 
dresses so far ahead of any yet known 
as will pay you to send for samples this 
very day—and all who see how good 
they are will be buyers, 
wash silks 35c. 
—excellent quality—summery effects. 
corded wash silks 45c. 
—best quality. 
foulard and India silks 50c. 
—such superb styles in these wanted 
silks as will convince you we want the 
preference on absolute merit—and are 
doing the silk business with large 
variety of the choicest your money will 
buy. 
Send for the special catalogue of 
Books for summer reading — we sell 
Books for a small profit. 
BOGGS & BUHL, 
Department C, 
ALLEGHENY, PA. 
) 12&C. 
f yard. 
$5 <• $30 3000 BICYCLES 
Zveryan* a Bargain. 
~ — NEWAND SECONDHAND! 
Id Hand—food uuyfw sendee, || to $11. 
New ’99 Models $12.50 to $30. Ion 
\ higher. We guarantee to iftye yon money.Larfeet 
I variety to select from. Lowest prices ever quoted. 
I Every customer satisfied. Shipped subject to examln- 
' ation and approval. No money in advance. A few 
good AGENT8 WANTED. For price llstand partlo- 
_ '—- „ uiars address the old reliable cycle house, 
BROWN-LEWIS CO.j (DM* 293 Wabash Ah, Chletgo, 
LIGHTENS LABOR 
Cobwebs about a house are usually the sign 
that the housewife has more than she can do, 
the way she goes about it; that all her time 
and strength are utilized in doing heavy work; 
that she uses soap in her cleaning. If she 
would only use 
Washing Powder 
heavy work would be so lightened that the little things needn’t be 
neglected. Gold Dust gives a woman time to rest, time to visit, time 
to read, and time to sew. It is much better and cheaper than soap for 
all cleaning. For greatest economy buy our large package. 
CHICAGO 
THE N. K. FAIRBANK COMPANY 
ST. LOUIS 
NEW YORK 
BOSION 
