More Health and Dress Philosophy for Women
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MORE HEALTH AND DRESS PHILOSOPHY FOR WOMEN.—
How different are health and fashion—especially modern female fashion! The old homespun clothes and home made shoes have given way to crinoline and gaiters. Even in ordinary traveling and every-day promenade, our American ladies affect a luxury of costume which the Queen of England would not assume outside of her palace drawing-room. English women take life practically, as a life to work and enjoy, and they utterly discard fashion where personal health and comfort are concerned. Many of our fashionable ladies here dress as if they were never to go out except to tread on carpets of velvet. We can imagine with what an instinctive shrug of aristocratic disdain many of these must read the account of the bridal outfit of the Princess Royal. Amongst the items particularly striking, take the following:—
"Twelve dozen pairs of boots of useful and solid make; some of them intended for rough walking, being provided with treble soles, and small but projecting nails."
Only think of some our "paper-soled," delicate damsels, who float like so many Hebes along Fulton, Atlantic, Grand and South-7th streets, sporting, by way of novelty, hobnailed triple-soled shoes!1 Does any one doubt, however, that such an innovation would do more to preserve the roses in fair cheeks than any style of hygiene which the "faculty" could recommend?
Notes:
1. Daughter of Zeus and Hera, Hebe is the Greek mythological goddess of eternal youth. [back]