FEMININE DRESS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11480, 13 January 1903, Page 5

FEMININE DRESS.

♦ ■ TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —I was very pleased on reading your issue of Saturday last to find that the above subject had been brought under pubuc notice by "An Old Bachelor," who need not for one moment be afraid of being theight old-fashioned. It ia only too true, I am grieved to s&y, that women are deteriorating. Personally, years ago, woman was to me everything that was pure and good and true, and they had my unbounded respect. Unfortunately for me, no doubt, they care little; my idol has been somewhat uhattcred by numerous matters as trilling in their way as the present subject of discussion. We all know that continual drops of water on a atone at last wear it away. At first 1 said nothing, but thought it must be my narrow mind, but that has been considerably broadened by years of travel and of strivings in my mind, and I was pleased (as I have .said before) to see "An O-u Bachelor's" letter, and it decided me to have my say, and publicly wnfttw tliat 1 cannot "help" believing that the fault v mainly on the side of the fair sex. True, "Old Bachelor," it is none other than the height of indecency, the way in which the swaying forms are propelled along the streets. No doubt the ladies, who wear the latest corset and hod their divan in the latest style, think that they are an attraction to ■the sternar swx. 'itiey are, but it is to the wrong side of their feelings to which that attraction applies itself —to the side which we all want suppressed. We ukx> are far from perfect, so far. indeed, ilwt woman's purifying influence is necessary to keep us up to the standard we ought to ke*>p to. Woman, for our sakes, as well as vmir own, preserve the respect which should be yours, and which you have not vet killed, and remember, oh fair ones, that the beauty of your physical charms is greatest when hidden.—Yours, etc., WOMAN'S FRIEND. Chrurtcburch, January 12th. TO THE KDITOR OF TDK PRESS. Sir, —Your correspondent, "An Old Bachelor," must have teen standing at the B N.Z. corner in a nor'-wester. At such times, nothing short of a farthingale would protect the worthy gentleman from the shocking eights which so distress him.— Yours, etc., AX OLD MAID.