Dressmakers' Tyranny.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 199, 16 April 1887, Page 6

Dressmakers' Tyranny.

Whether from revenge for past insults, or from mere lust of power, it seems certain that a comparatively small section of the population, dressmakers, to wit, do exercise a wonderful tyranny over a full half of their fellow-subjects. What with corsets which pinch the waist, skirts whose innumerable folds, pleats, kiltings, and other mysteries make them to heavy tv« be worn for more than an hour or two at a time, hats whose superincumbent mass weighs down the head, and boots which constriot the feet, the ,ordinary woman s lot is not a happy one. She a&crifioos herself every day to the great god of Fashion, *b personified 1% a dressmaker. Every man ana most women would like to ridthemselvos of this tyranny. But it is doubtful whether Lady Harberton and the Dress Reform Aesociatibn are going the rigjjt way to work. To the ordinary, woman any suggestion of the inexpressible garments," 'whether, concealed, under the name '•' divided skirt," trouferettea," Qr what not; fs repugnant. We can hajjdly be-, lieve, therefore, that the statement of " Ina" in '-The Standard," thaV the "middle classes," in considerable numbers, have

T~~ , " 1 adopted the new-tangled garb, is really dotfredt. >TWo dtner'botres^ondeiitßi .however, while ! emphasising the varied! draw* ' backs of the ' present" style, nevertheless auggest what seems 1 to us a simpler, prettier, and far more practicable solution, of the difficulty. The proposal of •« Weary Back" And "A Rebel" ia that for the future the ikirt should be relieved of all its folds and quiltings, with their weight and dust-colleotitig properties, and made per- j l ectly plairi. These need not' be made very short, but •' sufficiently full to be 1 looped up in muddy weather, over 'some bright, neat, short, petticoat." This arrangement portends visions of ankles, it is true ; but few men, at any rate, will be found to quarrel with that possibility. The question then arises, •• How is this change to bu brought about ?" and it is not an easy one to answer. * Perhaps if all women were to combine in its favour they might be able to defeat the small hut devoted band of dressmakers, but we almost doubt it. Probably they had better wait until Fashion in her ever-changing orbit reaches a simple form of dre»s, and when she does, arrest her there— if they can. — " London Globe."