THE "REFORMED" DRESS OF AMERICAN LADIES.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 590, 10 December 1851, Page 4

THE "REFORMED" DRESS OF AMERICAN LADIES.

The ladies of Ameiica look with contempt upon the quiet slaves of Europe. " Poor creatures," exclaims the enterprising Mrs. Goahend, "here aie we holding conventions, editing neuspupers , contesting elections, and frightening judges with our eloquence, while they, poor critters, are tending their childien, comforting their hrutal hushands, and positively decking themselves proudly in the very badge of their servitude '" The women of America are determined not only to teach their sex how to legislate, but also how to dress. u The Reform in Ladies' Costume" is announced in every American paper, and Mr. Webster's candidateship ior the Presidency attracts far less attention than the Turkish trousers and short coats of Syracuse belles. The gentlemen appear to look on without much surprise, and seem to think that the movement is not to he regretted, as it will go to sußtain the national character for startling innovations. Fiom upwards of fifty newspaper notices of the " reform," that have fell under our notice, in hurrying thiough our batch of journals, we take a lew that will astom&h the unambitious daughters of England. A lady correspondent of the New York Home. Jam mil (Mr. P. N. Willis' paper) writes, "I adore Tuikish trousers. I am so anxious to don my tunic and trousers, though rather afraid yet, that 1 must bog you to tbrow all your learning, eloquence, refinement, and taste on our side. Will you I We Southerners have such pretty feet — you know our feet are celeb) atod — that I really think, if there is any justice in Fashion, our time is coming. 1 should ciy out, Liberty ! if I were free of my long, embarrassing, nlways-in-the-way skirts. You can easily imagine their inconvenience." The Windham Democrat, edited by Mrs. Nichols, iooLs at it in a philosophical view :—": — " The change," we are told, "in dress has resulted solely from that general dissemination of physiological information which has startled the sex into a consciousness that the present fashions of dress are a gener.il and fearful cause of impaired physical energies, disease, and piemature drath. 1 Hetter tbat women have courage to look like fjigbts — which, however, is not a necessary alternative— and

secuioto themselves and posterity the ue.dth that secures cheerfulness, vigour, and couiiige, than bo the nervous, h( Iph'hs, nnseiable cuniheieis of the giound which many aie, ami neaily all ate becoming, by a slavish submission to selt-iiupo>od lestiicuons in dress and indulgence in diet." The hew Haven Palladium, with a device of selfishness wis, "The ' tiouseis' pioject has somctliing rnoie to recommend it tlna the fioaks of fashion we hare alluded to, and we welcome its advent as a happy lelease <>l our wives, d.iughteis, and sweelheaits, from the st-11-iuiposed ta k of sweeping tho diibt 01 mud of sweet-crossings. And though the improvement may mid to tho length of dress-makeis' bills, let us aKo hope it will lengthen the lives of the fair sex, by dispensing with an accuuulation of wot skills lound delicate feet, and inciease the happiness of young' bachelors by affording them an ocraMon.il glimpse nt a ptettv ancle or handsomely aiched in«tcp." The henobha Tclegiaph asks, " What business is it to the carping and calking ciosvd if the ladies of tins city me tiied of using their di esses to sweep the cio->sin}, r s and sidewalks? The ladies of Milwaukee, Racine, and Ea»levillo, can now get their dresses made, and come here and wear thorn till they get used to them, and oui ladies will leturn with you, and assist in bi ending up the uiock modesty of your hen-hussied villages. The fact is, ' it's a go,' and it will not be long before the novelty ceases to attract attention" The Sipacitt>e btuiidaid thinks that this costume "call it Giecian, or Turkish, or what you will, is femininely giaceful, convenient, tidy, and m haimony with the laws of health, and, if ' fitness is the chief element of Ije.mty,' the most beautiful that our ladies have ever worn." Tl)9 Albany K inckei backer says, " Let old maids talk against them, cynical editors sneer, and Hide boys and big, duty corner loafeis abuse them, but short dresses mid Tmki-h trousers will eventually come in vogue. The same piejudice that exists against them, was once brought to bear against white hats and yellow kids, but those at tides have triumphed, and those who once decned them are now their constant wearers." That the practice is becoming common the following extracts will show. The Geneva. Gazette says, " D.iy before yesteiday it was our piiviJpge to witness the appearance of some of the ladies of our village in the lmpioved mode of diess, viz., with short diesses and Tuikish pantaloons. Their novel appearance was gieeted by some with undisguised mirth; by others with lidicule, manifestly impolite, and indicative of the extent of their good sense; but most legarded it with decided appioval." "A tioop of visitors," we are informed by the Cincinnati Nonpaml, "came down fiotu Pittbburg, tuo other day, dressed a la Tuik, and set the whole city in a rage tor the semi-masculine diess. 'Ihe difficulty however is, that few have sufficient courage to come upon the stieets in the proposed fashion. Some say that if they can find three 01 four to come out with them so as to keep them in countenance, they would not hesitate; but these thiee or tour would like a dozen to keep their courage up, and these dozen want two dozen, and so on. The Jesuit is that each is afraid to move alone, and so no movement is made. The upper-tens aio wailing for some decided movement at the East, and the undei-tens aie waiting for some movement among the upper-tens, a-id so it goes." In Miln aukee the innovation has created quite an excitement. "The streets yesteiday afternoon, says the local Advertiser, presented a moie excited appeal. nice than on election, liot, or holidays. A lady made her appearance, dressed u. Ui Tuik — hort dress of gieen silk, coming just below the knees, white 'trousers/ fastened with a band aiound the ancles, and a neat full. Old men and young men, hachelois and benedicts, boys and gnls, gathered in admiring crowds to witness her progiess, which was like a tnumphal inarch tlnough tho streets. Let other ladies follow her example, say we, — cast off these street-sweepers— adopt this neat, tidy, appropriate, and becoming; diess — revolutionise the fashions — and their gentlemen fi lends, old and young, will bear them out in it, and admire them the more, and love them the better." The Albany I\ nickei bockei says " a young and pretty lady, whose name is Mrs. Miller and who has been ••ojourning at" the Delavan House, appeared in Broadway, yesteiday afteinoou, with an elegant Tin lush dress, short skirt, and neat pair of pettiloons. She cieated some excitement, but none ot that ridicule those who follow the old style of long skirts so much fear. Mrs. M. is the daughter of the lion. Gerret Smith." Here is a costume, pronounced by the Newaik Metcwy "most becoming." Beautiful feet were handsomely encased in half patent leathers. The pantaloons were of a mixed Tweed mateiial, similar to the dress, full and buttoned at the ancle. A laige cape an I a dashing straw hat completed the costume of the lady, who was evidently a stianger and -a traveller.'' The Pioi/idence Journal remarks that many pieach who do not caie to piactise. " Mrs. E. Oakes Smith delivered her lecture on Dress befoie a full audience ; but just complaint is made that like some politicians of the other sex, she did not practise what she pi cached. On the contraiy, she appeared in the old costume of long petticoats, and while praising 1 the new diess, she showed on her own handsome figure an example of the old. This will not do." There are, of oourse many rude and uncouth editors who ridicule this movement — " second only to the Great Reformation," accoiding to one of the journals— but the editresses who, through their hebdomaduls, exchange invitations to partake of cups of best Bohea, take the barbarians in hand, and make them pay deaily for their impertinence. Sometimes we have such killing satire as the following :—": — " Wanted, tweuty-nve ladies with long dresse3, to promenade liioadway, and sweep the street." — South Boston Gazette. — We copy the above for the benefit of the advertisers, as there aie ladies in our vicinity who will no doubt answer the adveitisement; unless the season should prove unusually dusty, in which case they will find employment at home." — East Bobton Ledger.

The Canterbury Colonists. — The Canteibury Association invited to a public dinner on Wednesday, the emigrnnts of the working classes who aie to sailfor New Zealand th,& month in the first expedition of ships of the main body of Canterbury colonists for 1851 ; and the cabin passenger colonists met at the same time, and in the same apartment, at a public bieakfast with their friends. The two parties weie about equal in number; and, in all — men, women, and children — there were neai ly 500 persons partaking of the entertainment. It was given in a temporary building, most conveniently erected close to six ships which aie about to be despatched by the Association, and which were lying in East India import dock. Two of them, which left the poit of London on Thursday, piesented, of couise, a busy and interesting scene. The emigrants seemed to be most of them married couples, hale and cheerful, in the very prime of life, with their childien about them; and though, as may be supposed, at these faiewell repasts they had a somewhat thoughtful and seiious air, they seemed full of heart and hope, and looked as if they had quite made up their minds that they were doing right in going out. About two o'clock Lady Lyttelton, observing the usual ceremonies, named one ot the ships, the Canterbury, a fine vessel of 900 tons, just built at Sunderland, and classed " Al for 14 y ears." The company'then sat down to the excellent fare which Alessrs. J3athe and Breach, of the London Tavern, had provided for them. Loid Lyttelton was in the chair. The band of the Coldslream Guards was in attendance. The usual lojal and constitutional toa&ts, announced by Mr. Iliggs, the toast-master, were received with the utmost enthusiasm. The Chairman gave " Succe&s to the Canterbury Settlement, and the health of the depal ting colonists.' 1 Dr. Rowley spoke to the toast, and obberved that Unglish men and women could not leave the shores of their native land with stolid indifference or with shouts of joy. There must be the sad, solemn, patting, the last farewell, the separation from kindred and friends, the desertion of many a cheerful hearth, the breaking up of many a social circle ; theie must bo a struggle, an effort, a sacrifice. But, when it had been made, the man became " himself again," the mind regained its vigour, and the pulse beat with hope. (Hear.) These proceedings were laying the foundations of a great empire, and laying them rightly und well. Tho emigrants were carrying with them the institutions of their native land, the amenities and chanties of domestic life, and, he would say, the virtues of their race. (Hear.) The Duke of Newcastle pioposed "The health of John Robert Godley, and the other colonists, the pioneers of the Canterbury Association." The Noble Duke said, that in bidding the emigrants farewell, he could assuie them that their future pi ogress would be watched in this country with deep inteiest and regard; and he prayed them to recollect that they would be but in another part of this empire, and that tlu>y and we should still be living under the same institutions as well as worshipping God in tho same form and way. Other toa&ts followed, and " the health of the Chairman," proposed by Lord YVodehouse, closed the proceedings. The Irish tub Tallest or 'ihe threk Naiions. — Profcsbor Forbes states the Jribh to bo taller on the average than either the English or the Scotch. Having measured a thousand of each nation. — English, Irish, and Scotch — he gives the following as the aveiage height of each: — English 68^ inches ; Scotch 69^; lush 70; and the ago of eaoh twenty-one years — Allus. j