The divided Skirt.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5673, 21 January 1890, Page 3

The divided Skirt.

An exhibit which attracts great attention at the Exhibition is the divided skirt shown by Elsie of the New Zealand Mai! " Elsie" writes to the Dunedin Star on the subject of rational dress :—-" The Lancet pays the divided skirt the hiyh comjiHmenfc of regarding it not merely as a healthy form of attire, but also as an infinite improvement upon the fashionable dress of the present day, and accepting that verdict from so high an authority, we can hardly doubt its adaptability to the needs of everyday life. Originally the invention of Viscountess Harburtcn, the dress has been modified a*rd h» proved fco meet the requirements of fashion, It is now more than five years since I procured a pattern from the Rational Drees Association, London. Having studied the subject and recognised its merits, I adopted the divided skirt, 'and after five years' experience my opinion of its advantages is unaltered. It :s a great deal lighter, warmer, and more • comfortable than petticoats ; is perfectly modest, and invaluable in wet weather. In the wint3r its virtues are most pronounced, from the palpable fact that it is because the foot that steps forward in walking drags the ordinary skirt down over the heel of the other foot that petticoats are so unsuited to walking on wet roads. With each leg clothed separately this dragging round the heel cannot happen, and we can journey on without apprehension of the amount of brushing that will be needed on the morrow. I have not found any difficulty in conforming to the fashion of the day as regards outside dress ; and while on occasion I don the full costume of dual petticoat and short upper dress, all times I wear the divided skirt; in lieu of the ordinary petticoat. Numbers of sensible : women all over the colony have followed 1 my example, and many a Jettor of satisi faction comes to the editress of the ' New , Zealand Mail ' expressive of the benefits derived from the adoption of the new ' Ares?, j The New Plymouth Volunteer Band . were in financial trouble, and- the Colonial Secretary's permit was obtained to an art union for the purpose of raising funds. the prices, however ; were articles ' nob vfQxkf} of ait, and this being .a brer oh' pf $ie Cranking ond . lotteries Act, the Secretary was fined at the YolicQ-GQWrt 39-?.