Dear Sir,–I noted with pleasure your sound advice to a too plump young lady who wished to reduce her figure by the foolish method of tight-lacing. You – very rightly – warned her against adopting such practices. My experience may be a lesson to other readers who are bemoaning their stout figures.
At the age of 16 I was very self-conscious of my plump appearance, and mother was equally concerned at my growing stoutness. The suggestion of a friend of mother’s, that I should be strictly dieted and very tightly laced, was eagerly pounced upon, I being only too pleased to adopt any method in reducing my girth.
Then followed what can only be described as a course of torture. Sweets, pastries, and so on, were absolutely verboten, and mother kept me laced in the stiffest of stays night and day.
My plump legs and feet were encased in boots laced up so tightly that they felt numb, and as high heels were said to reduce one’s calves, I was constantly kept perched on the tops of my toes. Again my too thick arms and hands were invariably imprisoned in the tightest of gloves; while my dresses had high, tight collars.
It was not long before a tendency to faint on the slightest exertion manifested itself, but mother told me that I must expect this, as all young girls often fainted whilst having their figures trained. I did not wish to appear babyish, especially when a friend of mine told me that she thought nothing of being laced in until she fainted and appealed to my vanity by remarking, in a superior manner, that all real young ladies never considered themselves properly laced in until they swooned.
Goaded by this taunt, I asked to be laced much tighter, and soon was able to boast to my friend that mother never dreamt of fastening my laces until I had fainted.
My fairylike meals and ultra-tight clothing had their effect in less than a year. I lost little weight, and although my waist was pinched in very small, my hips and bust had increased in bulk enormously. A nasty corn appeared on one of my squeezed-up toes; and I eventually became ill enough to take to my bed.
I shall never forget the severe lecture which the doctor gave to mother on the evils of tight clothing, and he thoroughly frightened me by remarking that I was lucky to have escaped going into a decline.
Yours truly,
“PLUMP BUT HAPPY.”