Dear Mr. Editor, – Following my avocation in a tobacco kiosk, recently, I heard a gentleman remark to another that the chief attraction used to be the neat-waisted ladies who supplied their needs, and who he deplored, were now no more to be seen. The remark set me thinking, with the result that I determined to see if a change in dress would have any effect on business.
So I had my shop dress made into a figure fitting one, but the result was frankly not a success. Somewhat disappointed, I talked the matter over with a friend, and ultimately followed her advice which was to shed my corset and place myself in the hands of a good corseteer for a few months,
The corseteer, in hearing my requirements, was surprised and said that waists were out of fashion completely, but undertook to guarantee me a nineteen inch waist over my corset in four months, if I followed her instructions.
Well, to sum up, I had my nineteen inch waist in the time specified, and was intrigued to find how comfortable a tight-laced corset could be, how much smarter I looked; and how easy the process of waist reduction had been, even when wearing a night corset.
Then I got a close-fitting dress to wear over my corset; and, also, on the recommendation my corseteer who entered heartily into my project, a rustling silk petticoat fitted to my corset on my hips, and fastened to my corset about two inches below my waist by hooks on my corset, thereby adding to nothing to my waist measurement.
My dress came to my knees, and black silk stockings and high-heeled shoes completed my outfit.
I have only to add that from a business point of view, the experiment had been a complete success. Apart from a few polite stares at first, I cannot recollect any comment either actual or implied derogatory to my idea, and I find that once the newness has worn off there is a subtle sense of exhilaration in the knowledge what I am different and also admired.
With best wishes, EXPEIMENTI DOCET.