Dear Sir,–I am convinced that most of the correspondents who favour tight-lacing, high heels, etc. are those who have had no real experience of them. May I, who am old enough to remember the consequences, add my word of warning?
“Enough is as good as a feast,” and a little figure training will not hurt anyone; but to be tightly laced to the extent that was fashionable when I was a girl meant and end to all exertion and sports, and left us prone to ills from which modern girls in their freedom should never suffer.
My mother would never appear outside her bedroom until her maid had reduced her waist to at least 17in. (to be able to work was unladylike), and I have accompanied her to theatres, etc., so laced that she was totally unable to pick up her glove from the ground should she drop one.
She gave me every luxury a girl could wish for but she knew no mercy where my figure and appearance were concerned, and from the time that I was 14 until my figure was satisfactorily trained at about 18, my waist was regularly reduced by a quarter of an inch each month. Each new corset I dreaded, and in the end I was the proud possessor of a 14in. waist.
Even when sleeping I had to wear corsets for waist and feet, and a face mask each other night, whilst the zenith of our fashion martyrdom was reached each evening, for by dinnertime we had to be at our best to charm my father and his friends, or perhaps visit a theatre with him.
He was intensely proud of our tiny waists, but never thought them small enough, and I often dared to wish he could be made to suffer as I did.
It took two maids an hour to lace us to our limit, one to slowly turn the screws of an awful steel belt, while the other drew in the laces. Meantime we were suspended by our wrists and our feet were strapped to the floor.
Faints were of frequent occurrence, and we had, of course, a rest now and again, and by the time the maids had succeeded in hooking us into our boned bodices our waists were numbed. Yet it was the fashion and to be able to make our fingers meet round our tiny waists was a thrill that can only be obtained by the experience.
We wore many rings, our ears were pierced as a matter of course, and great care was taken with the makeup of our faces, necks, and hands.
Long gloves were kept on even for meals, and our feet were encased in the smallest and highest heeled shoes we could be forced into.
We were nothing more than painted dolls, and our one ambition was to outshine our friends, no matter what agony we suffered silently, for to show the slightest discomfort was the height of bad taste.
My cousin watched me laced one afternoon and so determined was she to beat me that she begged my maid to use the screw on her waist as she had seen it used mine. Two of her ribs were broken by the sudden application of this vice-like contraption, to which she had not used to before, but she did not make a murmur. She went home to exult her mother with her waist reduced to 13½in., and it was weeks later when she admitted the agony she must have been suffering.
Much though I dislike the present sloppy style of dress, I trust we may never again experience such fashion tyranny.
Yours truly,
OLIVE J. WOOD.