Dear Sir,–Would you kindly allow me a little space in your readers´ page to ask advice?
I am eighteen years of age, and am living in lodgings. Having read several letters on the results of tight-lacing, tight-garters, etc., I would like to know of other and safer methods of reducing my too plump figure.
I have developed rather round shoulders too, and my landlady assures me that she cured herself of this deformity by wearing very tight shoulder braces and reduced her stout figure by tight lacing. Her daughter who is the same age as myself is also rather plump, but she tells me that she is reducing splendidly by tight-lacing, and eating very little.
Her mother always laces her in until she can scarcely breathe, but although her waist is very narrow, her bust and hips are much too large. I may say that six months ago, before taking my landlady´s advice I wrote to mother, and she also strongly advised me to lace in as tightly as possible and to wear high heels to reduce my ankles, but up to now I have allowed my figure and feet to go free. You will understand my reluctance to adopt any drastic methods of reduction, when I say that my landlady´s daughter is quite unable to take even a short stroll without frequent rests, so tightly are her feet pinched into her shoes or boots, and she is so fearfully squeezed in at her waist that I have expected her to faint many times.
She laughs when I tell her she will ruin her health, and hints at jealousy of her figure on my part. Her mother also says that all this talk of tight-lacing being harmful is rubbish, as she has tight-laced to the limit for thirty years without ill results.
So, dear Sir I should be very glad if some lady reader of experience would advise me, as I am very reluctant to begin tight-lacing.
Yours truly.
ELSIE.