Women Dresses white Biogarphy
Source(google.com.pk)It would, however, be altogether too facile to contend that the popularity of sports among middle-class women speeded up the emancipation of women. Feminists since the mid 1860s have assiduously paved the way toward women's rights. The "sports explanation" cannot be quantified; perhaps a more reasonable explanation would be that it "smoothed" the path for radical changes in society and created an environment where changes could be rationalized in a "spirit of conciliation." <58> Women used shirts and loose coats for comfort as well as in enhancing their femininity. <59> Most horsewomen, female bicyclists, golfers, rowers and other female sports enthusiasts of the 1890s continued wearing flowing and heavy skirts; some horsewomen compromised by wearing "an apron skirt so that it will conceal the mounted foot and the practical breeches beneath." <The movement for women's rights was loosely associated with the Rational Dress Society. Feminists agreed with doctors, social Darwinists and conservatives that lady-like dress was unhealthy and implicitly immoral, but differed in their views on restricting women within the boundaries of the home. Prominent feminists who were more concerned with women's rights did not make dress reform their major cause. Indeed, Josephine Butler-by far the most well known Victorian figure of the women's rights movement-was always immaculately lady-like in her dressing. <61> Mrs. Butler, being a product of the Victorian age, although a woman ahead of her times, could have been a believer of the mainstream Victorian notion of respectability in lady-like clothes. On the other hand, like Emily Davis, founder of Girton College, Mrs. Butler was concerned at being stereotyped as one of the "shrieking sisters" -- loud manly looking female activists. <62> Some of the arguments that feminists made were that in order to achieve equality of the sexes, male sexual appetites should be controlled and lady's fashion should be less distinct from man's. Others stressed looking attractive as opposed to looking sexually attractive [an ambiguous directive, one might say]. <63>
The Rational Dress Society did not gain a large following and efforts by dress reformers saw pathetic results. Nineteenth century England was not enthusiastic about the bloomers nor its follow-up, the divided skirt. Fashion historian Steele contended that "rational" dress was unpopular because it looked ugly. <64> Sports did not force Victorian women to abandon corsets, stays and bustles. Women continued to use corsets well into the 20th century, although these contraptions gradually changed in shape and texture. The average waist size in 1880s England was 23 inches and 30% of all corsets sold were size 14 to 18 inches. <65> Victorian upper-class women had to resist or adapt to social expectations. It would be too rash and hasty of us to characterize them as submissive prudes merely from their social roles and sartorial modes. It would seem that fashion changed at its own pace; the circular path that fashion takes brings about a repetition of itself. <66> The "rationals" did bring a gradual democratization of the classes; "ready-mades" or mass produced clothes gave rise to similar cuts in women's dresses, even if the quality of materials differed. <67> Lady-like dress did not yield to critical ideology but rather prevailed in its own right. Mrs. Eric Pritchard, a firm believer in the "powers" of lady-like dress, expounds its spellbinding charm:
For equality with men, and for the privilege and independence he enjoys infinite opportunities of obtaining all she wants through the service of dress, beauty and the subtleties which have never yet failed-disguising the details of dress and toilet in a mask of mystery. <68>
Whether in "rational" or lady like apparel, the wearer projected an intended image. Victorians were aware that clothes did more than cover and beautify the person. Victorian sage, Thomas Carlyle, in a section of his book Sartor Resartus, eloquently contended that clothing symbolized one's unique personality and station in life. He asked with tongue in cheek: "Who can figure a naked Duke of Windlestraw addressing a naked House of Lords
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
Women Dresses white
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