When abandoned to her own devices, the average female has a tendency to
“put on her things,” and to contrive the same, in a manner that is not
conducive to patience in the male beholder. Her besetting iniquity in
this particular is a fondness for angles, and she is unwavering in her
determination to achieve them at whatever cost.
Now we vehemently affirm that in woman’s apparel an angle is an offence
to the male eye, and therefore a crime of no small magnitude. In the
masculine garb angles are tolerable—angles of whatever acuteness. The
masculine character and life are rigid and angular, and the apparel
should, or at least may, proclaim the man. But with the soft, rounded
nature of woman, her bending flexibility of temper, angles are
absolutely incompatible. In her outward seeming all should be easy and
flowing—every fold a nest of graces, and every line a curve.
By close attention to this great truth, and a conscientious striving
after its advantages, woman may hope to become rather comely of
exterior, and to find considerable favour in the eyes of man. It is not
impossible that, without any abatement of her present usefulness, she
may come to be regarded as actually ornamental, and even attractive. If
with her angles she will also renounce some hundreds of other equally
harassing absurdities of attire, she may consider her position assured,
and her claim to masculine toleration reasonably well grounded.