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Dear Sir,
May I, through your popular columns echo the plaint of a large jewellery
manufacturer who, writing to the "Weekly Dispatch," complained that women nowadays were wearing either an artificial string
of pearls or some wooden beads, instead of the large amount of real gems
they wore years ago, thereby ruining the jewellery industry.
Years ago,
before a lady prepared for some special function, she carefully studied
the best way of drawing attention to all her good points. If she had
pretty ears, she had her hair drawn tightly to her crown of her head and
dressed in a tower of coils, thus leaving her ears fully exposed.
Jewelled studs or rings were then fitted.
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A wide jewelled
collar next drew attention to her long graceful neck. The shaping of her
figure followed, this probably being her best point. She would instruct
her maid to tight-lace her until her waist was pinched in to her very
limit of endurance. After her long trailing gown had been fitted the
maid would clasp a gem-encrusted belt round her mistress's waist and
later as the brilliant lights of the ballroom were reflected in the
belt, the wearer would, with pleasure, often overhear such remarks as,
"What wonderful waist." or "How beautiful corseted."
or "How perfectly laced-in." and so on.
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| On sitting down,
one's eyes would be attracted to my lady's tiny feet shod in
needle-pointed shoes with six-inch heels, with lights flashing from the
jewelled buckles; and last, but not least, the lucky partner of the lady
would feast his eyes on a pair of slim arms and hands, the former weighted
with jewelled bracelets and bangles, and the latter literally a-fire each
dainty finger bearing four or five sparkling rings. |
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I must
confess that I, myself am rather afraid of public opinion, and
hide my good points somewhat severely; but in the privacy of
my home, with only my husband or a few intimate friends
present, I let myself go and wear an enormous amount of
jewellery, including a valuable belt which is so small that I
have to be tight-laced until my waist is numb; but the
appreciation I receive from my acquaintances amply repays me
for any slight discomfort I experience from my pinching
corsets and tiny pointed shoes.
Yours
sincerely,
"JEWELS." |
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