overheated, for it is covered by the tops of the petticoats and drawers fastening close round with bands, by the stays, chemise, and sometimes vest. The neck and arms are, as a rule, quite as badly protected as the legs, for they have only the thickness of the dress over them, as the vest and chemise are cut low in the neck and short in the sleeves, and high petticoat bodices are not always worn.
If we compare this dress with that of a young man we find that the male has greatly the advantage in matter of comfort. He generally wears woollen socks, drawers, and vest with long sleeves and high neck, and his outer garments clothe him completely and with an even warmth all over. I do not say that men's dress is perfect in comfort, but the balance is decidedly in favour of the male attire.
As to the weight of girls' clothes, it is quite common to see a young girl, who, as it is sometimes said, is outgrowing her strength, and whose spine can scarcely support her head and shoulders erect, dragging herself wearily about in a dress, the skirt of which alone weighs some pounds, This has possibly been bought for her with the mistaken idea that the heavier a material is the warmer it must be. The mistake, however, is a serious one, as heavy materials generally owe their weight and substantial appearance to admixture with cotton and fibrous rubbish, some stuffs being, as it is called, "loaded," in order to deceive the public as to their value. All-wool materials, if genuine, are light in proportion to their warmth.
The chief evil, however, of ordinary dress, results
