At the other end of the scale something almost "revolutionary" has taken place, comparatively recently, in corsetry for the heavy figure. Gone. are the thick, rigid materials once considered essential to imprison superfluous flesh. In their place are light fabrics, such as satin or batiste, which, combined with various elastic fabrics, are adequately, but by no means very heavily, boned. The truth is that the average big woman would rather look an inch larger and feel supple, because then she feels slim. Whereas, in a girdle or corselette of heavily boned, heavy material she merely feels boxed in and is even more conscious of her size and weight.
The solution to every figure problem is provided for today. For example, one ai the most. difficult that equilibrium was best in low heels, next best in high heels and poorest in bare feet.
Tests of 46 girls, without eye-defects, showed the best equilibrium io be in bare feet, next in low heels and poorest in high heels. Results were the same for the four classifications: tallest girls, heaviest girls, lightest girls, shortest girls, Each girl's equilibrium was recorded on a smoked paper, about 7 by 21 inches, while she stood in a normal erect position. The paper was framed directly over the girl's head, so arranged as to be adjustable to the hèight of any girl.
A long sharpened pencil, point upward, was bound firmly against the girl's forehead in the median line. She then stepped directly under the smoked paper which was lowered so that the point of the pencil lightly touched the sooty surface.
The girl then stooped just enough to remove the point from the paper's surface, When ready to make the first record, the gir vas asked to stand erect. As the po cil point contacted the paper, a stub watch was started and the recording continued for exactly one minute. Then the girl stopped again, stopping the recording.
For the second record, the paper having been shifted to' provide an unmarked surface, the girl stood straight with both eyes closed, both feet on the floor, For the third test, she kept both eyes open, but stood only on one foot. And for the fourth experiment, she stood on one foot but with both eyes closed.
This last record was the most difficult, Often the subject would open her eyes through fear of falling before the time limit expired The records showed that equilibrim was best, ie, the subject "swayed" least, with both eyes open
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.