Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/179

 without any ill effect, but she may catch a severe cold through standing five minutes in her wet gown.

Bathing gowns should never be made of all cotton; flannel, flannelette, or any material composed of a proportion of wool are best. Serge I do not like, it being, when very good, too heavy, and when common too cold and too hard; and the best style for a bathing dress is the one that is the most easy to get off. For children the combination undergarment is very good, and for adults the short drawers, just reaching to the knee and buttoned round the waist with a wide band. Running strings are an abomination and most unhealthy. The breathing must on no account be interfered with in any way. The jacket should be as short as possible, just reaching a few inches below the waist, and without any sleeves. The lighter the dress is the better, have no frills or pleatings about it, no trimmings or ornaments, nothing in fact, that can add to your weight or impede your course through the water. Many pupils come to me in expensive fashionable bathing gowns, very pretty to look at, but quite out of place while swimming. There are very nice jersey suits sold, made of half wool half cotton, they are excellent for swimming; but I would warn would-be purchasers to be careful to get them large enough—the commoner kinds (those containing most cotton) shrink very much, consequently they become too small after a few times wearing. I have a very vivid recollection of having to cut one of my pupils out of her bathing dress before she could even walk to her room from the bath, it having shrunk on her to such an extent that she could not move her limbs. So be warned and do not sacrifice comfort to a good fit.