Ellen G. White: The Progressive Years: 1862-1876 (vol. 2)

Arriving at Style and Length

Neither a particular style of dress nor the length of the skirt in inches was revealed to Ellen White. The vision of the three groups of women brought certain important principles to the forefront, and it was left to her and the church women generally to work out something that would come within the limits shown her. At the Health Institute in Battle Creek it was found that as the women employed their ingenuity, there was considerable variance in style and length of skirt. At this point a little “dress show” was conducted. J. H. Waggoner was spending some time at the institute. At his request the physicians named a number of the women there whose dresses they considered the best, and they put on a little demonstration. The results were promptly reported in the Health Reformer: 2BIO 183.1

He then measured the height of twelve, with the distance of their dresses from the floor. They varied in height from five feet to five feet seven inches, and the distance of the dresses from the floor was from eight to ten and one-half inches. The medium, nine inches, was decided to be the right distance and is adopted as the standard.—The Health Reformer, March, 1868 (see also The Story of Our Health Message, 167). 2BIO 183.2

With the Health Institute in the forefront and working in harmony with the counsel given by the messenger of the Lord, the style of costume adopted at the institution became the prevailing style adopted generally by Adventist women who chose to follow this phase of reform. 2BIO 183.3