Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-11-04
FASHIONS.

n
!p-fue, AND FRENCH BELLE AT THE same
oye.-The English woman must be en- bon
point at least an excess OF Plumpness nave
been admired in our fair, ever since aPasslon
for feeding cattle has become the vogue with
our Lords and Gentry. Not satisfied with this
redundance of bulk in her figure, she must In
crease it in certain parts, by compresslons ana
bolstering. Her bosom, which nature planted
at the bottom Of her chest, must be pulled up
by means of waddings and whalebone, to a
station SO near her chin, that IN very full sub
;ects, that feature is sometimes lost between
the invading mounds The stays Cor coat OF
maiO must then be laced extremely tight to
the waist, and over the lower part OF the body.
The whole person, excepting the bosom, arms,
and legs, is thus pat in vice; and the con-
SEQUENCE is, not only the shape is thrust out
of it's proper place, but the blood is thrown
forciblv land kept there) into the neck, face
and arms. By this means all delicacy ottorm
and color is destroyed; and were it not tor the
fine apparel of our ladies, we should be at
loss, ON the first glance to decide by their re-
abundance and universal redness, whether they
were nurses or cooks
Over this strangely manufactured figure,
scanty petticoat, and scanty gown is put
The latter resembles bolster slip more than
aparment; and not content with the closeness
of its adherence round the body, it is cut away
at the breast and back, to show the bosom and
shoulders naked and the sleeves are snip
ped of, to make a similar exhibition OF the red
bursting arms Could our graceful mothers
of the last century behold their female descen-
dants, they would suppose them ready prepar-
ed for washing, or being washed. In short,
they look more like great hoydening school
girls, in their frocks and blowscd looks, than
elegant women, accomplished to charm the
hearts of taste and delicacy.
And what is very preposterous, these IL
cures sewcd up in their garments, like E
pyptian lnummies, or swaddled like babes I'M
able to move, fancy that the grace OF their
proportions is displayed by such dress. But,
were thew shaped like Venus herself, not one
graceful line could be discovered under the
cut oftheir pettcoats. All is close, square,
disgusting. 1t is the flowing drapery alone,
which displays all the fine proportions OF n
CURE, all the grace of movement, all the ele-
gance OF AR.
This idea, taken from the true Grecian
school is the presiding principle OF the pre-
sent mode of female dress in France. The
form of Youthful beauty is expected to have
slight and delicate contors neither rcdund-
ant nor spare, all is to be round, soft, GID
inc, and harmonious. a short corset, fitted
exactly to the natural shape, without permit
ting any attempt to push the form out OF Its
piece, displays the whole OF Its elegance,
with ease and modesty. The shape, and not
the surface of the bosom is seen. A slight
veil of lawn, lace, or muslin, hides It from
the eve of man Not more of the back is seen
that what maidenly reserve and taste requires.
The arms are covered % half way down the
elbow and the whole figure being lett tree
from excessive Egatures and compressions.
preserves its natural, soft and tender hue.
You behold the lily and the rose blending in
the face, the Snowy bosom, and the white
polished arms. The gown is fitted gracefully
to the shape, and flowing from |" the slender
waist in elegant folds, by an easy adoption
Of itself to the free limbs as the wearer walks
or moves, shows the form in thousand love-
" turnsapd attitudes.
Such was the real Grecian mode; so was
Aspasia and S.,pho habited and in like man.
ner the beautiful women in France now adorn
their persons IF they look like nymphs IN
such apparel, would our more lovely country
women adopt it, they might be mistaken tor
angels.
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