Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-07-14
From Mrs. EIlis's Daughters of England.
FASHION.

ITS IMPERIoUsNEss AND ITS EVILS.
One of the greatest drawbacks to the good
influence of society, is the almost unrivalled
power Of fashion upon the female mind
Wherever civilized society exists, fashion
exercises her aIl-pcrvading influence. All
stoop to it, more or less, and appear TO es-
teen it a merit TO do so {; willie areally fash
ionable woman, though both reprobated and
ridiculed, has an influence in society which
is little less than absolute. Yet, if we would
choose out of the most worthless, the most
contemplate, and the least efficient of moral
agents, it would be the slave of fashion.
Say the best we can Of fashion, it is only
an imaginary or conventional rule, by which
a certain degree or order and uniformity is
maintained while the successive and fire.
uuent variations in this rule, are considered
to be the means of keeping in constant excr-
else our arts and manufactures. l am not
political economist enough to know whether
the same happy results mig not be brought
about by purrr motives, and noblcr means;
but it has always appeared to me one of the
greatest of existing absur1iics, that a whole
community Of people, differing in complex
ion, form, and feature, as widely as the same
species can differ should not only desire to
wear precisely the same kind Of dress, but
should often labor, stlvr, and struggle, de-
ceive, envy, and cheat, and spend their q Sn
substance. and often more than they can
lawfully call their own-tO do what 10
obtain dress, which is to them most unbe-
coming, or an article Of turuiture wholly I'M
suited to themselves and their establishment.
NJ ;lo, ,,I I bo1;n,,o - - fnup,aI
upon long cherished, and perhaps too ar
dent admiration of personal beauty, is, that
fashion ought TO favor all which, is most be-
coming. 1t is true, we should at first be
greatly at loss to know what was becom-
ing, because we should have the power and
the prejudice of fashion to contend with -
but there can be no doubt that individual, as
well as public taste, would be improved by
such exercise, and that our manufactures
would in the end be equally benefited though
for some time it might be difficult to calculate
upon the probable demand. Nor can think
that female vanity would be more cncoura'
ged than it now is, by thus consulting per.
sonal and relative fitness; because the young
woman who now goes into company fashion
ably disfgured, believes herself to be quite
as beautiful as if she was really so. Nethe
can see that we arc not bound to study how
to make the best Of our appearance, for tn
sake of our friends, as well as how to max
the best of our manners, our furniture an
our food.
Fashion, however, never takes this int
account. According to her arbitrary Law
the woman of salow complexion must wea
the same colors as the Ilebe the contracte
or msshapcn forehead must be laid as bar
as that which displays the fairest page {
beauty: the form with square and awkwar
shoulders, must wear the same costume 1
that Which boasts the contour of the Graces
and oh ! most ptful of all, old age must l
"brapked up" in the light drapery, the flow
ers. and the gauds Of youth In addition
all this, each one, as an indispensable requ
site, must possess waist considerably belO
the dimensions which are consistent eith'
with symmetry or health.
Ii will be an auspcous era in the exper
ence of the daughters of England, when thu
shall be convinced, tina, the Grecians had
higher standard of taste in female beaut
than that of the shopkeepers and dressmake
of London. They will then be willing to b
lieve, that 10 be within the exact rule of pr
portion, is as important deviation from pc
feet beauty as to be beyond it; and tina, n
thing which destroys the grace of easy a
natural movement, which deprves any boo
ly function of its necessary exercise, viii
robs tho youthful cheek of its bloom, or,
short, winch ungratefully throws back fro
our possession the invaluable blessing
health, can be consistent with the good las
or RICH, feeling of an amiable, intelligent,
rational woman.
These remarks are applicable, in their Fl
lest force, 10 every deviation which is san
toned by fashion, from the strict aud no
law of modesty and decorum. And of Il