The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-10-13
ICoNTINUED.I

We need not pursue our Illustrations further The
student who has accompanied us will soon find out
that he who lounges may read. In some dresses he
NAV safely invest his yanitios or any other better
thing he may happen 10 have disengaged--with
others we would hardly ensure his purse.
OF course there are a number of the sex, especially
among very young ladies', who, for one reason or
other deficiencies in the pocket, or the tyranny
taseIessness of those put in authority them,
prevented from doing justice TO their own talents in
this line "Bur them ms Burns says ...
There's something in their gait
Cars ony caes look weel."
Upon the whole prudent and sensible man. de-
sirous Of looking before he leaps may safely predi-
cate OF the inner lining from the outer garment, and
BE- thankful he has this, At least to go by That there
such things female pirates who hang out false
lights 10 enrap unwary mariners, We do not deny
II is only 10 CHOPPED that sooner or later they may
catch Tartar on their COASTS. For of all the various
denominations of swndlers who practise on the good
ness or the weakness of mankind, that woman is the
basest who is dandy during courtship and dowdy
after marriage ..
As regards an atfectation not unfequent in the sex
that OF apathy towards the affairs OF the toilet we
can only assure them for their sakes that there
is not worse kind of afieciation going We should
doubt, in the first place. whether the woman who is
Indifferent to her own appearance be woman at all
AT all events she must b. either hardened charac-
ter, or an immense heress, or frst-rate beauty-or
think herself one There might, be instances, like
the fair Elgiva of women having been yrannically
disSured on purpose to ALLEVIATE the affections Of
those they loved; but what history cite the wo-
man who could voluntary disigure herself 10 ALLEVIATE
the affections even of those she loathed! Elfrida
would not dress herself III even to save her husband
oh o,.J A.
10 the old story that the Countess Of Salisbury put
on negligent attire TO divert the attentions of Ed
ward H.; yet; if the truth were known we make no
doubt IL was n becoming one. p.
Another foolish habit which we have remarked
ladies 10 indulge in, is that of stigmatizng fashion
as thing OF whims and caprices; which works in
blind random heter-skelter way, and drags its
votaries along much In the same manner Even
the Lady OF Rank has passed this fallacy without
examination, and talks Of the usual absurdies OF
Fashion, - Of the capricious Goddess of Fash
IONS amusing itself AT the expense of her volares
&c, &c, with frequency which in n egislatrix OF
no rank might be tresome. Now, far from this be-
ing the case, the attentive student will soon disco
yer that Fashion, like the animal or vegetable or
mineral Kingdom, has laws and boundaries of her
own, deep seated in the nature of things; and that
ii she be goddess AT ALL she is one OF regular ha-
bits. He will find that she always preserves certain
balances and proportions; that when they had great
arthingales they had enormous ruts; when they had
WIDE sleeves they had small heads--and so on OF
course, IN the time OF transition, when struggle is
taking place between the plumagc that is casting off
and that which is coming on, some apparent confu.
sion may occur-as all birds are shabby in their
moulung season. But the worst discrepancies are
occasioned by one class of foolish women who have
not the TO be off with the old love before they
are on with the new, and try TO combine both the
old chrysais and the new wings or by another
class, female Washes, who gnoran;y mix up all
styles OF architecture and put antique portico on
to modern body We merely throw out hints
but the subject is worth a. systematic investigation
That there should be such thing as fashion in
dFoHs at all does not enter into our argument and
would indeed be unworthy the consideration OF any
rational being, With fashion in thought speech,
arts and sciences law, physic politics and religion
the world would be strangely out Of fashion indeed,
II there were none in dress .m..
But to return to our immediate subject. Having
thus explained the final cause of dress as an instinct
implanted in man, and exercised by woman solely
Tor his good lei us endeavor with all due humility 10
say something about the experimental department
We are inclined TO think that the female attire Of
the present day Is, upon the whole in as favorable
state a. tho most vehement advocates for whnt il
called Nature and simplicity could desire. II is a
costume in which they can dress quickly, walk MINI
oly eat pentiiuly, soop easily ol gracefully; and
IN SNORT perform all the duties OF life without let or
hlndrance The head is left to its naturu size-the
skin TO its native purity-the waist al is nronsr r, :
gion-the heels AT their real level The dress il one
calculated to bring out the natural beauties of the.
person, and each OF them has as far as we see fair
play. In former days, what was known of n wo.
mans hair in the cap of Henry Wills time-or of
her forehead under her hair in George iii a time
or OF thdsenderness OF her throat in uorpet of Ed
warn LIS uhie-or oil the tall OF her shoulders in a
wet or wing IN queen Elzabehs time-or of the
shape OF her arm in great bishop sleeve even in or
tine Nowadays, all these points receive full salts
faction Tor past neglect, and woman breaks pnon
VS. III such pienltude Of charms thar We hardly
kmo" where 10 begin the catalogue. Hair light rs
silk in floating curls, or massive as marble in sbini
coils Forehead bright and smooth as motber-of
pear, and arched in nlatchless symmetry by its owl
beautiful drapey. Ear, which for centuries had lain
concealed, set on the side Of the head like delicate
sheil. lhroatf lovely stOrk, leading the eve mn
"atus 10 lo'cieri GLOVER, and downwards along n
ia'f SoPng ridge, undulating III the true line of beau
y, 10 inc polished precipicc OF the shoulder whence,
from the pendant cayx OF the shortest possible sleeve
hangs lovely branch smooth and glit,er;ny Il,
pale PINK coral, slightly curved towards the figure
u"u terminating IN me taper petals, pnker still fold
ing and unfolding at their own sweet will and es
pecaly conrived by Nature to pick your heart clean
10 the bone before you know what they are about.
ana plenty more of similar charms. dealing des-
N"cuoi' devastating doom to all who are freproof.
NOT heeo you even despair of seeing the feet which
al 'hlS our happy era lie in ambuscade only the mo,e
securely 10 wound, and like little mice peep in and
our beneath the skirts deep and plentiful folds Nor
IS the ankle even hopeless If you are sufficiently NJ.
tenuVe' and If II be worth showing.
The present dress has some features yor,h d,rot,
ing on more m'nu'cly. The gown is good ,hing,
bo'h in It's morning and evening form md
all necessary elements for showing off a 6ne So
ana graceful movement. Till lately /, was on,
down in sharp angle low in front, with tho co",
run ming down IT. which made the throat IooL Iona
now It Is closed up quite high with the collar
ing round 1t, which makes the throat look ro,nd :.
lhere Is something especially beautiful too in The
pohse OF breast and shoulder as seen in h, nl,i,,
c"ored nigh dress-merinO slk--like n far sI,,a,,
sunny bank'vith the long taper arms, and the slc,
DER waist 80 tempting and convenient betYscn ,ho,
ia n. tpa