The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-02
The New Female Costume.

u tfrona the New Orleans Deka- May 10
The tendency Of innovation on the part of the
female sex. has lately displayed itself in quite
palpable form. The idea has been preached at
the North, of irduing the delicate forms of our
ladies in the close fitting garments which have
hitherto been appropriated by man to his own ex-
elusive use This is an admirable idea. and notwith-
standing the injury it may inHict on the manufac-
urers Of side saddles, think it will prove in the
end, great improvement. All artists and students
of nature know that women greatly exceed men In
the symmetry of their forms-of their phyaqse-as
well rs in the han mony of their moral endowments.
And yet. the style of dress which has prevailed in
Christie ndom for the last two thous and years, has
virtually deprived the sex of much of the sdvan-
tages of their superior grace, delcacy and SYM
metry of limb and figure. Nothing could be better
adapted to conceal deformIty, irregularity, and
want of symmetry in some of the most delicate
and graceful features of the :" human form divine
than the present mode of female attire. Ii will do
well for those who are misshapen. No doubt it
owed its origin TO some mighty empress or queen,
whose cruralties were curvlnearly inclined, whose
hips were too angular, or whose ANGLES did not
maintain their perpendioularity But why should
ninety nine out Of one hundred female figures be
condemned to these horrible disguses, convolve-
ments, concealments, and utter deliberations of
Hogarth's line of beauty, and of the most fasci-
mating characteristics of the female figure in order
to please the taste or suit the interests of some
homely specimen Of the sex! This is not sound re-
publican doctrine. The majority ought to rule,
and the majority, we assert, owe it to their own
lovely figures, and their own resstless, but too
long concealed charms to abandon a fashion of
dress which is so absurd, unbecoming, ungraceful,
unpcturesque, as the present system of long skirts
starting from the waist, and diverging in angle
of forty five degrees until it attains circumference
of several yards, and then quietly draggles in the
mud, performing gratuitous scavengering for the
city and thus utterly ebscurng the outline of the
figure from the waist down. To render the con-
cealment and deformity more complete, we are told
by those who are we'll informed IN such matters,
that between the dress and the delicate, unofend-
ing and attractive figure which is thus cruelty shut
out from the contempt ation of mankind, and from
all chances of exercising its proper influence, there
are folds as vast i'll extent, and as intricate in
rangement, as those in which the Egyptian mum
mics protected from decay and the ravages Of
time.
From the Washington Union, May 81
We have hitherto abstained from noticing any of
the numerous paragraphs now circulating relative
to contemplated change in the costume of ladies,
in the belief that any expression of opinion
part in a matter which the ladies alone are compe-
tent to decide, would be looked upon as an unwar-
antabe interference and departure from our pro-
per sphere of duty. We cannot, however, forbear
adverting to a proposed change in gentlemen's at
tire which looks as if the sterner is about to
adopt the flowing skirts, in order to rescue them
from the oblivion with which they are now threat
ened. Passing the store of fashionable tailor
the avenue, a few days since, our attention at
tracted to a novel garment exposed in the window
On examination, il proved to be shirt with waist
coat attached intended for summer wear, and which
we therefore presume will be worn over the pants,
and allowed to lutter in the breeze. We would re-
spectfully suggest that compromise BIO arranged,
before matters proceed TO extremes-the gentlemen
agreeing to conceal at least the lower half Of the
new garment referred to, and the ladies to add to
the upper part of their dress much in proportion
they take from the bottom. Unless this is done,
We fear, in adopting the Turkish costume Ameri-
c.. dress short ut both ends-the ladies
will approach too nearly to the want of dress of the
aborgines Of this country to suit such old fashioned
people as ourselves.