The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-08-25

suit, American maQe clothes are always
modified from the French,) whenever [
encounter it, still strikes me as the most
beautiful, the most reasonable, and the
most tasteful; and there is no reason why
the American people, who lead in SO many
things, and are destined to lead in so
many more, should not invent dress of
their own, which, by their great travel
/ ing propensities, would soon become u
niversal. 1t is time that the American
people ceased to run crazy after European
fashions. 1t is well to remember, too,
that few French coats are made well; it
is all rage for brief season for style
and not for it At the present moment,
if the skirts of a coat scarcely cover the
hips, and the sleeves have clean foot of
opening for tho hand, it is sufficient, no
matter what the cut may be otherwise
1t is great absurdity for sensible peo-
pie to endeavour to follow such fashions
as these, with the sincerity and gravity
which our people do.
The women of Paris dress with much
more taste, generally, than the men,
They study contrasts more, and under
stand that part Ofthe dressing better per-
haps than any other people. They seem
to be slaves only to the style of bonnet
an article in which the French certainly
excel. Their bonnets are always tasty
and piquant The French women do not
put SO much money on their backs as
either English or American women, but
thoy arrange it to better advantage
They are rather too fond of velvet trim
mings and jewerly; but otherwise they
dress admirably, and much more reason
ably than the men. Two styles, however,
now worn by the bon ton in Paris, think
will find little favour in America. They
are the manteau, called Ialn1as, and
kind of silk for dresses with changeable,
fanciful-shaped stripes running around
the skirts in place of founces, generally
of a light brick-dust colour on black silk.
The bonnets are round, very small, and
reach forward only to the middle of the
bead-somewhere in the region of vener-
alton. Like the men, the women carry
themselves so gracefully that they seem
not conscious of it when extravagantly
dressed.
A habit prevails in France in regard
to the dress of young unmarried ladies
in the wealtheir classes, so entirely diff
ferent from our own system that it is
worthy Of mention. All young ladies,
till the day of their marriage, must dress
plainly and cheaply; they must not, even
in company, wear jewelry, founces or
ribbons to any extent. The mother may
carry into company ten times the value
that her daughter can And it is aston
ishing how the old women of France do
dress. One might very we'll take their
modestly- y-dressed daughters at their side
for family instructress or favorite ser
want. Not only must the daug ghters dress
plainly and modestly, but they must never
move out of sight of their mothers or
chaperones, nor speak to gentleman
without permission, until they are mar
ried; then custom allows-them to make
up for lost time, and SO far as have been
able to observe, they do make it up with
vengeance. The stud of the fashions
is very apt to become at once mania
with them, and unless they are gratifed
to the extent of their desires, the husband
very often becomes sufferer in more
ways than one. A Frenchman, however,
cannot resist the fascinations of French
woman, and he generally yields to all
her wishes, if he even sacrifices his hap
piness in other particulars. A more in
dependent, exacting, diplomatic, snowy
race of married women cannot be found.
The young women are units in society.
The Emperor and Empress, whenever
they appear in public, unless it be on
state occasions, are always dressed plain
a Ia bowgeoiS, and the people like it. An
extravagantly dressed man at the Emper-
or's ball is sure to be ridiculed. One is
surprised, just now, to meet SO many
plain-looking persons in coronetted car
riages in the streets of Paris. 1t is to
be hoped that the example of the Emper-
or, whom all acknowledge te be the per-
fection of gentleman in his dress, will
exert good influence in curing the un-
limited extravagances of Partisan artists
in cloth. The custom of modifying after
the London style, has been growing con-
siderably lately; and it is not at all un-
common to see fashionable Frenchman
carrying long g-waiSted paletot.
n