The North-Carolinian., 1856-03-08
The Fashions then and now.

An observer of some of the foolish and ugly
fashions Of the present day, requests us to copy
the following Number of ''rhe Spectator" pub
lishcd July 26, I'LL. 1t is addressed to the
Spectator and very apty hits off the fashion of
stssspEed perricoats~
You have. diverted the town almost a
whole month at the expense of the country; it
is now high time that you should give the
country their revenge. Since your withdrawing
from this place, the fai: run into great
extravagancies. Their petticoats which began
to heave and swell before you left US, are now
blown up into most enormous concave, and
rise every day more and more; in short, sir,
since women know themselves to be out Of
the eye of the Spectator, they will be kept
within no compass. You praised them a little
too soon for the modcsty of their head-dresses; ;
for the humour Of sick person is often
driven out Of one limb into another, their super
fluffy of ornaments, instead of being entirely
banished, seems only to have fallen from their
heads upon their lower parts. What they have
lost in heig ght they make up in breadth, and,
contrary to all rules of architecture, widen the
foundations at the same time that they shorten
the superstructure
Among the various conjecturcs, there are
men of supersttious tempers, who look upon
the hooppetticoat as a kind of prodigy Some
will have it that it protends the downfall Of
the French king, and observe that the farthin-
gale appeared in England little before the
ruin Of the Spanish monarchy. Others are of
opinion that it foreteIs battle and bloodshed
and believe it Of the same representation as
the tail of blazing star.
Should this fashion get among the ordinary
people, public ways would be so crowded.
that should want street-room. Several con
gregations of the best fashion find themselves
already very much straitened; and if the mode
increase, wish it may not drive many ordinary
women into meetings and conventicles. Should
our sex at the time take it into their
heads to trunk breeches Gas who knows
what their Indignation at this female treatment
may drive them to- man and his wife would
fill whole pew
You know Sir, it is recorded of Alexander
the Great, that, in his Indian expedition, he
buried several suits of armour, which by his
directions were made much too big for any of
his soldiers, in order to give posterity extra
ordinary idea Of him, and make them believe
he had commanded army Of giants.
When l survey this new fashioned rotmnda
in all it's parts, | cannot but think Of the old
philosopher, who after having entered into an
Egyptian temple, and looked about for the
idol OF the place, at length discovered little
| black monkey enshrned in the midst of it
upon which he could not forbear crying out Ito
! the great scandal of the worshipers) what a
| magnificent palace is here for such ridiculous
| inhabitant
| Though you have taken resolution, in one
| OF your papers, to avoid descending to partcu-
larities of dress, l believe you will not think it
below you on extraordinary an occasion, to
| nnhoop the fair sex, and cure this fashion tym-
pany that has got among them. l am apt to
think the petticoat will shrink ofits own accord
| at your first coming to town, at least touch
OF your pen will make it contract Itself Ike a
sensitive plant, and by that means obge several
who are either terrified astonshed at this
portentious novelty; and among the rest,
Your humble servant &c. &.