The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-08-28
Fashions Follies.

Fashions Follies.
If Eve had not yielded to-. temptation.
mortal life would not have known many
charms that now alleviate its wcarincss.
II there had been no sin, mankind could
never have. crj"ycd all those pleasant Vi
ccs that it loves SO well those stolen pleas
urcs and surreptitious indugences TO which
secret sense Of vice imparts a,szest, and
so!cc alike the virtuous rigor Of overnight
tcousncss, the precise dullncss of prudery,
and the ennui Of unmitigatcd morality.
We believe in the optimism of the fall;
that everything was ordered for the best
and we might show, fit were nccdful that
EYES violation Of the primal command-was
crda;Ec'l, that woman might know the de-
light of ,iress-thaL Original sin" was the
foundation Of fasliion-without which, who
conll endure life?
That l;tle failing of the human mother
cost our first parents Paradise, but it gave
Us lllc world and all its sweet va,lities.
These last have been carefully transmitted
vastly strengthened and multiplied
generation to generation down to the present
day. They arc now the chief amenities and
the most important affairs of existence. Roast
wv ID wv own 'S"'1 VI iie t'hu aiuioSI
all ~ les, is vanity. Or pleasures, our
aspirations, and more tlfasi half our woes,
rank in the wile category. Among the
bcneflctcrs Of their race deserved to be
placed those who create or discover for
the world 4 new vanity; but they have be-
come so numerous, than an ungratcful
Worthwhile enjoying the fruits Of their
genius s-accords them no honor. The van
itv of vanilics, the highest, greatest, most
enduring OF them all, is Dress The chief
end of:civilzed woman the symbol and
the sine q"a non of many other podern
virtues 1t is, therefore, q vanity worth
cultivntiug, and let us be thankful, that
however the age d"yencratcs in other quail
tiles, it exc,!s in this
But too much Of excellence itself becomes
tircsomc, especially when it is too costly.
Too much Of brlliancy requires toning
Lc ''run into the ground" So, tho pres
ent rage for dress has reached that point,
beyond which it would cease to be vani.
ty, and merge into an outrage on patience,
crime against common sense. Nothing
but the introduction OF a new vanity for
simplicity of attire caas sscstore peace and
plenty to thousands Of suffering households
in this city, and save New York from tho
depending calamity ofgcncral insolvency.
Let us retain our boasts of indepen-
dence Let us cease to talk of genius,
while servilely Initiating foreign fsfi ions
and customs! because the Empress Eugenie
sees fit to disend her petticoats and retire
TO the unapproaclable centre of vast cir
cum!rfence Of crinoline, shall the wives and
swecthcarts. the concubines and the very
Bi,ldies .ofNew York, incontinently ex-
pand, diiate and fence themselves round
with hoops, to. the dsmay of man, who is
condemned to ride with them in omnibus
cs ana city cars /? Because the Emperor
Louis Napoleon finds it polite tor. encour-
age extravaganza as means Of keeping
dangerous silk wcavers and other mcchan-
les employed, shall the artizan or small
storekeepcr of New York ruin himself that
his wife and daughters may follow the Ma
poleonic example, and thus Indirectly COM,
tribute to the support aqd stability Of the
Empire ? But SO it is. Tho ladies' ofLAese
United States can only dress rs Eugehie
approves. 10 what extremes her cratic
taste may yet lead the female world, we
dare not venture to contemplate her
taste rs exhibited thus far, seems to be the
ballet girl style.
Hoops have been borne with exemplary
patience. Man looked in accomplishing
wonder at their increasing proportion -!
And still he gazcd. and still the wonder
grew" ~ "a
Man marvclcl in silence, and woman was
moi ashamed. But now to the hoop, the
fl,,unce is suprradul. This is adding in.
sutfto injury, aud ifsubmitted to without
opposition, heaven only knows TO what
lengths, orralI,er to what breadtl,s, the
welkkDown daring ofthc sex may lead 'illein.
But one thing is certain the pocket Of
man is unequal to, his indulgcnt propeusi.
ties the purse of middle class of Humanity
must be exhausted at last flowers and
crinolinc will bring OH n crisis in which
Fashion itself shall explode, amid tho crush
of r,illiners, the wreck of honest :. saassy
How many an honest man in this ciIY;is
kept Loan and poor because sorpe ,nalici.
GUS demon has whispered to. his ally & wife.
"Be fasllionaGie!p Rents! areS high, and
provisions rre higher; business is dull,
and children, no doubt, nriiye With That
periodical proluptncss 10 ,ren,ark in |
rene3 Alive sfsoscrfy. AZ. this tile ,IpartyEl
might besTs iI,is combined with the't
eosi ~ nscs ti 81 fasifon are TOO S,nuetlt
sf1y bi,1S B becoiiiss Il mere Iliulaasa a3f Ssi3
worn Msssifg aait I,is sfo pfos iass
] 9iiiaispetsabie sasiu 70 swhiie tsslssd
satsssc her petson ina aciafhl SIS Sste}
ipt richer fneif His ~
sa6d niG mad Yestl - ijsS SSintA as SHISl
IA 3S.y ~ HI