The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-09-18
a Lecture on Dress

! IS "Drcss"-Tcrv important, is it not and
very practical. tlnite aware am that sarrs
would reviie my subject as conternptihr,
and p:ndcs sncer at it as weak Well, let
+, them do So. meanwhile dare to opine that
they are both very wrong for all the phil
os"rhy IN the universe cannot prevent it's
having its duo, nay, | admit, too frequently
lis undue, weight. Let lis. therefore. con
sldcr how much Of our serious attention il
may justly deserve, without becoming the
all-"ngrnssing suffice, of our lives.
| Very certain il is tlla, Dress acts frequent
y rs !. reflex OF the mind. Thus vain friv-
oli,y. careless siovcnIincss, cold lor,nalv,
selfish cNtrava@ance, or modest elegance, are
often detected at il glance.
AS Il rule dress is beautiful according to
/ It's appropriateness and it is precisely in
| tins particular that the French have the
| advantage over us. a young French mai
den dresses with fur greater simplicity than
"ur American girls. After marriaro. thc
style Of her '!ic>s alters; aud as are alvan-
cc>, the French woman SO :.lroiliv arranrcs
her costume, that, without assuming youth.
(at ail times Il most unsatisfactory process, \
she actually contrivcs to conceal the rlva
@rs OF time, aud, in most cases, presents 4
pleasing exterior.
dress, to he CONNIE IL tnui. should not
only be adapted to the AGE and <vle oftlr.
wcarcr, but should also be suited 10 the oc-
";'aion for which it is required and shoul,l,
moreover, bear some proportion to her cir
cnm'anccs. EXtravagancc in dress, and a
scrvlle imitation of the costly iulics Of the
class immortality above, or merely richer, is
one Of the growing evils Of the .lav. O
that Young ladies would believe that the
9rcatc>t simplicity is not only compatible
with the most exquisite refinement, but is
generally the test Of il ! o that they could
comprehend how that. in these DAYS Of
hoops, gan'iS, and semi masculinc attire. n
y"un" lady dressed with feminine simplicity
is II real rct'rcSlim"nt to the viSuaI organs!
Asa rule, believe n,c, people of taste care
tn!'y cschcw cNtr"m"s, rs nothing can I've so
drridc'!ly Objectionable :,~ a fast young lady.
Thus the pretty simple little bonnet setting
round the face, though it may disclose some
considerable portion of the hair. is never
absolutely hanging mt the back Of the head
Of "A wei! dressed person, willie the deep
curtain gives dr"pc,l and graceful appear
ancc TO the who!r. Artificial flowers and
!'aiiicr> should he n>ed with nice discretion :;
AMI then only o! The very hest quality.
.H"ihiIiG is so umhecominw as ovcrlalrn
iincry, except indeed, it be faded trumpery
the latter, ihoug!, more obviously disgusting,
IS scarcely more objectionable than the 9TH
er. Hats next come under discussion. They
ar" both graceful and appropriate for young
girls, I" whose rounded features they are pc
cu'arIy suited. They arc elegant and con
venent for cqucstrianS, comfortable for long
country ramblcs, or seaside excursions; brt
that they should be adopted as a matter of
taste tor ladies Of maturity, Independently
OF those considerations, can, | fancy, only
be lamcntel as "a folly of the dav," for
they are singuarly u,bccomiug wien the
blush OF youth is past.
Jackcts arc SO multifurm, some so FRIGHT
fully masculine, others so graceful aud con-
v'nicni, that one can but urge, as Il general
rule, strict avoidance OF anything fast.
Depend upon it, dear young ladiscs, Il wo.
man to hc lovely must bc also womaulv.
And now we coineto hoops. What can
possibly be said, think you, in favor of such
ugly, gr"cc!ess, dangerous aprcnAayes? Ii
must he obvious to every tasteful person,
that dresses should float gracefully round
the figure; certainly, they should not cling
to H. But can anything be more disiirur.
ing than the host of FORMULATING wine casks
stiff, hard, and rigid of ou,Iine-at the
extremity Of which the skirts may he seen
to ila.ter in and out with every gust of wind.
., iaiies, ladies, why not at once discard
these horse hair and wlalebone abomina.
tions? To wear them is to take a retro
grade step i'll civilization.
And now, my dear Young friends, before
again bid you farewell for time, let me
urge upon you the propriety of suiting your
attire to the occasion. Can any thing he
more absurd than .parisian flowers, thin
boots, delicate tinted gloves, and dresses of
fairy texture. for the early seaside stroll or
the woodland ramblc? These things, how
ever beautiful in themselves, are inappro-
pirate. and argue n weak and cxtravagant
disposition; whcreasa stronger and simpler
dress gives one the idea Of justness and
taste. | trust have not inru,lel too long
on your time and patience; but feel that
have not dono justice to the importance
Of any subject. And, however The sage
may smile, and the prude may sneer, depend
upon ii, very much Of the comfort, we'll
being, and happiness Of your families de-
pend upon tho propriety, ncatness, and
modesty Of your dress.
TIE DsrEAr OF FnlonGss AT LEwEs
AcEs.-The London Star thus comments
OH tbe defeat Of Mr.. Ten Broeck's mare
Prioress, at tile Lewes Races: !, ..l.
"The success of Tournament for the Lewes
Comfy Cup, yesterday, and the defeat OF
the American mare Prioress, have created II
sensation.' The Americans are sorely cha
grined, and they regard the inglorious exl.
bi,ion 'nhde by rrioress as huipiIiating and
mortifying And no wonder;' for they
openly boaste,l of the "stars and stripes
overtfe flower Of English turf celebrities
At Goodwood, lesson was taught them
for 10 their overwhelming confidence they
alloN Ne1 tlieir, horses to be ridden by inatiSe
Jockeys. totally Ignorant of Tie art and b,ct
exercised by an s. EngIishs rider. Still, tho
badness Of the pace at.iGo9dwood enabled
sSt{,si.S