The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-01-20
NEW SERIES-NO. 214.
Origin Of Fashion.

Lola Montez, in late lecture on Fashion
says:
The history of fashion would show that
Satan has had that department under his
peculiar charge for all ages. Peter the
Great was foolish enough to believe that the
tailor was the person who had fashions in
charge, and wondered that the nobility of
England could permit the tailor to change
the cut of their coats so often. Applause.
She next referred to the point lace worn to
shoes in France; the golden chains which
were worn to shoes in England and the
gold rings worn in mems noses. She saw
nothing so ridiculous in that, no more than
woman to wear gold ring 10 her ear, and
indeed she believed that cid husbands would
be more manageable if they had rings in
their noses. Great applause. Indeed,
this habit, if in fashion, would be more
cleanly and proper than the moustache and
beard movement. Applause and laughter
The quilted shoes of the Earl of Anjou
which were worn on account of disease of
the feet, were referred to as having become
fashionable. Isabella in time of the Due
d'Albert, vowed never to change her linen
during the siege of her native place; conse-
quently, she wore it three years, when, it
being thus changed from white to yellow,
the latter color became the fashion, and it
is greatly feared that that color is worn by
many even to this day. Applause. The
various inventions to conceal detormity,
which were used by many, and caused them
thus to come into fashion, were commented
upon. The stiff white cravat now used so
oh hv oIo tod
Beau Brummell, when he got into disgrace,
and on leaving England he generously left
the fashion to his country, and wrote these
emphatic words :
Starch makes the man.
Laughter and applause. But men were
as bad, as regarded fashion, as women. The
tight pantalOons came into fashion when
the little bonnet did, and the former were
most ridiculous Why, it was laughable to
! see gentlemen going through the streets with
tight coverings to their crooked and deformed
legs, laughter, and the ladies then laughed
at the men for thus adorning their pipe
stems. Great laughter. Some man of
fine proportions got those pantaloons to set
off bis shape, and then Others followed him,
whether they had legs or not, and so it
became the fashion. Appla use and laugh
ter. The lecturer next referred to the
fashion of politics, and quoted the celebrated
Vicar OF Bray, who, when taxed with being
turn-coat, replied, Not sol always
stick to my principles which are to live and
die Vicar of Bray" Laughter.l While,
however, ridiculing the sterner sex for
following fashion, she was free to say that
there was enough to be laughed at among
her own sex. She spoke of many ladies of
Rome, one of whom, Fabula, was afraid to
60 out in the rain, for fear of the chalk, and
Lobella in the sun for fear of the rouge. Even
the celebrated wife of Nero had her face so
fixed up as to change her features When
Queen Elizabeth died she left behind no less
than three thousand dresses, and at that time,
instead of being given away or put in boxes,
they were hung against the wall until they
were motheaten. Ladies, too, who had beau.
tiful dark hair of their own, wore false red
hair, in order to have locks like the red
headed Queen.
The hoops, too, of that day, were larger
than at present, for, in 1740, ladies wore
hoops sixteen or seventeen feet wide at the
bottom, and nearly as wide at the top,
which, in those days, would have filled an
omnibus to sutfOcation and, instead of rnen
grumbing as they do at the present day,
they ought to be thankful for being left
breathing room by the ladies, when they
have taken enough room for their hoops.
Great laughter. But the hoops saved
women's lives, and was one of the few FASH
ions which original ed with common sense
for it was far better to wear hoops than to
have seven or eight starched petticoats,
they had formerly. Indeed, many a coron-
er's inquest might have rendered verdict
"Died of Petticoats." Great laughter
The Chinese custom of women having
small feet was next referred to- The EN-.
press of China was most beautiful, but her
feet were so small that she could scarcely
walk. Men got disgusted at women going
about too much, and, by and by, they would
only marry women who had feet like the
Empress. Thus, small feet came into
fashion, and, indeed, men who do not live
quite so far off as China, might wish such
custom prevailed here, and, as the rule might
work both ways, perhaps the ladies might
like to have the gentlemen served in the
same way, in order to keep them at home
sometimes. Great laughter