Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-31
Female COstumeS-Past and Present,

We do not seem likely ever to come to any
basis of agreement as to the ridiculous in
manners and costume. 1t would appear to be
the fate OF the human race that its little clans
shall always seem grotesque and ludicrous to
each other. 1t Japanese or Siamese or any
Annamite ambassadors should visit this end
of Europe five hundred years hence, they
will furnish just as much food for laughter,
and but for Oriental gravity, may ind Just as
much cause to laugh, as at this day. Nav, it
seems to be the doom of this generation that
the one which succeeds it shall think it's WAYS.
and more especially its habits, utterly ludi-
crous and absurd. What sight on earth is
more droll and preposterous than the plates
in a book of fashions Of twenty-five, nay, fif-
teen, nay, ten years ago? Look at the coats
which human beings were induced to wear
then-the boots, the hats, the neck-ties.-
Can it be that rational creatures, nay, that
we ourselves, did really consent to make such
guys Of ourselves; and is it possible that any
two men thus bedizened could have met with
out mutual laughter?
AS for the female costume of earlier days,
it utterly defes description. Observe in any
old bookshop an engraving of some great
actress as she appeared in the character of
Belvidera or Monimia, with Il waist immedi-
ately under her arms, the body of dress
| represented by merezone Or bandage drawn
tightly across, and the skirt long close,
lanky garment like bathing gown, or the
popular costume Of ghost, and marvel how
any human eyes could ever have mostened
to the sound of pathos issuing from the lips
of such fright! Or to come a great deal
later down, let any one just glance at the en-
| cravings Ill the earlier issues of Dickens
works. Kate Nickleby used to be fayorite
of ours once, and we thought her charming
creature. We glanced at her the other day
as she appears in an old volume of Nicholas
| NiclIeby," and we felt ashamed ever to have
acknowledged one twinge of sentiment to-
wards such dowdy. Her vast coal-scuttle
bonnet, protruding foot and a half from her
forehead, like the Druse woman's horn-only
uglier by far-is such as Mrs. Camp, of 1868,
would be ashamed to put on even for mid
night visit. Her dress, perked out behind by
some mysterious agency, falls after this one
| protruslon straight down in the shape of a
sentry-box.
How could we of to-day feel anything but
contempt for such q costume-we whose fine
eyes are delighted by the charming and ra-
tional spoon-bonnet, with it's 6ocage of ever
greens and roses; whose civilized and en-
! ightened taste is gratified by the sight of the
majestic crinoline so admirably adapted to the
human figure, so sylph-like, SO convenient to
the wearer and all around, SO secure against
dangerous accident, so natural and beautiful
in its undulations, SO marvellously contrived
to satisfy at once grace, delicacy and COM
fort? Yet, exquisite as these costumes seem
to US, and deeply as we regret that Phidias
never had an opportunity of immortalizing in
| marble the outlines of crinolined female.
we cannot disguise from ourselves the melan-
choly fact that an irreverent generation vet
to come will mock at the costume of to-day
as we do at that of yesterday All men, and
still more, all women, think all men and all
women ridiculous but themselves The Pa
rlslans need not satirize themselves through
the mouth of an Oriental ambassador Their
sons and daughters will hereafter laugh,
quite simply and naturally, over representa-
ton Of the most gorgeous state ceremony,
the most bewitching costume of to-day,