The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-12-28
crInoIlno ana the style Ilmrlrc.


In obedience to those decrecs--vaguc vet
imperatiye--wIlichc come 10 us from some
unknown source In Paris, crinOllnGs are
oollnpsing rapidly in the street, slowly In
che drawing but decidedly, aud With
but small probability of future expansion.
Few fashions have so long withstood the
furious attacks Ofmankinda the hoop. Du-
ring It's former reign, n hundred years aud
better ago, letters. furious, complaining.
or satirical appeared as We all know IN
the Spectator as they now have appeared
In Punch or the Times, or IN our own press.
and equally w vain. until It's appointed
time came, and il fell before the rage for
classic decoration which eliminated In the
spindle-shanked chairs and sofas OF Jose
phine's drawing-room, the hileously un-
safc-lookiug sdcbOards Of Carlton House.
and the scanty draperies of the beautiful
ilortensc and Lady Charlotte Bury.
Nothing Is more difficult than to COM
bne the useful and the beautiful. especially
with dress, IN which both qualifications are
equally demanded The splendid costumes
of the middle ages appeal strikingly to our
eyes. aud from among their great variety
many of our garments are deriyed but
their whole idea OF life. with its spcndor
aud decorations, furred robes. and ieWeled
mantlcs. presuppOsed multitude of interi-
ors. (as the Greek ideal multitude of
things copy the dress of their superiors.
With the gradual uprising of the middle
class, sumptuary laws became first ncccs-
3ary aud then useless, the gorgeous and
picturesque and strongly
costume became gradually more sombrc
aud uniform, until democratic equality.
il not republican simplicity, at last pre-
walls. The real difficulty about female dress
IS one Of social distinction, IL being nearly
tt.4nA tn ,sVl.s .sal.
shall look elegant aud yet give freedom
for nredful work; but nothing can
apparently persuade women to do the only
sensible thing. /. O., TO wear a regular cos
tune adapted to their requisite labors.
During Thackcray's tavOrito period, the
close of ,thc lust century,, with Its small
hoops. ulckGd-up skirts and clOakcd stock
ugs, iannty littlecap with llowlng ribbons.
and lace nlttens pulled up TO the elbow, all
figures and faces might find II possible to
dress becominglS; but there were still
strong distinctions drawn and servants ih
those DAYS wore suitable garments, and did
not break china ornaments, knock down
your children. or set themselves on fire bv
marching about your house in huge wire
cages. In decorative art, by following the
Greeks and depending On beauty of form
In pottery aud contrast of pure color in
hesco or Wallpaper, we can. with taste.
~
with utility, But Ia dress our climate, our
preludices, and our angular figures are in
eXorably against US, Notline can be
more lovely than the long, gOld-hordered
robes In which painters of the French
CLASSIC school love TO drape their groups /;
nothing more convenient in warm
climate, than the costume OF Diana and
nothing more un7uited than cltlicr of our
modern customs Fancy any one dancing
lion al ufa
to the knee on one side or skating in
the warmest possible modification of the
lluntresss costume. By following the
Greeks pretty closely the beauties OF the
Imperial court succeeded in displaying
their charms 10 tho greatest advantage (;
while those too prudish or too plain 10 en-
dure suoh scmty covering only succeeded
IN looking like those members of Noah's
family which the patient German toy
maker year after year puts into his
perennlally interesting ark.
II .GdH Vipre and women have an nner-
ring instinct which teaches thcm the ue-
cessity of looking their best, and if fash =
ion Is ugly II lsf modified or exaggerated
until, at any rate, IL becomes pleasant and
attractive Therefore the Greek model is
especially dangerous In the present day,
for in following II woman will be either
dowdy or what would be considered indie
cent and as no New York young lady
could possibly endure to be the former, she
might, when deprived Of JoaJiqntG skirts,
De in danger of approaching the latter to Il
degree which would throw the horrors of
ornOllnc far Into the shade; and we fear
chat i' the present Indications Of an ap-
proach to the style empire be followed up
to the usual extremes, the complainers 10
Punch and The Times, as well rs our own
masculine. grumblers, will find they have
eXchanged kinq Log for Wing Stork