The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-04-25
Female Fashions.

Special moraists have invcighed against
female vanity since mother Eve encroach-
cd on the freedom of nature by adopting
the fig-leaf; but the ladies laugh at sucll
animadversicns, and consult their own
taste and the Paris fashion-plates in deco
| rating their precious persons, and gliding
the refined gold of beauty, painting the
lily of fair complcxions, and adding per-
fumes to the violet Of modesty and grace.
Last Thursday week was the opening-day
for the spring fashions and if the open
: ing Of nature has its historians and chron-
ic!ers in the poets, who tell us how the
ethereal mildness of spring dispels the fros:
and chlils OF winter, expatiate on the beau
ty OF the early crocus and the delicate yn-
let, so have the achievements of art their
record; and the style of new bonnet and
cut of a skirt are worthy of the pen Of
him who stamps upon the page of the
press the very age and body Of the time
Its form and pressure. To expatate on
the cut and manufacture of drapcry thai
enfolds the angelic segment of the humais
circle would involve a scrutiny into partic-
uars from which true galIantry must
shrink Sooner would we analyse the
wreath of foam that encircled the celestial
Venus when emerging from the arms of
yelled the modeSty OF Codiva on her eques-
trian trip through Coventry. The myste-
ries of the toilet like those of Ceres, are
known to the initiated; and those not YET
admitted to the privilege of footing the
bills have no right to initiate Pecping Tom
and indulge any impcrtinent curiosity.
There are some novelties, however. re-
corded, which, without profanity, may be
lightly touched upon. Of course, the
hoops maintain their sway, in spite Of all
hints and surmises to the contrary. No
doubt, the inhabitant of some other sphere
who should view the female form divine az
it moves along Fifth Avenue, with dress
somewhat like the description Of the comet
that had ten Thousand miles Of nucleus
and ten million leagues Of tail. would sec
no move resemblance to our original mater
nal ancestors as Represented on the canvas
Of Rorrister, than to Barnum's mermaid;
but mystery is source Of attraction, and
clinoline, like tic veil of Isis, should be ex-
empt from protane inspection.
Beauty without hoops would be no bet
ter than Saturn without his rings: and al
though they may deny TO the outward vis-
ion the pleasure OF observing an elegant
ankle, On arching instcp, and rhcmhoidal
calt-not OF cotton succedanenIn, but gen.
aine material--they leave to imagination
IN unlimited field Of expansion. There
are Jenkinses of dry-goods, however, who,
nnrepelled by the penetralia of the female
toilet. describe new article in the matter
IF underskirtS called the Empress Trail"
which the female sovereigns of America
have adopted; and, from its name, ought
to be something superb, as it is. The trail
IS made Of different sizes, one for the eve
ming under the chandelier, and the other
for the sidewalk. The indoors article ex-
tends to greater longitude than that in
ended for the promenade, Its lovely
sweep will be beautifully picturesque,
hough in the street it will be likely to
meet the treatment which the belligcrent
IIibernian invited for his coat-tail. and in
Music or other fashionable places may leat7
% contretemps which, in the expressive Ian
guage Of the reporter, may be more easily
imagined than described.
The bonnets are various III shape and
style, and are of such variety in form and
trimming, that they exhibit more speci-
mems Of botany than Linenus ever classi-
led, or nature produced. On the whole,
he present style Of female dress is grace
ul and elegant, though it is the antipodes
II the rustic fashion-plates celebrated by
,hc pastoral poets, in which Phillips brush
IS the dew from the lawn or captivates the
heart of the languishing Stephen under
he shadow of the beech-tree at the burn
ng noon; and the Fenan style extollcd
~ Lever in his novel Of Charley o Malley.
mo mantillas they sport,
But petticoat short;
Shows ankle the best, an ankle the best,
And leg-but, nlurther!
dare not go further,
so here s 10 the West! here to the Vest"
~, 7. Express.