The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-07-24
Modern style I'm Dr.s IS.

LtuNNa 49NAgENEtu guE ttA44s
Never before during the memory OF
woman, and searching back still fur
Their among archives OF costume of
past ages, have such advantages been
enjoyed with respect to dress as are
now in full force in the zenith OF the
date OF 1867. Plunge back suddenly
fifteen years and make a rapid resume
of dress as it was, taking cognizance of
the disadvantages under which our
mammas and elder sisters suffered.
Skirts equal at waist and hem, drawn
up round the figure on the principle OF
a curtain round a wer-bath-making
an awkward bulk about the hips, and
wagging uncomfortably against the
heels with every movement of the body;
too long to disclose the dainty foot or
reveal the graceful tourEuTe OF the an
kle: too short to flow into the stately
folds of the train. The bodice, long,
straight and stiff, was distorted as cer-
tain Indians depress and elongate the
heads of their infants, and "a shape"
only achieved at the expense OF tight
lacing, the injury of the wearer's health,
and what perhaps she priced far more,
her complexion. Mantles were drawn
up at the neck, pulled over the arms,
and cut short and square behind, rem
derinR the shoulders high in as
pect, the back broad, and the whole
figure as angular as artificial means
permitted, exhibiting at the same time
TO the greatest advantage, or disadvau-
tage, the bundles of gathers at the
waist, rendered still more ridiculous
through extension by means of huge
pad placed beneath, and technically y
known as a "bustle." The cunning
intention OF this strange ornament was,
by It's size and the force of contrast, to
give apparent smallness to the waist !;
and the larger the hustle the more
stylish the wearer was considered. Bon
nets, three times the dimensions OF the
head, to the shape of which they bore
no sort OF resemblance, swung behind,
half on the crown, half Oh. The hair
was arranged sometimes With certain
amount of taste, because the outline of
the head was preserved; but prevail
ing tendency existed to bind 1t too
close and tiatten 1t down with bando-
lines and hard pomatum.
AS for our poor RrAndmammas, their
scanty skirts and low bodices-very
low bodices-and bare arms and op-
cratic ankles, iufringed sadly on pro-
pIiety. We are quite sure we should
blush to see one of them now, and
hastily throw a shawl or cloak abOHt
her till something more could be done.
People did not regard such a scantiness
of habiliments with any uneasiness
when it was the fashion; but the
disadvantages personally were terri
BILE. 1t might be all very well for
sweet sixteen 10 cut her dress tres
deoOtLetee; but when any one was IA
little past forty, the matter was differ
ent. 1t might be equally suitable for
beautifully-moulded arms to have no
covering but twenty y-buttoned gloves,
Ia style likely to appear once more; }
but the little muscular exercise taken
by the fair bellies in society leaves n
great many with slender arms; fiat
wrists and pointed elbows, passable
enough in hanging sleeves or coat
sleeves, or princess-sleeves, nay, very
graceful and proper in any sleeves, are
unfit to meet the glare OF day un-
shrouded. No doubt the youngest
daughter tripped gracefully enough in
her scanty petticoRt-it might even
have been pretty to see her twiukling
feet in tiny silk shoes with only brown
paper soles, though she was going into
a consumption in consequence of wear
ing that bewildering chGuSSure, and her
disease was accelerated during the
January SHOWS and March winds and
chilly autumn evenings by the bare
neck and arms that nevertheless were
so very pretty; but TO her dear mamma,
who was just sixty and weighed three
stone, IL could by no means be consid-
cred SO suitable a modo of dressing.
So at last we return to the fact we
have sought to estAblish-that never
before had ladies SO many advantages
in dress, or so many varieties of fash
ion whence to suit themselves. There
are still abuses; there are those who
have the bad taste to cut their corsages
too low-Hnd we really pity them, since
an arrangement of a little elegant lace
would look SO much more pretty and
modest. We have scarcely discarded
the large crinoliue, that confounded
grace and deformity; and we still
rejoice in an English 0oitre on the head,
known as chigHonj great beau
ty, namely, a well-formed head, is as
much obscured by the latter fashion, as
grace of motion, that exquisite charm,
was by the former. But then there is
the gored skirt flowing into such in
comparable elegance and dignity =
Those To whom nature has been kind,
may draPe forms OF beauty In strictly
plaitless garments which are the very
perfection of style; and those too stout
or too thin, by adopting few folds are
at liberty to drape in exubeTance or
conceal deficiency of outline without
losing the character of the gored skirt.
We have jaunty little Jackets for out
doors for petite figures; tue tight. fitting
mantle for the tall, perfect form; and
the deHlf-GdjlLSte for an elegant but less
strictly turned figure; to say nothing of
ample closks OF mingled silk and lace,
or velvet for less youthful forms. As
for bonnels, they are pretty enough,
and we could only wish them larger,
because they necessitats much wearing
of false hair, less on account of natural
deficiency than for warmth. The beau
tiful outline of the bust il preserved IN
the plain bodice with the low darts; the
short waist adds 10 its apparant full
ness, and has abolished Iight.laciug.
Only fifteen years Hgo tight-lacing was
an absolute necessity 10 stout or square
figures. A thick waist was such a
crime that a young lady would rather
have been dead than eyed as she would
have been eyed in society by other la
dies, and sneered at as she would have
sneered at at home. And SO she screw
ed herself in, and suffered and some
times died. A thick waist in those days
WAS as great fault as q penchant for n
younger son, or penniless but charm
ing bHrTister or artist, with their career
Yet before them.
Sunday I'm st. Louis