Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-10
Modern styles in Dress--A Cosby Article
for tho Ladies.



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
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 princi-
pie Of a curtain round a shower. 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 tonure Of the ankle;
too short to flow into the stately folds of
the train. The bodice, long, straight
and stiff, was distorted as certain Indians
depress and elongate the heads of their
infants, and 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 we're drawn
up at the neck, pulled over the
arms, and cut short and square behind,
rendering ehe shoulders high in aspect,
the back broad, and the whole figure as
angular as artificial means permitted,
exhibiting at the same time to the great.
est advantage, or disadvantage, the bun
dies of gathers at the waist, rendered
still more ridiculous through extension
by means Of huge pad placed beneath,
and technically known as hustle" "
The cunning intention of this strange
ornament was, by its size and the force
of contrast, to give apparent smallness
to the waist; and the larger the hustle
the more stylish the wearer was consid
cred. Bonnets, three times the dimen
sions OF the head, to the shape of which
they bore no sort of resemblance, swung
behind, half on the crown, half off The
hair was arranged sometimes with a
certain amount of taste, because the out.
line of the head was preserved but q
prevailing tendency existed to bind it too
close and hatten it down with bandolines
and hard pomatum.
As for our poor grandmammas, their
scanty skirts and low bodices-very low
bodices--and bare arms and operate
ankles infringed sadly on propriety. We
are quite sure we should blush to see one
of them now, and hastily throw cloak
or shawl about her till something more
could be done. People did not regard
such a scantiness of habiliments of any
uneasiness when it was the fashion /; but
the disadvantages, personally, were ter
rible 1t might be we'll for sweet sixteen
to cut her dress tres decoItetee bnt
when any one was little past forty, the
matter was different. 1t might be equally
suitable for beautifully nodded arms to
have no covering but twenty buttoned
gloves Ia style likely to appear once
more y but the little muscular exercise
taken by the fair bellies in society
leaves a great many with slender arms /;
fat wrists and painted 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 unshrouded
No doubt the youngest daughter tripped
gracefully enough in her scanty petticoat
lit might even have been pretty to see
her twnkling feet in tiny silk shoes with
only brown paper soles, though she was
going intoa consumption in consequence
of wearing that bewildering chduSsare,
and her disease was accelerated during
the January SHOWS and March winds and
chilly autumn evenings by the bare neck
and arms that nevertheless we're so
very pretty; but to her dear mamma,
who was Just sixty and weighed three
stone, it could by no means be considered
so suitable mode 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 fashion whence
to suit themselves There are still
abuses; there are those who have the
bad taste to cut their corsages too low
and we really pity them, since an ar.
rangement of little elegant lace would
look so much more pretty and modest
We have scarcely discarded the large
crinoiue that contounded grace and de-
formity and we still rejoice in an Eng
lish qoitre on the head, known as chig-
mona great beauty, namely a well formed
head, is as much obseured 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
! incomparabIe elegance and dignity.
Those to whom nature has been kind
NAV 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 exuberance or con-
ceal deficiency of outline without losing
the character of the gored skirt. We
have iaunty little jackets for outdoors
for the petite figures; the tight fitting
mantle for the tall, perfect form, and the
doHii ddjuSte for an elegant but less
strictly turned figure, TO say nothing of
ample cloaks Of mingled silk and lace or
velvet for less youthful forms. AS for
bonnets, they are pretty enough, and
we could only wish them larger,
because they neeessItate much wear
ing of false hair, less on account Of
natural deficiency than for warmth. The
beautiful outline Of the bust is preserved
in the plain bodice with the low darts (;
the short waist adds to its apparent full
ness, and has abolished tight lacing
Only fifteen years ago tight lacing was
an absolute necessity TO stout or square
figures. A thick waist was such crime
that n young lady would rather have been
dead than eyed as she would have been
eyed in society by other ladies, and
sneered as she would have been sneered
at at home. And so she screwed herself
in, and suffered, and sometimes died. A
thick waist in those days was as great a
fault ss penehant for a younger son, or
penniless but charming barrister or
artist, with their career yet before them
p6rA special from Nashville to the
Louisville Courier says General Cariln,
Of the Freedmens Bureau, vii publish a
circular letter shortly, notifying col0red