Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-11-11
The Grecian Bend.

In GoDEY's Lady's Book for November, we find
the following, relative to the Grecian Bend-the
ridiculous fashion now in its incipisncy among
the would be bon tons Of the fashionable world
Would it be believed that any sane woman
would adopt as fashion the Grccinn Bend-or,
az it il more properly called, tho Culic Stoops Z
Yet We find that it was attempted ut Snratoga,
that fashionable place Of immortality. The posi-
tion is that of poodle dus, standing ON his hind
legs with his fore paws before him-his tail
answering for the protuberance introduced into
the dress. 1t is firmly believed by many that if
Fashion should decree that her votaries should
imi,ate the walk Of the rcnc order Of four
footed animals, there would be many to follow the
Fashion. It is Sld that the Grecian Bend was
originated by vouns lady who had spine disease.
We once wrote .tthe "Grecian Wrigge"-the
way that ladies' contrivo to get their dress over
gutter without touching it with their hands-but
this is beautiful compared with the Grecian Bend.
A Saratoga correspondent gives the following de-
scription =
In the first place, a toilet is affected, which OF
itself suflices to turn woman in full dross into
cnricature. The body and waist of the dress are
remarkable in only one respect-the last s cced-
ngy tight, and the former rather loose ut the top
and exceeding low. 1t is below the waist that
what is monstrous in the costume firet attracts
aud then repcls the eye Of man. A hoop of mod.
crate Dimensions, oversprend with an underskirt
or two, and dress of whatever fabric, u5e worn.
Underneath the rear Of this hoop, just below the
waist of the person designated, is bound coil OF
wire from two to three inches in diameter, which
throws out and elevatcs the upper portion of the
dress behind, and forms ottaas.frnce called the
panicr. Tho paaier is busiler more or less
NOUS. upon which, in successive folds or nyers
gathered up, or confined by band encircing the
dress from the stomach Of the wearer around and
beneath, an extra skirt, reaching just below the
hips, ha1 rs, or rather 'wobb!es' to and fro. The
dress has train from four to six feet in length.
"Thc posture affected in order TO set of this at
tire is called the 'G'ccian Bend contortion oi
the body which, as it is highly improper 10 itself,
find it difficult To todcscribe with propriety. High.
heeled shues dispose the wearer toncline forward,
and hgh.heeled gai;ers are therefore adopted by
tho sbelle OF tho season. She is thus the more
readily enabled to elevate her hips unnaturally
behind, enhancing the aspect of the pnnier, to
contract her stomach, and to form I'M S-like cur.
yaturs of her upper shape by thrusting out her
chest, drawing back her shoulders, and bending
forward her head. So bent and deformed, the
belle constrains her elbows againsther sides; and,
with horizontal forcarms and little gloved hand.
dangling from limp wrists, tts painfully along.
The profile of such figure, and its ungraceful
gait arc irresis,ibly suggestive of q lamo kanga
roo. Whom il is whrled and tossed about in
dance by one of the fashionable Jumping jacks in
black broadcloath, who arc here SO numerous, and
so much alike that you Gun hardly tell one FROM
another, the sight-what with the bobbins up
aud down OF the woman's panier and the agile
sideuug cnps Of the jumping -jack across the floor
is too e1u, peratugy ridiculous for laughter