Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-16
What Fashion Does.

We find the following passage in a hand
some little volume, entitled /" Domestic Life,
by DR.. Byford Of Chicago, just published by
Lee & Shepard 1t is from chapter enti-
lied " Management of Family Affairs" and
many who read it will admit its truth;
"What glorious thing it would be if fash
ion could be abolished almost entirely in the
management of our family affairs, and it
could be a recognized principle that it was
right, indeed the duty Of the heads of iami-
lies to manage their households as they find
consistent with their tastes and means
Then the poor young wife and mother OF
social pretensons would not be under the ne
cessity Of cheating her dress-maker, dry-goods
merchant and jeweler, that she might be sup
piled with mere useless ornaments to keep up
appearances, to make believe that she is in
affluent circumstances.
Then the young husband would not be
obliged to spend his hours in wearisome toll,
and exc out the deficiency of business, not
very remuncrative, by soiling his good name
with false promises and dishonest subterfuges
that he may wear gold watch, silk hat, and
broadcloth clothes, bxause his rich neighbors
dd the same.
Oh, how many young people there are who
are driven by fashion through profigacy into
dishonesty, desperation, and disgrace, that
might, if fashion had been less exacting, have
lived happy, honest and useful lives How
many young employees of business men drown
their poverty in drink, or are drawn, by their
hope and wish to make a fashionable appear
ance, into theft and other kinds of dishonesty
From the bejeweled, ornamented, proud,
selfish, and unscrupulous, irresponsible poten-
tates of the realms of fashion, down through
the long list of every degree of imitators Of
pretensions and capacities, to the clownish
caricatures in the beer saloons and bawdy
houses, fashion is superhuous ridiculous, un-
comfortable, and wicked.
1t is criminal in the rich, who are able to
support style and fnery; it is criminal aud
ridiculous in those who support style at the
sacrifice of comfort, not merely by the strait
jacket restraint and superfuous trouble it
gives them, but the lie which their appear
ance advertises in trying to appear rich, and
the dishonesty Of living at other peoples ex-
pense
Yet fashion is all-poweriul. One man OF
wOsx.a cannot withstand its allurement, when
everybody else falls into its ways. 1t is more
popular than anything else. II is the idol to
which is sacrificed the substance Of the peo-
pie.
If we are to have free and happy race in
the future, we must uproot this mother Of
drunkenness, Of counterfeting Of theft and
murder How many drunkards has fashions
Bile drinking made This is one Of the terri
bic practices of fashion at parties, in parlors,
in hotels and saloons.
The cure for all these evils lies in the man
agement of family affairs on correct princi-
pies, and in entire independence Of the cor
rupt and debauched leaders of fashion. No
two families are situated alike, and conse-
quently cannot conveniently do just alike ;
and they should have the privilege of differ
ing in the management Of their affairs, with
out making themselves contemptible. JUS
tice in our dealing, honesty in our pretensions,
industry, economy and purity, whatever may
be our standing and position, are indispensa-
BILE qualities in the management of family
affairs.
We should by all means be entirely regard
less, ,of the opinions and esteem Of people who
make appearance and outward show standards
of merit, and be willing to be plain people, to
live plainly, and always entirely within our
means, and cheerfully drop friends who choose
to avoid us on this account.