The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-11-28
THE FOLLY OF FASHION.
what Fanny Ferns Thinks and
Says OF Et.


Says OF nc.
When I say that the street dress of
the majority of respectable women of
New York to-day is disgusting, l but
feebly express my emotions. / say the
respectable women, and yet, save to them
who know them to be such, their appear
ance leaves wide margin for doubt. The
clown at the circus wears not more stun
ming or parti- colored costume in fact
/ his has the advantage of being sufficient
/ ly 'staut''-to use nautical phraze-noi
/ to interfere with locomotion; while their 1
what with disgusting humps upon
their backs, and big rosettes upon theii
sides and shoulders, and loops, and folds
and buttons, and tassels, and clasps, and
Abows upon their skirts, and striped satlI
pettieoats, all too short TO hide Otter
clumsy ankles-and more color anC
's.shades of colors heaped upon one poo
- = .siIh ow---a,,,. S.ss-
worn "ili.ocs fer1rd 10 temperature, ol
time, or place-I say this presents spec.
tacle which is too disheartening even to
be comical.
One cannot smile at the soung girls
who are, one day-Heaven help them
to be wives and mothers. Wives and
mothers ! ] say to myself, as 1 see the
throat and neck with only the protection
of a gold locket between itself and the
cold autumnal winds. Wives and mo-
theirs | say, as / see them running their
feet and throwing their ankles out of
shape in the vain endeavor to walk on
heels like eorks, fastened far into the
middle Of the sole of their boots and
those boots so high upon the calf of the
leg, and buttoned across it so tightly
that circulation is stopped, and violent
headaches follow. Wives and mothers I
| say, as | see the heating and burden
some panier tackled on the most delicate
portion of a woman's frame, to make
still surer confirmed invalidism. What
fathers, hus sbands, brothers and lovers
can be thinking about, to be willing that
the women they respect and love, should
appear in public, looking like women
whom they despise, is a marvel to me-
Why they do not say this to them, and
shame them into a decent appearance, if
their glasses do not effect it, / do not
know. Oh, the relief it is to meet lady
instead of a ballet girl. Oh, the relief it
is to see healthy, firm stepping, rosy,
broad -chested, bright-eyed woman, clad
simply with a dress all Of one color, and
free from punches and tags I turn to
look at such an one with true respect,
that she has the good sense and courage
and good taste to appear on the street in
dress beftting the street; leaving to
those poor wretched women whose bust
ness 1t is to advertise their persons free
field without competition If | seem to
speak harshly, it is because | feel earn
estly on this subject. had hoped that
the women of 1868 would have been
worthy of.'the day in which they live. /
had hSRsa Pe hat f III kesP6g asT 5Hs up wsq6 %I @ 6e
chameleon changes of fashions too ugly,
too absurd for toleration 1t is because
L want them to be something, to do some
thing higher and nobler than a peacock
might aim at, that turn heart-sick away
from these infnitesimal fripperies that
narrow the soul and purse, and leave
nothing IN their wake but emptiness
Nor is 1t necessary, in avoiding all this,
that woman should look " strong mind
ed, as the bugbear phrase goes. 1t is
not necessary that she should dress like
her grandmother in order to look like
decent woman. Itis not necessary she
should foTswear ornamentation. because it
were better and more respectable to have
1t confined to festal and home occasion
and less to the public promenade. She
is not driven to the alternative Of muff.
ling herself like an omnibus driver in
January, or catching consumption with
her throat protected oply by a gold
locket
Oh, | wish that bevy of young hand
some girls, of good social position, would
plain ladv-like costume for
street and church wear. | say Young
and handsome, because if an old woman
does this, the title chits will toss their |
heads and say, "Oh, she has had her
day and don't care now-and we want
ours'
Now that's perfectly natural, and right,
too, that you should have your youth
that you should, as girls say, "make the
most of yourselves" !" but in doing so
don't you think it would be we'll not to
essen or cheaper yourselves? And l
submit, with all Difference to your dress
makers and mammas, that every one of
you who appear in public in the manner
have described, are doing this very
hing-are defng womanhood, and bring
ng it into derision and contempt, whether
you believe it OF not.
> FANNY FERN.