Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-05
IAN AMERICAN IN THE OLD
WORLD.
The Course of Fashions in Paris, Lon
don and New YOrk-The English
man sOcIalIY and phYsicAlIy.

impressed Dy Americans; ana. EernapS, i
cannot better employ the paper before me
than by little chat about national pecu-
liarities. IT hardly seems possible that
party of American ladies and gentlemen
passing along the streets of London, would
so greatly vary in their dress and appear
ance from the same number of English
people as TO attract universal attention
but ouch is the case. The moment an
American sets foot in London everything
he sees in the fashion of apparel carries
avhim back fully year upon his national
record. When we left America the i'm
mense chignon which had once disfgurcd
the heads Of our ladies had been laid aside.
When we arrived in London, we found it
the regpant monstrosity. Indeed, | have
never seen such preposterCus tuners of this
sort in America as | see, even now, every
day, on the heads Of English girls travel
ing on the continent. ! saw two yesterday
only Just a little-.iust a very little--small-
er than the heads to which, with marvel
Gus ingenuity, they were attached. Again,
when / left AmeTics, the short street dress
had become universal. The old spread Of
skirts and trailing cloth had all been re-
formed. Our girls you know, were so trig
and trim with their slender, go ed dresses,
and showed their feet so daintily as TO
have gained a new fooihold in the mascu-
line admiration. Well, the moment these
pretty dresses and pretty feet show them
selves in London, they are greeted by the
broadest stare that common deoency will
permit. An American lady, we'll dressed,
canrot pass through a crowded London
street without being gazed at, pointed at
and remarked upon at almost every step.
The explanation OF this strange differ
ence lies 10 the fact that the sympathy be-
tween Paris and New York is immediate
and complete, while that between Logdon
and Paris Is indirect at best, and imperfect
Away. Even in London, ! think that
Paris Is acknowledged to be alike the centre
and the arbiter cf fashion but they neGer
adopt fashion in London until it has
been outlived 10 Paris and New York.
The short dresses, for instance, will not be
universally adopted for the street until
next year, IN England. IL may be that
they will never be adopted there heard
an intelligent ard wealthy English lady
remark, a DAY or two ago, that the short
dresses were only lit 10 wear al a watering
place, and that they were not decent to
wear when one was at home and amoag
ones fricuds. ] think it likely that 20
sensible fashion will hardly be quietly
ignored, and that, by aud by, England will
rejoice in a universal show Of ankles.
have heard American ladies talk about
this matter, and come of them have been
wicked enough to intimate that the Eng
lish ladies have private reasons for keep
ing their dresses long. Indeed, they de-
clare that the typical Englshwoman, not |
the EnglishWoman universal, has r large
foot and ankle. | have no right to know |
anything definitely about this matter, and
| don't pretend 10; but from what ! could
not help seeing at street crossings In wet
weather, ! ventured 10 guess that it takes
more leather TO shoe the average English
woman than the average American woman.
Now let an American cross the channel
and enter any street of Paris, and he will
see nothingin the dress of either ladies or
gentlemen to indicate that he has left New
York city. The clothing that a well. dressed
American takes 10 Paris finds itself entire
lv at home At once A gentleman or lady
from America, who dresses in style there,
will have no garment that will look out
landish in Paris. In some things there
will he slight notifications, often for the
better, but the fundamentals are always the
same; and there is never variation enough
10 excite remark, or TO give the slightest
uncomfortable feeling TO the stranger ex-
hbiling them. Here, on the continent, one
can never distinguish an American from a
Frenchman by anything he Tears, nor can
a Partisan lady be distinguished from a
New York lady by her apparel; bat an
English woman, especially an English girl,
can be known a. such a. far "a she can be
s,en. The enormous Chignon and the
general lOoseuess and sloppiue=s Of every.
Thing she has around her-alwayF, by the
wsv, Of the best material-deCides the
question Of nationality for the most care
less observer. Ny impression il that the
tailors OF England live a little nearer to
Paris than the milliners or mantaumakers.
The fashionable young fellows Of London
have a good deal of the Partisan about
Neir makeup; but the great majority Of
PNdding Londoners dress in their own
way and find themselves modified by Paris
only v unconscious degrees Even here
IN sWfNerland, where only the French
Ianguage's spoken, and mainly the French
money IL clsplated, at a point only fifteen
houTs from PAil, and in constant commu.
nicsuon with It'he fashions follow Amer.
lea at long dislanNe. | have seen the old
fashioned peg-top troescrs in numbers suf-
hCent 10 furnish scare c,ows for the rboIe
Connecticut valley, since nv arrival here,
will only add, for the benent or the s7tiss
- action Of my Countrymen, that. according
10 my belief aud my best KNOWLEDGE Tho
Americans follow Paris more nT7mn,Iy
and more closely IN the, fashion of their
clothing Than any other people. So look
aaCl gtbar srtg
entire complEcency.
And now a word as to the English
socially. ! confess that entered England
with some pretty sturdy preiudices against
its people. The course of England during
our war had aroused my anger and disgust
and the ycry common alluaion amoG.
scrit bling travellers 10 the cKcluslvenes,
and hearishue-- Of The Englishman had *,
cited oIIvylaiI ia that | should be made &
feel the contempt which | have no doub
he entertsined towards America and hel
people. Ii gives me profound pleasure Il
acknowledge 10y mistake. la England an,
on the continent ! have received nothins
but the most CvuIt,uus and cordial treat
ment from thc hands Of ihe Euglishmei
and Engli-hwolHgu. have seen one O
two English female fools on the coulincu
women Nho were douhlrss of some con
sequencc in The country parishes whrr
lhpv lived when al hOm--nut, dear me-
what country IL without their like Lei
ting thcre pas. ! declare to You that m
English aCQuuulauces have been FAR ia
most delightful ofauy have made on TIL
side Cf the waieT-s0mc Of the most dc
Iightful | have ever made 10 my lii,
From these people, fall Of Intelligence, an
rich and rip, a. culture, / have receive
nothing bUt the ir,tndliest treatment, an
expressions ui The friend.it5t interest /
my country. Thy are never tired wit
asking qucs IONS concerning our Couutr
and institutions. The hotel where | boar
is filed with Iuglish and American gurst
and when We saw IN the Ius. the 9th,
day Tie report Of Mr.. RO-bach'a saucv IN
in.manuQ,d sp,erh, following Mr. Re
.rdy Johnson al ihe SE,liield dinner.
wa. lhe Eugii-h and not the Arefica.
Who we're excited over It, Erun Engli
lips there vas nothing but praise for NJ
johnson ard nothing but condemnation
Mr.. RoehuoE. | cannot help believing
there is in the English heart A feeling lh
somehow the dvstiuie7 Cf England al
America aIe united. have cuavcrs
with few intelligent E0glishmrn-a
several OF these have been members Of I
clergy-who DO not freely admit that {
downfall Of the English ChuIch, az a 9.
eminent establishment Is al baud. w