The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-12
Fashion in Europe and America.

Our special fashions correspondence from
Paris, dated on the Goth of June, conveys in
the same lively, piquant and attractive style
which has distinguished the series from its
commencement the reflection of the will of
the tickle goddess so far as it can be received
from description of the latest styles of toilet
prevailing at court, on the racing grounds, and
in preparation for use, perhaps only display,
during q season of healthful recreation and
pleasant 06andon at the sea side. With
Eugene at Fontainebleau, Napoleon in camp
at Chalons, foreign ''sportswomen" and
English countesses on the turf, and the
world of Paris in active preparation
for rustication and. salt water baths,
Fashion may be regarded as being
in slightly demoralized condition, her
everyday code of must be finished from
''head to toe" according to rule, having been
relaxed to very considerable extent, while
the charming little heads of the ladies appear
to have been confused with an incongruity Of
idea as to what would be 'just the thing to
bring out, coupled with amusing attempts to
fix and shape into form fitting and vaporlike
outlines of elegant robes, hats skirts, petit
coats, jackets, hounces, trains, cuffs collars
and the remainder, which ''nObody ever
thought of before, and from which the most
startling, brilliant results in all matters apper-
tanning to dress generally flow. 1t was 8. mo-
ment of fashion in its crudities; 80 the writer
has nothing very definite to chronicle, yet re-
veals quite enough to attract attention.
Eugene endeavored to bring the fashionable
world to Fontainebleau by routine of simple
yet elegant receptions COmtesse Montgomery
the Duchess Ferzensac, with the leading turf
women" of the Bots, attracted much attention
at the Paris race course in dresses of muslin,
lawn or pique; mostly of striped patterns,
made in the blouse fashion petticoats of the
same material or drab linen, trimmed with
white gupure, and Understanding there was
| hat--ornamented with feathers OF such length
| and prOfIsOn of curl that the exact covering of
| the head could not be seen. The Empress graced
| the grand stand, dressed in robe of cOrah fou-
| lard, of dark cream color bordering on
| fawn, and two other foulards-the tussar and
laintoun-were much patrOnzed in the city.
France had, as usual, gone over, in fashion
able invasion, to the muddy little English sea-
port of Scarborough, in the North Riding of
Yorkshire. with the view of acquiring the cut
of the most recent British eccentricities in
sporting and watering place costumes-an an
nual movement on the part of France calcu-
lated to depreciate her name for originality in
| fashionable invention in the eyes OF independ
| ent thinkers, but which tends to illustrate the
| position taken by some persons in the Old
| Word--it may have been the Tooley street
tailors-that there is really nothing ever new in
dress but the material, and that what is known
as fashion is merely renovation and
| ''retouch" of something which had been worn
| several years, perhaps centuries, before. This
argument induces consideration of the main
| point of our present fashions letter in the
| query-Why should New York 60 to Paris for
| the fashions? Why should not New York
| Americans-create, use, control and send
fashions to Europe? France has no mo-
nopoly of polished idea, and the mind Of her
people is not so clear and original as that the
free children of the United States. Paris has
merely inherited her sensitive appreciation of
| neatness in dressing from Others and duly
transmits it as monopoly of fashion. Ancient
| Rome was more famous than modern Paris,
and just as particular in the matter of dress
| perhaps more particular for Horace has fixed
the Roman gentleman as the home factas nd
unguems--a IMAM made even to bis nail I'M
| alterably in history.
Regarding the philosophy of the science Of
fashion in this light, we think it is high time
that we should in friendly way revelation
| ize the Paris idea and write declaration Of
American independence in the matter of the
origin and composition" Of our dress
| fashions.