Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-12-04
Fanny Fern on the Extravaganza Of
Fashion.

Fanny Eefu on the ExGraV6g auee OF
Fashion.
| When I say that the street dress OF
the majority of respectable women Of
New York to-day is disgusting, | but
| feebly express my emotions. l say
| the respectable women, and yet, save
| to those who know them to be such,
| their appearance leaves wide margin
/ for doubt The clown at the circus
wears not more stunning or parti-
/ eoloTed costume; in fact his has the
/ advantage of being sufficiently 4taut
to use q nautical phrase, not to inter
fere with locomotion; what with dis
4 gusting humps upon their backs, and
/ big rosettes upon their sides and
shoulders. and loops, and folds, and
| buttons, and tassels, and clasps and
bows upon their skirts, and striped
| satin DetticOats, all too short to hide
often clumsy ankles-and more colors
| heaped upon one poor little fashion
ridden body than ever were gathered
in one rainboW-and all this worn
without regard to temperature, time,
or place. say this presents q specta-
/ Gle which is too disheartening even TO
| be comicai.
One cannot smile at the young girls
who are, one day-Heaven help them
to be wives and mothers. Wees
end mothers / say to myself, as /
see the throat and neck with only the
protection of gold loeket between it
self and the cold autumnal winds.
Wives and mothers I say, as l see
them running their feet and throwing
their ankles out of shape, In the vain
endeaYor to walk on heels like corks,
fastened far in the middle of the sole
of their boots; and these boots so
high upon the calf of the leg, and 50
tightly buttoned across it, that circula-
ton is stopped, and violent headaches
follow. Wives and mothers I say, as
I see the heating and burdensome.
pannier tackled on the most delicate
portion of a woman's frame, to make
stiIl surer confirmed invalidism.
What fathers, husbands, brothers,
lovers, can think about to be willing
that the women they respect and love,
should appear in public looking like
women whom they despise, is marvel
to me.
Why, they do not say this to them,
and shame them into decent appear
anee-if their glasses cannot effect it
do not know. Oh, the relief it is to
meet lady instead of ballet girl.
Oh, the relief il is to see a healthy,
firm stepping, rosy, oad-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 streets in
a dress beftting the street; leaving TO
those poor Wretched women, whose
business it is to advertise their per-
sons, a free field without competition.
IF I seem to speak harshly it is because
I feel earnestly on this subject, l had
hoped that the women of 1868 would
have been worthy of the day in which
they live. I had hoped that all their
time would not have been spent in
keeping up with the chameleon
changes of fashions too ugly, too abb
surd for liberation.
It is because [ want them TO be
something, to do something higher
and nobler than a peacock might aim
ct, that I turn heart-sick away from
these infnitesimal fripperies that
narrow the soul and purse, and leave
nothing in their wake but emptiness.
Nor is it necessary, In avoiding all
this, that women should look strong
minded as the bug bear phrase goes,
It is not necessary she should dress
like her grandmother to look like a
decent women. It is not necessary
she should forswear ornamentation be-
cause it were better and more respect
able to have it confined to festal and
home occasions and less to the public
promenade. She is not driven TO the
alternative of mufiing herself like an
omnibus driver in January, or catch
ing consumption with her throat only
protected by gold locket.
Oh, how I wish that bevy Of
young, handsome, girls, of good, social
positions, would inaugurate a plain,
iady-like costume for street and
church wear. I say young and hand
some, because If an old woman does
this, the little chits toss their heads
and say, "Oho 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 Rirls say,
make the most of yourselves" but
in doing so, don't you think it would
be we'll not to lessen or cheaper your
selves? and / submit, with all defer
ence to your dress makers and man.
mas, that every one of you who appear
| in public in the manner | have des-
| cribed, are doing this very thing-are
defiling Womanhood, and are bringing
| it into derision ard contempt, whether
you believe it or not.
FANNY FERN