The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1868-12-26
The Greciaal Bend.


As before stated in the REa1srER,
never having seen the late new style
called the sGrecian Bend" we were un-
able to give description of it as re-
quested by several lady friends. As this
new and qnecr fashion still seems to hold
its sway in the Eastern States, and may
eventually secure votaries even in Alba
ny, We Insert, for the benefit of all con-
cerned, the description of it as given by
a correspondent Of the New York press
from Saratoga The correspondent says
The body and waist of the dress are
remarkable in only one respect-the last
is exec edingly tight, aud the former
rather loes, at the top and exceedingly
low 1t is below the waist that what is
monstrous in the custom fist attracts
and then repeis the eyes of uian-
A hoop OF moderate dimensi Us, over
spread with an underskirt or two, and Il
dress Of whatever fabric are worn. I'm
derneath the rear of this hoop, just be-
low the waist Of the person designated,
is bound coil Of wire from two to three
inches in diameter, which "throws OUT
and elevates the upper portion Of the
dress behind, and forms the foundation,
SO to speak, Of an exterior .rrotuberance
called the panier.
The panier is a hustle, more or less
enormous, upon which, in successive folds
layers gathered up, or confined by a
band encircling the dress from the stom-
ach Of the wearer around and beneath, an
extra skirt reaching just below the pos
terror, hangs, OF rather s'wobbles' to and
| fro The dress has q trail from fcur to
six feet in length.
The posture affected in order to set off
this attire is called the ,sGrecian Bend,''
a contortioa of the body which, as it is
highly improper in itself, [ find it diff
cult to describe with propriety.
/ High shoes dispose the wearer
to incline forward, and the high heeled
CATERS are adopted by the '.belle OF the
season. She is thus the more readily
enabled to elevate her hips unnaturally
behind, enhancing the aspect Of the PAN
| Ter, to contract her stomach, and to form
an S-Hke curvature Of her upper shape
/ by thrusting out her chest, drawing back
her shoulders, and bending forward her
/ head. The latter is crowned by hide
Gus chignon, surprising by several inches
the thickness Of the shallow feather
brain.
So bent and deformed, the bell con-
strains her elbows against her sides;
and, with horizontal forearms and the
little gloved hands dangling from limp
wrists, tits painfully along. The pro-
file of such figure, and its ungraceful
! gait, are irresistibly suggestive of a lame
kangaroo. When it is whirled and toss
ed apour in dance by one of the fash
ionable Jumping jacks in broadcloth, who
| are here SO numerous, and So much alike
! that you can hardly tell one from another,
| the sight-woman's panier and the agile
sidelong leaps Of the jumping-jack across
| the immense trail piled On the floor is too
ezasperatingly ridiculous for laughter.
1t has been confided to me by an
elderly woman, with whom l conversed
at recent call, that the distortion Of the
shape known as the .Grecian Bend is
painful AMI quite wearisome, and that
some girls adopt artificial contrivances to
aid them in preserving the posture for
several consecutive hours. Ga belt is
fastened about the waist. under the skirt.
| From this belt down either side Of the
hips, two straps, furnished with buckles,
descend, and are attached to a strong
band made fast to the lower thighs. As
| the buckles Of the straps are tighsened,
the hips are drawn up and held In posi-
| ton.