The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-08-21

relief. o} course, to onlytone part Of the frame.
The construction of the upper part has, TO be
preserved with no other aids than the stays,
and. those often render it the more difficult and
tiresome. -,
You perhaps notice another popularity about
some Of the ladies' dresses. The bodies are
not only cut very low, but are 80 far fom
clinging jealously to the figure as to seem to
$50 erscious oondescension on the part Of
our bellies r. continued the matron, In tone
tingling with irony, "commends them, You
will surely admit. as . far more honest and un-
equiyocating set than tn. .hsnn5s Or iasnion :,,
might be- founded upon proofs even more str1k-
ing than the one alluded to. Nobody who has
been entrapped here, as aspectator of the ne
uueut displays Of under-d -drspery on the starr
ways and the edges Of yerandahs and colon
psdes, can doubt that many Of the embroider-
ed hose, and delicate laoes which adorn a1 tne me
limbs OF the exhibitors were donned as well for
beauty as for wear, and that the manner OF
making q graceful disclosure Of them is studied
as fine art.
The Saratoga correspondent Of the New
York Tribune, touching the same fashionable
follies, says: H.
The very extreme Of the present Paris toilette
prevails at Safatoga to-day, or rather an imita-
trayaganHs OF an antique style.
s Not bell or swell hoop is to be found where
once an army Of them was in motion: The
chienon Is worn on top Of the head. with two
switches inserted in the hair about thirty de-
Krees below the key Of the arch on each side
OF the centre, which form pendants like the
horns Of o goat, or, to be more precise, Like
those Of q chamois.
The dress has medium waist adapted to
hoop somewhat Of the shape Of . barrel large
at the centre and small at each end, with
backward swell to assist in forming the train.
A largo hustle or s'pannier" is worn at the top
Of the hoop, upon which is gathered up i've OF
This is called the "blanchisse," or washer
woman's style, but really resembles the humps
Of camel's back. Across the lower hips, be-
low this "pannier," band extends.
It will thus be seen that we have the most ex-
traordinary toilette known in the realms offash-
ion for the last two hundred years. It may be
remembered as historic fact that change Of
fashion changes the whole tone of o PERSONS
manner. The stately, patronizing airs nssum.:
ed by our bellies short time ago, when dressed
in the ample dowager skirts then in vogue,
would hardly be becoming the wearer sof the
fashionable garb Of the day..
AS logical sequence OF this, all our bellies,
when walking or standing, instead OF the state
Iy step or the statuesque, assume what is call
ed The "Grecian Bend" or the air of difidence
and inquiry, with all the adjuncts; -.
The Grecian bend is performed by pulling
the lower hips up to q point even with the low
en- ribs, throwing the pit Of the stomach back
or in and the shoulders forward. The hands
are held in front. pendant from the wrist, and
intended to represents spray; the gait ls OF
canter or litter motion.
l. win bs seen from the description Of the
dress that 1t is peculiarly adapted to efectualy
allow Of o full performance Of the "Grecian
Bend" snd when the whole affair is carried out
IN the dance by o gay and luxuriant youth,
with his hair parted IN the middle, placing his
tails extended, as in spasm, resting between
The shoulder blade, while with the thumb and
second finger he holds her wrist, thus leaving
her hand to hang ifelessly pendant, We have
an exhibition Of snubbishness and cockneyism
which must put all sensible Americans to
the blush.