Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-06-26

THE FoLLIEs OF FASHION. Another hurt.
ia! aud ridiculous fashion is in the high heeled
boots, which have again worked rounl from
.ut great grand mothers a slight heel is an
,dyantage 10 walking, but these high heels,
vth the excessively small sUltAce aud the
sharply beyeled sides, make walking i service
1t pain and difficulty. Besides, they stroy
The shape OF the leg, which ~ something to b.
,5nsidered. They throw the weight forward
aud the strain on TIE shin and, consequently,
they diminish the back muscle, the cal OF the
leg, and bring out the bone and muscle OF the
l1,epaTt INTO an ugy bow.
The shape of our shoes aud boots is in itself
an outrage against common sense, but we
women are not alone in this absurdity, nor are
We to blame; 81 that, As the papers deal with
uur oW0 iolies specially, We may be let on any
personal and peculiar reprool therefor. But
What can We ssy Ct the fashion which dyes the
hair, paints the cheeks, blackens the eYelids
with antimony to make the orbit look larger
and the lashes longer, or that expands the
,,apils With belladonna, no matter at what
cost of complexion Or future eyeslght7 What
TOO, can we say OF the fashion which uncovers
the arms and neck IN the evening, after having
clothed them through tue day in flannel, or
,elvet. or in warm wadded stutfs? Women
threatened sith bronchitis or rheumatism SIT
a., iav long 10 warm room mntiled up to the
throat in thick material at night they uncover
Lelow their shoulders and 20 out ia tue eolu
SiGtar air with iust an opera cloak thrown over
,ueir shiveriug skins.
But this is fashion, and none Of US dare dis
obey IL ; mono OF us dare 20 out IN the evening
with dresses made after the pattern oil our
morning ones, or wear in the morning low bodi'
,es and short sleeves to at least equalZe the
rlsk. and inure us to the evening attire without
ia,, aOe. There is no intrinsic reason why we
should not all 10 sitting in low bodlces aud
short sleeves ut this very moment, though we
will make it ten clock but II We we're We
,bonM be thought mad or bad, or both, and
not even our staunchest friends would stand by
,s But wholly one thing or the other would
Sc wiser syatem than the present, aud would
be- productive OF fewer oatarrhs, bronchial afec-
tons and consumpuons. All II Is sau
thought which springs up from that last word
il we could only see. Us those removed IRON
.ur own sphere would see, the criminal folly OF
aaori6cinS beautiful and valuable hives to the
fashion which imposes naked necSs aG rule
for evening costumel
Many a sweet young creature who would
have lived into happy old age as beloved vile
and honored mother has gone to an early grave
because Of that ball or that party at which she
caught cold from exposure. But fashion so
gled it; and neither mother nor daughter had
strength to resist her impapable but absolute
decree. We all obey her, young and old alike,
those who should keep their beauties sacred,
and those who have none to show; the delicate
gho have To be kept alivo by art and care the
lean, who are too ugly iGr aly enc 10 lind pleas
ure in the contemplation OF their angles; the
wrinkled and the gross, We all parade ourselves
IN evening society without more disguise than
bit OF euaze or lace can give, and only very
lew of us use that, which, even when well on
INTO the fifties, we consider quite supertuous
Tor anything to be gained by concealment. As
10 the extent to which we cut down our bodies,
,na IS c matter tGo patent and too painful to
be discussed. u is race among Us who shall
wear the dress the lowest and show the largest
eypanse OF shoulder.
Aud vet we mean no harm; We mean only to
be fashionable. That is the worst OF 1t. The
aheSt Vomeu among us-purc, high minded
,or,en. yho would die rather than be guilty OF
,mnropriety, If it appeared like an impropriety
T. hem. and whose very innocence makes them
unsnsni,ious OF evil, get accustomed, as every
one must, more or less, to an oblectlonaOle
tashion. and follow it in pure simplicity OF ma
ture as q thing without meaning or efect.-
Also, the incest women among Us are Just those
who always follow-who have not sufhclent
boldness OF mind or manner to make .puohc
protest against anything endorsed by the ma
lority-women who are not touched by the
evil of baleiul custom, and by whose own
purity is eliminated the poison of mlschlevous
fashion They follow, and their moral sup
port holsters up the bad habit, and gives coun-
ispsnce to the bad followers thereof But
shat ean We say when originality is stili cen
surei as unwomsnly, and publt protest, he
II even against evil, is set down as ''strong-
minded" and unfeminue. - The BrOdd,c1V.