The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-16
The EnalliOns.


The letter which we publish to-day from our
Paris fashion correspondent preiaces its
descriptions of the most conspicuous toilets
worn at Mrs. Burlingames second bali oy
specifying a number OF salient features In
actual fashionable life at Paris which convert
every observer into 'sThe Man Who Laughs,
emitting him to wear the title of Victor Hugo's
latest novel. Among these features Is the
delusion of 'your charitable donors, VINO
fatter themselves that they have performed
duty full of self-sacrifice by paying Few
francs for q splendid concert with Adelina
Patti, piece played by the best actors In
Paris and at the end of the evening ball
all for the benefit Of the poor. Then there are
also the protuberances of pannier made with
frill on frill and r0ule0ur of satin on tulle,
where neither gathers nor wrinkles nor folds
were allowed few months ago; faces thickly
coated with paint the attempt to conceal with
the magic pencil. webbed crow's-feet on
temples from which modesty has fed; the
aping of the Emperor's new style-a one-but-
toned vest, a blue cloth coat with velvet collar,
blue bottle shade; and January and May
unequally yoked together in the persons OF an
aged, yawning husband and his young wife,
in spring green gauze, flirting away on his
arm, followed by train of admirers.
But will not much in this picture
answer just as well for fashionable life in New
York as for fashionable life in Paris? Is not
q great deal of what is most ridiculous in
Paris fashions servilely initiated here? The
answer to these questions must be In the
affirmative, although we may compliment some
of the leaders of fashion in New York on their
praiseworthy efforts to emancipate themselves
from foreign thraldom. These efforts have not
yet proved completely successful. Moreover,
New York fashions have certain ridiculous fea-
lures peculiarly their own. Toilets which,
abroad figure only at balls, dinner parties or
the opera, are here displayed on Broadway, to
the delight of old bachelors who have no
mantua makers or milliners bills to pay. Old
women refuse to wear their own beautiful gray
hair, and rival the artificial or natural blondes
of the theatre in their display of golden
locks, and forswear the ''best black
for an old lady's outfit Stout ladies will
persist in wearing double skirts, panniers and
5oufant sashes. In short, no respect is paid
to age or size, by many an elderly and obese
belle in her selection of Partisan modes. But
with the approach of summer we hope for
better things. The lady travellers to the many
places of summer resort, which we have now
learned to appreciate, at the seaside, in the
mountains, in the valleys, or on the plains,
will unquestionably prefer to any less suitable
materials for travelling costume the durable
pongees of mixed silk and linen, over which
the gored sacque of brown linen, buttoned up
the front and belted, will form, according to
the authoritative sanction Of 'Harper's Ba-
zar," a useful garment. Henceforth we may
feel confident the good sense and intuitive
taste of American ladies will save them from
exposure to the ridicule which, according to
our Partisan correspondent, the bellies Of the
French metropolis have merited by their eccen-
tricities.