Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-01-21

out tho proceeds OF her dairy, inquir
OF the village milliner, show is th,
way TO oinake muslin dresses this year 2
and "if pink or blue ribbins is goin' I,
be the fashion for bonnets this sum
merp r as if thu fate Of her soul dc
pended upon pink or blue "ribbins,
OF the "way how" to make muslin
dresses.
"Ihe follies Of fashion" is an OLE
song in the ears Of most people, If no
an old tune in their mouths but Il
seems TO me that if the philosopher
who are so fond Of moralizing upor
that theme would reflect a little upor
Tho folly of those who persist in wor
Shipping a shrine that was never sci
up for their devotions, they might
sometimes vary the tone of their med
itations. There can be no folly in
adopting any mode whatever, not DOS,
itively indecent or injurious, if ones
means will permit; but it is both fool.
ish and out of taste for people to
attempt what their means or their
situation in life will not warrant them
in doing. The main cause of the
fickleness in fashion is to battle such
people in their pursuit of her. No
body cares to dress like her waiting
maid, but we all know that waiting.
maids are much given TO aping the
modes in favor with their mistresses.
Now, these presumptuous limitations,
whether gotten up by servant-maids
or by respectable young ladies IN rural
districts, who do their own millinery
and dress-making, are very apt TO be
more or less OF burlesques upon the
prevailing fashions. That potent god.
dess does not like 10 have her ways
burlesqued any more than we common
mortals, so she instantly changes her
costume, and appears to the baffied
gaze of ber impotent pursuers in a
shape which they cannot hope to
acquire before the capricious divinity
again shifts her mantle and leaves
them as far from their purpose as
ever If Miss Dora Hopkins has 10
lament that long white wrappings 20
out Of vogue, Just as she has succeeded
in patching up her old delaine shawl
into something bearing a faint resem-
blance, in species, TO Miss Broken
borough's flowing Arab Of white alpa-
ca, she may partly thank the success
Of her own efforts for the fact which
she 50 much deplores. Miss Broken
borough might have been content TO
wear the white Arab a few weeks
longer, had she not bebeld Miss Dora
Hopkins imitation with the old white
delaine shawl Now, il would be far
wiser, and in better taste, for all
classes Of Hopkinses TO let fashion
alone, and dress as their fortunes and
convenience might dictate. / do not
mean that any one should take pains
TO keep porsistently and conspicuously
out Of fashion, because that would be
more foolish and inconvenient than
the opposite extreme neither is it
necessary to cry out against every
new mode, and declare that you never
will be seen in this or in that as long
as you live, because the probabilities
are, that you will, as soon as its nov.
city ceases TO startle you-and, indeed,
you would be very ridiculous not 10
adopt any style which should become
so general, like crinoline, for instance
that you would appear odd or un.
cOuth without it. There is a lust
mean between all extremes which /
persons of small incomes would do
well 10 observe, without striving TO
initiate either fashionable extrsva-
gance or questionable eocentricities. |
Those people who live in a chronic
state Of protest against the fashions fire.
luently give themselves more trouble |
% their efforts 10 dress persistently |
)ut Of the mode, than another class Of |
'oolish women take in trying to keep
up with il. They have an idea that
here is some peculiar merit in dress
ng differently from the rest OF the
world, though they have To change
heir style as often, 10 keep out Of
ashton, as other people do TO keep il.
As orinoline expands, the circumfer-
,nce OF these worthies contracts TO the
IiEe Of a dinner plate, and as others
collapse, they expand in proportion.
When large bonnets are worn, they
wonder how people can disfgure them.
elves with such monstrosities, and
When small ones come in, they are
'qually busy with the problem as to
how people can, etc. Bonnets have
,een a pet grievance with these NOR.
lists, in all ages, though the style
hat they make war on in one genera
ion may be the very one adopted by
heir successors in the next. They
ook upon stylish dressing, in general, I
IS a sure index Of a frivolous mind
md the young lady who is first TO
Idopt a new style of bonnet is too fast
ver TO come to any good. They en-.
ortain a comfortable sense Of their
Iwn superiority over the idle crea.
ures who are wasting time and
hought in the vain pursuit Of pomp
nd fashion, never seeming TO consider
bat more time and thought may be
vasted, and even more personal vani-
Y displayed, in dressing fagrantly :
nd conspicuously out Of fashion, than
n quietly submitting 20 its decreos.
lilliners say that they have more
rouble in pleasing old ladies who, +
possibly, by the recollec-
ion Of how pretty their once rosy
ices used TO look in the fashions Of
1rty years ago, insist upon wearing
onnets Of some exploded shape that
as not been seen for half a century,
han in gratifying the oaprices Of their
lost fashionable customers. Ii is the
testimony Of dress.makers !
nd millincrs that the most fashionable
'omen are the least capricions about /
hat they wear. IL once satisfied /
bat a dress or a bonnet is quite a Ia /
I0ie, they think no more about il, /
'hile an old-fashiOned prude viii tor !
tent one with orders and counter.
rders, and thousand minute dircc-
ons which must each be carried out ,
! the letter. Old ladies are the spv- {
.uf 49,. - .nut.s.,- -, tfIt-a-n .