The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-02-26
Freaks of Fashion in Centuries Past.

and see their follies and horrers, we shall
be more lenient toward those of the present
day. The mode of dressing the hair in
this year 1870 is much ridiculed and dis
cussed, but our sisters of hundreds ofyears
age wore more false hair than we of the
nineteenth century. Hair-dressing is a
fashion subject to the greatest variety of
changes. Many of us think the absurd idea
of dying the hair due to the invention Of
ingenious minds of the present day Not
so: far back IN the regions Of time, this
nonsensical fashion originated, and the
favorite auburn color was simulated in the
reign of the Virgin Queen, in honor of her
fiery locks. But the accounts of the fash
ions in those days relate that " she pos
sessed no less than eighty acigs Of uaried col
orS.r' Gentlemen followed the lead of the
Queen; and appeared one day in black
hair, the following in brown, and SO on,
changing the color with the within Of the
moment. 1t is not more than twenty
years since an ambassador from 4 foreign
court asked a lady in Washington which
became him most-his black or his brown
wig?
So great was the demand for false hair in
1893, that it was dangerous for a child
possessing fine head of hair to walk abroad
alone, women being always on the lookout
for such prizes. Ladies' hair, at this time,
was disposed in enormous rows of curls,
and an actual tower of false hair, ribbons,
feathers, powder and pomatum, was erect
ed upon the top of the head. These head
dresses lowered SO high that the fair wear
ers were forced to drive with their heads
thrust cut of the window of the coach, for
its roof interfered with the monstreus
structure.
The body of this tower was of tow
Over this the hair was carefully brushed,
and the false hair added in great puffs,
curls, ETC., and all profusely powdered;
then feathers, beads, flowers, and even veg
etables were added. The entire structure,
carried to the extreme of fashion, added
nearly three feet to the wearer's height-so
the the gentlemen were overtoppsd by the
ladies. This edifice, when once erected,
was expected to last three ,cceks! Printed
directions for "epening three weeks
head y were freely circulated among the as
pirants of fashion. Feathers and grasses
add still more bulk to the head-dress. I'm
agine a small-featured face under such an
incumbrance!
In 1859, the style changes materially
Feathers were pronounced p0sse, and
though the gray powder still retained it's
favor, the immense structure had fallen in
height to be carried out in length. We
ridicule the large punches appended to the
backs Of the ladies' heads now; let us see
how they compare with the style in 1859
just one hundred and ten years ago. The
wits thus described it:
Hang small busle cap ON, as big as a
crown,
Shout it off with fow'r-culgo Dict a
pempoon;
Let your powder be gray, and braid up
your hair
Like the name of colt to be sold at a fair
bib on,
Ragout it with curlets Of silver and ribbon;
Your neck and your shoulders both naked
should be:
Was it not for Vandyke, blown with checeur-
de.frize."
When the towering style of head dress
prevailed, balloon-hoods or caleches were
wern. Many Of our readers may have
found them in the attics of old houses, even
in this new country, and paraded about the
house in the nonsensical necessities of that
age. 1t was considered a very graceful
appendage to gay lady's toilette; and we
can imagine that fair young face might
look wondrous well under its shady folds;
and it might also conceal the withered ap-
pearance OF an ancient dame. But like all
other fashions, it was ephemeral, and was
displaced by the basket-shaped structure,
which we think far prettier. 1t was COM
posed of wire, ribbon, straw, gauze: and
laces, and intended to protect and shelter,
which Office it might perform quite as well
as the minute cloves which are the pses-
ent style Of bonnet.
Some of the fashions worn by our great
Observation-Disclosures were so disfiguring
that we do not marvel that pious rhymel
of those days wrote:
ssThe pride Of our females all bound ~
exceeds;
| IT'S now quite the fashion to wear double
heads.
Approaching this town to disburse heavenly
treasure,
I passed by head that would fill peck
measure"
We cannot think the fashions Of centuries
back any worse than this. The pre-,
vailing fashions of this season are very be-
coming to many faces-ths short row OF
curls evsra high forehead, the full put1s to a
narrow one; but there are many ladies who
present a perfect carieature of the style
If they would only look at the grotesque
shawows they cast upon wall, they
would gain some idea of their hideous
ness. The small bonnets perched high Oh
the head are an addition to many faces
to others the effect is horrible Yet al
must wear the prevailin. fashion, without
any idea Of suitableness being entertained
The side-view Of a lady's head and bonnet
seriously interfered with our devotional
feelings in church not many Sundays since
We could hardly restrain our smiles at the
| righteousness of the view. She was prob
ably well satisfied with her appearance
she had purchased a bonnet la mode
what more could one desire? She had moi
the slightest idea of the carcature she
made of herself. Ir all nations, the dress
ing of the hair is the most important item
of the toilette.
Even among the tribes of Abyssina
great attention is paid to the hair. Mans
field Parkins, who visited that country il
| 1915, relates the interest the natives mani
fest in this adornment. Their hair is pre-
cisely what a belle Of this period would de
sire, being neither short and woody, like
that of the African, nor soft and straight
like that of the European, but happ.
medium between the two. The men pay
| 20 f1,a Of hai