Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-13
FASHIONABLE FOLLIES.
From Appleton's Journal


We mentioned few weeks since that
those people who denounce so vividly the
fashionable dress of the day are not quite
sound in holding up for emulation the
supposed simplicity of adornment exhib-
tied by our grsndmothers. That the
Puritan women of New England were of
simple hhbit is true, but in fashionable
circles, here as well as in England, there
was an elaboration of dress and excess of
ornaments which the present generation
has not exceeded. We invited, in former
comments, attention to any gallery of old
portraits, and to Mr.. GriswOld's desorip-
ton of mannersin the 'RepubIican Court.
We have now st hand at Mr.. Forsyth's
"NoYels and Noyelists of the Eighteenth
Century" which, if presenting no new
facts in this matter, yet conveniently group
the testimony for our purpose. he tells
us that, sat the beginning of the last
century, the fashionable head dress was
the commodo, or frontage, by which the
hair was piled up on wires to prodig-
ious hight Then there came a sudden
fall, so that women who were more than
seven feet high were reduced to five.n
In Smollett's life of Humphrey Clink
er," Lydia Medford describes her prepar-
stions for an assembly: 81 was not six
hours, says she, Sin the hands of the
hair-dresser, who stuffed my head
with as much black wool as would
have made a quilted petticost, and,
after all, it was the smallest head
in the assembly, In Miss Bur
ney's 'sHyelins," the heroine says. 81
have just had my hair dressed. You
cannot think how oddly my head feelss
full of powder and black pins, and a
great cushion on top of it. =
When shall be able to use q comb for
myself | cannot tell, for my hair is so
much entangled-frizzled they call IT.
that fear it viii be very difficult" One
would almost affirm that this must refer
to young lady of this present year of
grace, and not to one of hundred years
ago. At about this period the petit
coats of the ladies were of 50 mon
strous and extrsvsgsnt 8 size az to be-
come favorite subjects of satire and
caricature. We learn from one writer
that the fashionable hoops were made
from the richest dsmssk, with gold and
silver. -Four guines hoop" There is
In the Idttter, q paper which gives an
account OF mock trial of pretty young
woman TO-. wearing mohstrous petticoat,
Wnlch, when taken off, the Judge ordered
II 10 be drawn up by pulley, and it
I,srmed Ga very vast and splendid canopy
and covered the whole court of judicature
with q silkep rosunda, in its form not un-
like the cupalo of St. Paul's." In addi-
tor to this evidence, we have that Cs
Goldsmith, who says: ''Our .acies seem
to have 40 other stsgadard for grace but
the run of the town. If fash
ion gives the word, every dis
tinction of beauty, complexion or
stature cases. Sweeping trains, Prus.
alan bonnets and trollopees, as like each
other as if cut from the same piece. level
all to one standard" Our ancestors
seemed no more inclined to individuality
of taste or judgment than we are. AS TO
simplicity of dress, Mr. Forsyth relates
In his entertaining volume one instance.
which, however, was more startling than
admirable. At masquerade in 1740.
then favorite form of public amuse-
ment one of the maids of honor to the
Princess of Wales, appeared in the char
acter OF 'Iphigenis" ready for sacrifice,
in loose dress of flesh. colored silk. But
this lady went too far, and was rebuked
by the Princess, who threw her own veil
over her.