The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-20
Paris Fashions.

ferhapS no more signal PROOF OF the IRE
pressible vitality of the French people could
be afforded than the letter which we publish
to-day from one of our Paris correspondents,
disclosing the preparations for the fashionable
fall campaign. Vanquished by the needle gun
the French seize the needle and rally in full
confidence that they shall pluck victory from
defeat and regain their wonted ascendancy in
at least one field of worldwide influence. 1t
is not unwarrantable for them to anticipate
that successes in that field may be followed by
successes in many another which they feel
bound TO reconqner. They believe in what
Carlyle, in his ''Sartor Resartus," calls sthe
omnipotent virtue of clothes" or, at any rate,
in the advantage of setting the fashions for the
world. Carlyle's hero, Teufelsdrocb, under
takes no less than to expound the moral, po-
litical aud even religious influence of clothes;
he undertakes to make known, in its thousand
fold bearings, this grand proposition-that
mans earthly interests ''are all hooked and
buttoned together, and held up by clothes"
Cons ,iously or unconsciously the tailors and
dressmakers and milliners Of Paris act ac-
cording to bis theory that ''society is founded
upon CLOTH" and aspire to make the French
capital again the ruling capital of the civilized
world. Our correspondent tells story Of
Theirs, which shows what significance and
importance the actual head of the French
nation attaches to the difference between bit
of red ribbon in his buttonhole and yard Of
widest watered ribbon across his breast. We
Il - 80 IL
with which the Expresses Of Prussia
and Russia, as well as Christine Nilsson, the
Queen of Song, and many wives and daughters
of our American sovereigns, have already
saluted the restored empire of Paris over the
fashionable world. Women everywhere are
waiting for Paris patterns to adopt as ''brave
Cleopatras sailing in their silk-cloth galley,
with o Cupid for steersman." So far as
silks are concerned, it is more or less encour-
aging for those who must foot the bills to
learn from Harper's Bozor that although all
silks, ard especially black silks, have ad-
vanced in price abroad, there will probably be
very little increase of price here, as most of
next seasons silks were ordered at war prices.
Bonnets and Paris hats, however, our corrc-
spondent says, far from lowering in price,
have increased. The birds and plumes and
layers of lace, which are the coveted orna-
ments of these hats, are very expensive. in
fact, nothing seems to be cheap in the varieties
enumerated by our correspondent except the
suspiciously cheap goods which have been
hidden away in underground premises during
the war. Against the general tempting SELL
ings-off of these materials American pur-
chasers are specially warned by our CORE
spondents letter. To this letter we must
refer our readers for q vivid description of the
present styles in vogue at Paris, the summer
toilets and promised autumn costumes, their
material, color, cut and trimmings, the para
soils and gloves and other accessories or
essentials that compose the paraphernalia Of
Dame Fashion in Paris.
Neither Berlin, nor London, nor Vienna
despite the marvellously brilliant costumes of
Rullman's Viennese troupe), nor even
Brussels, TO which last city 80 many
Paris modistes fed on the eve Of
| the FrancO-Russian war, have proved
worthy successors Of Paris, as the arbiter
OF fashion since It's temporary abdication.
| Now that it again ascends the throne, its sway
will doubtless be recognized at once. Never
theless, American ladies began SO long ago TO
resist its tyranny-intelligentIy and tastefully
modifying Its DEGREES and adapting them to
the necessities Of our own climate and GUS
toms-aDd, moreover, they have got along so
| well since the Franco Pruaian wor ui,hont
depending wholly upon Paris importatons,
that we may hope their own acknowledged
ingenuity and taste will hereafter render them
more and more Independent Of "Paris
fashions" Before the war it was notable fact
that several ladies Of the American colony at
Paris actually had to set their seal on the So
called "Paris fashions" before these secured
universal imitation. Grave moralists have