Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-31
FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY.
Our New York Fashion LstisF-Whsrs are
FsshisBs to Gene FrOm2-hBw York
asa Fsshlos GenteF.i
Old Party Clstdss-Thizgs that Everybody
Waat Kuow.

By the Fashion Correspondent Of the
APFEAL.l
some one has suggested that since
the Empress Eugenle suited Ameri-
cau women go well in the matter o.
dress, they should offer her a good
salary 10 come and lead fashions fOr
them in this country and thus achieve
the prp-emiueuCe they desire, and
which, Just now, is a problem, who or
what viii obtain. Unfortunately, or
fortunately, as the case may be, the
scheme is impraCtiCable, and we are
stiu az a Joss 20 decide where those
changes, fluctuations, and inspirations
are TO come from, which we have
been accustomed to look for
with every. season and which seem 70
have become a necessity to the eKis-
teuce Of American women. We really
need a leader, but whether it shall be
an Imperial butterfly or a female Mes
sish with q new dispensatiOn, subOr-
dinating dress TO life and its duties
does not, As yet, exactly appear.
There are, VIC understand, women
i'm high circles who are perfectly pre-
pared 90 act independently IN the
matter of dress, and there are first
cl-ss houses ready and willing to
carry out any suggestions that may
Da made 20 them, that are practicable
aud sensible. such houses only re-
quire 10 cooperate with American
manufacturers, TO give Us American
uaries and American fashions, that
would be accepted everywhere.
here is such a great work for
women To do, that We wish they would
set aside all other considerations for
a time. 20 accomplish il. Never mind
voting, property, or marriage laws,
let's have freedom; freedom to wear
warm cloak, a comfortable street
dress, an outside garment with pOck-
cts finished in a neat, sensible way,
with durable binding, instead Of be
Ing tucked cut with knObby gimps,
Lrayed satin Hutings and raveled
friuges, that catch all the debris that
h0ats, and holds il tenaciOusly.
Ia doors, at the fsts and tire5ide, q
great deal of latitude may be allowed,
bat for Ehe stree-, and upon public
occasions, DC IS time We hid q dress
approaching In sJberness and simph-
city 10 thar of men, a dress adapted
% l8aOm0tiOu, to business, to pur-
pose, 10 achievement dress that
would not stand in the way Of any
thing we wish 20 do; that would not
lake half the day 20 put on, and the
other half 20 take OF; the dress, In
short, made for the woman, not the
woman tortured into fitting the dress.
such q dress viii come; the time de-
mands h. and this is only the voice Of
John the Baptist, which preCedes and
prassgGs its coming, 1 congratulate
women on the fact from the bottom Of
my heart. Dress Is the most impOr-
taut question to-day for them to solve.
No power upon earth, or ia heaven,
can help them, 50 long as they are alb
sgrbed in continual efforts to change,
without purpose, except the mere de-
sire for novelty, the length Of their
skirts, the cut of their sleeves, the
number Of their rutles, the color Of
their ribbons, and the size Of their
bUuneis
In reality, there is no reason why
these questions should occupy the
mass OF women at all A few general
principles understood, should be the
business of persons engaged in de-
gning and manufacturing clothing
for women, to furnish the variety
suited TO all times and purposes, at
the moderate PRICES for which clothing
can be obtained by men.
. Special occasions require, Of course,
special efforts and special provisions,
but the general need in dress is like
iu food, and should be as plain, as
substantial, as perfectly adapted to its
use. and nearly as uniform In its
character.
WHAT NEW YORK MIGHT DO.
There is an opportunity for New
York to enact q great role Ia the his
tory Of fashion If 1t was only equal to
the occasion, and it may be that II
will be forced upon it yet. The truth
is, and the fact has only just begun to
be realized, Paris Is lost 10 the civ
ilized world, and there is no city in
Europe ready TO take its place. BrUs-
ssls is too small; moreover, the mate /
rial is not there. You cannot get out /
Of q place more than is in IL, and
Brussels has neither the enterprise !
nor the commanding position to be- /
come the first capital in the world. |
Vienna is quite as Improbable as 4
Brussels, although it has more actiVi- /
ty. Berlin is a respectable old town, !
but it has the st8id and heavy Ger /
man characteristics, the German econ /
Jmies, which are incompatible with 4
modern leadership in dress and fash
ion, and Is too slow and too far of to
inspire England or America with its
.deas. In fact, England has had
about enough of Germany, one way
OF another, and is vastly more ready
10 receive suggestions, aid and coun-
sci from its bright child across the
water than from that country which /
has given il nothing but poor relations /
10 provide for. German fashion pa-
pers exhibit the genius Of German
fashion. They give an immense num-
Der Of Illustrations, because they are
executed st starvation prices; but the /
is there is no change or va 1
riety IN them, and one gets tired Of /
seeing the design Of the saupe night
cap (Which American women vii 4
not wear, and the same STRAIGHT. I
wide, short, night-dress (Which An9er- I
icau women do, every week or /
month, for more than ten OF fifteen 4
years in succession, no matter how |