New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-24
PROGRESS IN FASHIONS.
no NEW sTYLEs-FAsHION FARALYzED BY TIE
SIEGE OF PARIS.

|
From war to habcrdashcry, from the fine
romance of hcroism TO the shaping Of woman's gown
| is a long but quite logical stride which, OF old, so
crates might have explained to Alcibiados with
shade OF contempt in his calm tones ALoHSi We,
| . sage, have time inclination for
any sentiment Of intellectual humiliation. The modern
! philosopher who hath Xantppe at home and exc a
baukAccount, finds the link too intimately connected
with his pocket to lc heavy his soul. Patriotic en-
thuslasm the rapture Of heroic devOOn-bahl Whas Is
all that usl We turn from the splendid story OF
battle TO Mineryg's millincr's bill, without spiritual
paug Corn quoted ct this wheat at that molasses at
the other; many Parisians died of hamilton, last
week; aEdG propos dc Paris. do you realize that weyo
no new fashions Socrates, what would yOul
Its true-ior the last six months we have absolutely
had 10 new fashious When Paris grew gloomy behind
her lastons and the women OF tho Empire forgot their
! frppcres when Eugene stole down the backstairs In
very becoming costume, doub-and away over the
wafer TO her boyen disappeared that inspiration Of
form and cO,or thot inventive instinct which, for hYe
y~ AZ least have made women Of society very fair
10 look upon Fow people realize how much the plquant
and graceful styles OF these five years have increased
! aud rendered moro uniform the attractiyeness OF
! women That gruf and gum old bachelor, Who
growlcd ont, Of late, areucant opinion that all tho
women seemed to be getting pretty" wouldn't believe
that twas the work Of adaptive and picturesque
coslnrnc-ut Il IS true Formerly dross uncOuth
and foolish G1at. Garments which had possible con-
fluy ~ the tlr3 rdded their cumsiEcss TO bonncts
| which wcre litto less absurd than the coal
scuttc OF Madam, our graa'-eTandmother. Women
WHO owned I'll tie rich, enchanting outlines Of the Lady
Oh Mo hI them under the coniusiu5 loop, the nastLc
corsnsc that befttcd an OH Witch oi Endor. WOmans
! dress never used 20 seem to belong 10 ber-she
belonged t. and II yralnzed over her and obtcTaod
her. 1t part Of her personalya pretty frame
| 10 pcturc-but Obtrusiye fact by
| Itself iudcscribably awkward and Disgusting.
| NNrf.. tho md
harmonious styles that began TO bud ia G3! Then Paris
showed what wonders exquisite taste and real artistic
conscience could perform Dress gradually ceased 10 be
shapelcss aud inexpensive envelope, and became tie
charming Interpreter OF woman's beauty. 1t mado the
| most Of her and gave her good ton IL she had it
| not, in way that caused 10 to seem nat
ural Tie shortened skirts, longer absurdly
dstcndcd heavy with gather, and pats about the
waist permit grace and liberty OF motion. The cOrsagc
shortened also on the shoulder and in the waist Is cut
more In accordance with the law VI symmetry and not
10 n individual departures therefrOm Consequently
| IL becomes a magic corsage, which modi-
aes ugliness and expresses beauty. Tho neat
| coat-sceye gives harmonious proportion
To figure whicht could acquire under the rulo
OF the former unnecessarily fun sleeves. The airy little
bonnet sometimes sauCy sometimes dignled brings an
additional air OF Hare to tho maiden, and Of distinction
to the maron. Then there the graceful oyersrts
the auuty jackets aud pretty mantles the thousand aud
one tribes that have enhanced without obscuring personal
effect There have been grave errors In cut combination
color. OF originality has occasionally just
tou he'd borders Of arty and studies in contrast
have decencraed into the bizarre: butt tho whole our
later modes have been fresh Characteristic and
pressve that they have established permanent canons OF
artistic taste. There Is small fear that will
return theabOred neegances of 10 and 10 years ago.
How they TO advance trailing yet greater
clouds of glory nobody knows. We assurcdly
stranded now, and can see no method Of relief. Our
latest fashions are those which appeared in Paris
early last Summer, with very slight variations
| OF native growth. We have not had one
crisp, fresh, original style this Winter. Those
unconscious and unrecognized satirsts, the mliners
| and dTessmakers in despair. A despair, however,
| which they don't often manifest your dame OF
| the needle Is the being who never con-
fesses q "A lack OF resource. 1t Il humiliatng
to realize that it inactive how entirely We have
depended upon French invention for styles We seem
quite incapable OF originating little as o new
curve or a method of trimming In the present state OF
affairs, 1t is impossible to say whether shall have
! change next month or continuance OF those
| fashions now In force. There are no indications
a yet OF anyj noveltics-not OF a resolution TO
attempt them. Fashion is simply parayzed. When
Paris ceased onuncating her mandates gowns and
bonnets much said Of the beauty and availability Of
Berlin modes The six months experience has shown
that they quite without tho artistic spirit that
gave authority those OF Paris Professionals realized
this long ago. and in truth 1t needs only glance at tho
stir and unlovey plates reproduced here 10 convince the
most unsked dresser Of their unadaptability London
can't help She generally gets her modes year or so
after have discarded them Here is a dreadful ques
ton TO decide Where until Paris Is rthabtatod arc
| our new fashions 10 come from
There is u somewha, amusing perplexity In society in
regard TO the two most prominent styles Of dress-the
dgned and elegant Grecian. with severe outlines and
heavy folds, and the airy uttcrng STYLE gay with rules
/ lIl.th
but distinct in impression that they require q
totally distinct manner. carriage OF the per-
son, and arrangement OF tho features Both
cannot rule in tho same wardrobe. without Infinite
trouble the part of the wardrobos owner After ac.
quiring through hard study the grave Indifferent some
what distracted manner bettng the majestic simplicity
OF tho Grecan STYLE 1t isnot easy slip the instant
into rayishing hprighlness, with the RULED gown.
Which mode Is TO reign prominent nobody tell.
Fashion has taken sensible and effective step during
tho last tw years-a step to which most physical no
formers surprisingly Indifferent Women no longer
lace themselves into deformy In their ancient dioto
manner content " leave their waists their el
egant natural outlines. pinched waist Is now an excep
ton in society, and ono which Is invariably sneered
Ct Another reform which IL sadly needed 1t Is probably
useless 20 hope for stout old John Knox and the voice
him being laid away forever. Never have evening
dresses been made up in more outrageousy deoOieie
style than now. Dresses have been worn
this Winter which would moro appropriately have
graoed South Sea Islanders than modest American
women. II Is time that maids ana matrons understood
that lovely figure the less lovely being deli
cately vailed aud that tho admiration excited by It's
Ridiculous exposure Ia the poorest OF compliments. There
contempt for woman after seeing her IN this sort OF
RsrD.