Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-01
THE OLDEN TIME.
Hair Powder and Wigs and Patches
How Fashion used 10 Torture
her VOtartes.

How Fashion used 10 Torture
her VOtartes.
The st. Paurs Magazine of Londor
has an article on this subject, from
which we extract as follows:
No doubt hair powder and wigs were
carried ultimately to great success, both
as regards uncleanliness and extrava
qance of arrangement. The hair, from
being simply and tastefully arranged,
rose into mountains of wools, pomsdes
and meal; there is no question that
through the extra and increasing diff
guilty of erecting them, as well as the
vense of hair dressing, ladies fire.
eAi tly combed and brushed their hair
SSt SusS, ~, ,e in eight or even eleven weeks,
.IaaOnr ~. O in oalashes or caps large
s,eep,bt sneagb 4, contain the greasy piles, and
enVJ" On ~ owe of balls scarcely at all, for in
yn IN 'se season The manifold engagements
ns' sse ,ss 0 hs;r dresser made it necessary to
~, ~ s,ioy r5o him days before the event, II
not;oc had not been sent him sufficiently
asrly for him to appoint later date.
The horrible results Of these habits may
be better imagined than described. :,
For all that, let it be rremenbereo'
there is nothing in the world SO 6ecom,
ing as gray hair powder, both TO oid ano
yn1pp. 1t softens the whole lace, gives
a strange brilliaGcy to the eyes and com,
,olexion and makes the eyebrows and
evelasbes much darker than they really
are These considerations probably ac-
count for the length OF time during
--L;ob "A continued in fashion.
: There is another fashion which has
generally gone hand-in-hand with hair
1owder. and which came in vogue du-
ring the reign of Charles l., and contin'
ued up to the beginning OF the last cen
tury. The patch, as 1t came nrst IN
was one of the most harmless and effect'
/ i've aids to beauty ever invented. 1t was
but a tiny. mole-like spot of black velvet
or silk. which was used to draw atten,
tion 10 some particular feature, as well
ms 20 enhance, by contrast, the fairness
Of the cheek. Thus, if girl were con-
scious of a pretty dimple in her chin, OF
! of long eyebrows; if her forehead formed
the best feature of her face, or her
mouth. she cunniugly placed the little
match near it, and, consequently, every
time YOU lOOAeQ dt uctf gOuA ~
seusibly drawn by the patch to the best
feature, so that you partly forgot any
less handsome detail. To the aeeus-
toned eve. the patch gives singular
6n;sb 10 the toilet, like the seal on a letter
A. the frame 10 a picture. Yeu see the gray
nowdered curls and the bright eyes, and
tba low. luxurious bodice, and the ribbon
noolIst around the throat; and, if the
nstcb be absent, Il IS instantly missed,
and the whole toilet seems incomplete
1 This crafty little piece Of vanity was al
terward rnlgarized, Of course, and the
tiny round spot was transformed into
ssaf o. crescent that increased in sac
multiplied in number; blind vanity
SoTrot s that in trying to draw W. attention. s.a ..
70 al ne -op.: and later on. il ran into
tent tenilOn u, % oh.r. 4 extreme that ships, char
;o.s ;1en .,s ~ 1f Sorses bod other devices y
SIses Ne EIs PAPER, began % dissEnrs the a. is
male vissge, and At i.st ~ - -.