Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-05-13
FASHION OF DRESS.

] 50
} originated the first form of dress
Though they do hot seem to have used
/ this material long. but thrown upon
! their own Judgments. they soon dis
! covered more pleasant and agreeable
article of dress in the skins of wild
! beasts. These were introduced, which
I We're the only mate rails used for many
I years. so long as man remained in
/ ignorance and depended solely upon
( the spontaneous productions of the
earth for his subsistence, all his habits
! OF life remained uncuitivated; but
when be began to realize his position
in nature, and sCrOye TO place himself
in position OF honor and respectable
/ ty, his modes of life were affected by
similar changes. Nothing has been
more subject to change than the habits
OF dress. III all countries, whore ad-
vancements have been made civili-
cation. this has been the leading fea-
turc. The various articles OF clothing
| have, from the earliest ages, formed
| tie principal manufactures OF every
country, skill and industry in which
carried to a certain extent, mark be-
! yOnI almost any other circumstances.
The advance of IA people in art and civ
Z iHZati9n." Among savages and wall
deTing tribes the same materials and
fashions have existed for many sue
cessive wears the same though almost
every tribe or race has its peculiar
style. The Uncivii;Zed and uututored
nations are particularly fond OF bright
and giaring colurS, and adOrn them
selves in costumes of the most attrac-
tive and varied cOlors. The inhabi-
tants of the colder climates have from
/ the earliest, even to the present day, !
used the skins ofanimals for dressing.
I These being used more for the purpose
( of comfort than adjournment have Suf- |
! fered little change (; but those of the |
warmer climates have sought their !
dress from materials more in harmony |
with the temperature and thus have !
been introduced the many fabrics Of
present merchandise. Linen ii seems |
was the first material used for the pnr- |
pose. II " as first used by the Egyp-
tians, and OF various shades and cO!Ors. /
Garments were first made without any !
reference TO sex; al, both men and |
women, wearing the gown fastened !
with q girdle round The waist. How !
ever small distinctions were made from /
time to time Till the present fashions |
were brought forth. For several cen |
turtles every are seems to have had its |
peculiar styles OF dress Especially |
from the eleventh or twelfth century |
do we find these changes more hume |
rous. The fashions up To the 18th !
century were rather foppish in their |
appearances, though SAYS an eminent !
author, Whatever may have been |
the fopI cry of the Is and II centuries, |
they appear to have been eXcellcd by |
= l. y,f, n
century, when it was difficult by dress |
to distinguish one sex from the other"
The 18th was the most remarkable for |
costly costumes, for in this age the |
common phrase or a man wearing Lis !
estate upon his Lack could have been |
very cas- V and approximately applied. |
Ia the lSth century the styles Uf dress I
began to resemble those Of The pres
ent The nineteenth century has been
remarkable for many changes in the
fashions of dress. Not only has one
portion of the dress been changed, but
all have alike been under the same
laws OF mutation When we Of the
present day look back few years we
look upon the fashions with derision,
and pronounce them disgusting; but
how mach better are we. and EoW
much more are the costumes of few
centuries back to be derided than those
Of the present. They, from scarcity
! of materials. consumed as little as pos
/ sible: while we who live i'm an aye of
greater abundance use our means in
great eXir ivagance for articles of dress,
Formerly the skirt of a lady's dress
was plain and simple, and contained
not more than from three to four ards
of cloth, Now twelve, and even tif-
teen scarcely suffice the purpose. For
mcrlv the hats, or bonnets were simple
and cheap, made for comfort and real
benefit now hat may he defined aS
( being composed of small piece of
pastehoard Every small at that or
! few straws thrown loosely together,
! surrounded and covered with ribbons
and artificial flowers, and adorned |
with the tail-feathers of some old la
! dY's game-cOck In fact, il resembles |
more the work Of children than Of
| intcIIec ual women. The hair which
was once tucked neatly behind the
/ head or allowed to flow loosely, is now
/ drawn upon the top of the Uranium,
/ and there, 10y the addition of switch |
esq ami large rolls OF bark, is fixed in
to a bundle of tremendous magnitude
which calls forth the sympathy OF all
observers, and makes them wish to as
sist them with their burdens. In fact
! the belle of the present day-dressed
in the height Of fashion-pTesents an
! appearance really ridiculous and |
amusing. See her as she stands aitir !
ed in her richest apparel. half bent
from what cause we ali know her
saueer-shapcd bonnet hidden in the
folds Of large roll of mohair. or
! placed high above it ali; standing in
Shoes with heels not larger than a
! three cent piece, Snd placed in the
middle of the foot, and say she
does not present an object of pity.
Though the ladies are, by no means
alone in their desire to establish and
follow new fashions, the men of
the age seem 10 partake of the
same spirit. The coats worn bv
the gentry of the present day are hard
to describe. They are neither the
frock, the pigeon tail, the sack, the
roundabout, or the Jacket but a singu-
lar combinations of the whole. The
pants, we'll how shall describe them?
They are cut large no where at all but
small ali over, 50 that person dressed
in them looks like a furnace OF some
! kind was necessary 10 his entering
! therein. And When he gets his
! Hqht goods on. Oh don't he cut
! swell" But ] dpsist, do not suppose
/ this able ~ article viii ever have any
/ effect upon the world. Fashions viii
he fashions, say what yeu please, do
what you viii, and people will always
( follow them. And | say let 'em rip,
I if fellow has the money.
Respectfully.
/ JUNIOR.
Er7OyD R,ipaer