The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-04-01
rno EeIucatfon Of Fashion-Its Rela-
A"e ton 10 social ImmOralities.

N 4 = = \
The votaries Of the nckie eouoesS should
have thronged the lecture,rooln OF the Con-
gfegationai churcn On , oa.uluay =. III. 70
hear Mrs. Chandeliers delinea.ion OF what
fashion has done and IS dong ior american
women, but they didn't. A numoer OF
sensible wives and motheIs were there,
however. The lecturer SAID:
The love OF beauty Is inhate IN the hu.
man soul. and it is not true that the mad
devotion OF women 70 oress Is the result
of personal vanity alone, or even chiefly.
1t is a blind, often grotesque reacning after
beauty.
But women sadly, fatally err IN not TAX
ing the work Of the Divine Architect for
their model. Nature clearly indicates,
in the form Of q woman, in healthful re-
quirements, IN climate, temperature, IN
sides, what ralment she desires her daugh-
tiers to wear. Our denaturalized, deformed,
deprayed tastes render US an easy prey to
the tricks of the tradesmen OIL both sides
of the water. Suppose our dwellings to
be constructed upon model planned
across the ocean, without reference to our
climate, our American modes of living,
our physical demands, our means, our
health or our comfort. Yet that is the stu
MD way in which we are led in that which
comes nearer to US than our houses--the
dress we wear.
Our grandmothers have injured this
whole generation with their broad-board
corset. and we, already diseased from many
other causes beside, and lacking their
plumpness and beauty, are completing the
wreck by binding and pinching and press
ing and padding until.the woman who retires
at night is SO unlike the one who walked
by day that we need not wonder the bride
groom. frightened by the dissolving view,
does not know which is the bride, the
clothes or the woman. The dress Of the
Friends is simple enough, but proves to be
neither economical nor convenient. The
primitive Methodist dress, designed to- be
repulsiye. died out for lack of beauty.
When man was recognized as creator of
the child. master of the woman, and dis
poser Of the daughter, he arrayed him.
self accordingly in gorgeous apparel; but
with the partial elevation Of woman, his
pride has taken a new departure, and the
average American man now takes pride in
the dress of his wife. While he consults
freedom, ease, convenience, and health in
his own dress. he is glad to know that his
wife and daughters represent his resources
in their wardrobe. And thus in many
households one man supports several strong
women. whose lives are history of wasted
time. wasted strength. wasted money. and
wasted opportunities. and the recording
angel weens over the wrecked household.
Emily faithful saws the larger number
Of those who come to her in extreme des-
st;tnt,on far assistance To obtain emnlov-
ment are widows and daughters of clerey-
men and Other. men Of moderate income.
who have been accustomed to being sun
ported. and have never learned any means
whatever for earning. accumulating. in-
yesting or saving. Philanthropic women
in our own country give the same testi.
mony. II is but a step from helpless des-
titution to hopeless degradation. Women
in this republic have established caste
in dress which makes a Young woman
whose father has an income of al 800 feel
that she must compete with the Young
lady whose father has sl5. 900 DER annun'
and the girl who earns s5 a week must in
all respects keen pace with the one who
receives sl5 week. FF
The demands Of fashion are more impera-
tive than he demands Of virtue. and 4 Young
LADY feels more diseraced bv an nnfashione
able carment than Nv soiled nnder-cloth;np
or diiapidated morals. Grinder & Co
willing to swell the list of lost sheen. offer
a young LADY, SO week for constant labor
and when she states that it is impossible to
even purchase food and shelter for that