National Republican., 1873-11-20
Modern Dress.
fIfarps r,a Rsz.rl

When we see Nilsson and Kellogg acting
Margaret In the simplest, finest muslin or
Grape, whose white folds fall and sweep with
statuesque grace, we are charmed with the
garb, and would fain dispense with panies
and rufisgs aud doublings. but presently q
lady appears In the drawing-room splendid
with sheen Of satin, the fairy frost work Of
lace, the white rcpose Of pearls, or the dazzle
OF diamonds; the little country girl fits
among her flowers, fresh as they, with the
morning red upon her checks, the heavens
blue in her eyes, and every seam Of her cam
brio gown and every puff of her luttering
ribbons modelled upon the last fashion plate,
and at once the ancients go down before the
moderns. The flowing lines of Grape and
muslin, you say, may answer for the stage
have answered well for Helen, with maiden
to every fold, for Aspasla enhancing the
youths and philosophers of Athens; but they
would faro but hardly In the scrimmnge Of
modern life, in the daylight of gardens or
the glitter OF evening splendors. We cnn
hardly and words strong enough 70 express,
modern dress. Our ladies would be dis
gusted, says the fashion donouneer, to see
their Venus, their Psyche, their Clytle,
tricked out In nineteenth century corsage.
But no more, l imagine, than would the
critics to see the nineteenth century ladies
dressed In Venus's array. Clytle's mantua
making Is perfectly hygienic, but her loose
robe,
.slipplng down, leaves bare
Her bright breast, shortening into slghs."
Yet Clytle followed the fashions OF her day
and sinned not, and Anna Maria follows the
fashions Of her day, "close-buttoncd to the
chin" with equal innocence. II the close
t.t n II Ia. L. aI.I.N N..I 7.
be clumsy and uncomfortable, pinching here
and bagging there, and then II Is trial to
health aud temper. But the master of arts
among dressmakors knows that dress. TOO
tight Is mlsfit; that to be perfect II must be
comfortable. The really elegant dress nd
mits full play Of oil the muscles that woman
has any occasion to use while she Is wearing
1t. And surely the American woman Of our
age would be no better equipped for her work
by adopting the costume OF Helen. 1t Is to
be said, moreover, that in our day fashion
Is to the last degree accommodating. II one
has constitutional objections to the plain
waist the polonaisc Is ready, with every de-
gree Of fullness. II corsets are repugnant
they can be dispensed with, and no one be
the wiser but the dispenser. IL skirts are too
long, what doth hinder that they be short
snedl II they ought to hang from the
shoulders, go hang them.
None OF these things move the world from
Its equipolse. One eau accomplish them all
and yet live and move and have her being
without rebuke-nay, even eyithout notice
from fashion. Some Of our prophets predict
Q return to the sandal Of antiquity, and, II
fashion were matter Of will, we might per-
haps advocate o change. II sandals could 10
so arranged as TO keep the feet warm and dry
In winter, they would DO cool and charming
In summer, and neat and pleasant all the
year round to the foot, which they would
protect without combining. But our various
little side issues Of foot drawings and broad
soles avail but little. In shoes, as In gowns,
neither the large nor the small has any ad-
vantage; but the shoe that fits You is the
right shoe. You make much ado with models
and measurements, and after weeks Of wait
ing are put to pedal torture. You step Into
the next shoe shop, and In ten minutes are
shod with supplcuess and strength.