The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-05-29
Dress.

If Herbert Spencer's theory, that progress is from
the simple to the complex, is correct, the attire of
the average woman of to-day shows an amount Of
progress which ought TO, and doubtless would-as-
tonish Aspasia nightly. Man, however, reached
his climax some time ago, in the matter of costume.
Since Pepys confded to his diary the questions about
buckles and ribbons which vexed his soul, and Gold
smith was lodging the tailor who made him his be-
loved :" plumcolored velvet man has refrigerated
into sober, simple costume. 1t is, perhaps, regret
for his own vanished glories that induces him to re
gard women as unduly devoted to filings and fur
bellows. 1t is probable that Sir John Lubbock wrote
the sentence in which he stigmatises love of orna-
ment as one Of the chief characteristics of savagery
with sudued enjoyment, and that he should it to
Lady Lubbock--if such a person exists-with salts
faction and self-complacency. The weaker sex GER
tainly has not lacked advisers of either sex to show
it the errors of its way and its wardrobe. The re-
cent women's congress in Chicago discussed dress re-
form with destructive vigor. The foes Of the corset
maligned it by the hour and displayed their suspen-
ders as proofs of their emancipation from prejudice
and as foreshadowiDgs Of their coming to mans
whole estate. More than one physician, indeed, has
advised a compromise garb, halfway between the
styles now worn by the two sexes, and Lucca has
shown in her pages attire as Mignon, that such a
costume may be as dainty as heart could wish.
Such a sweeping change, however, must find footing
in the far future, if anywhere. Reform moves as
slowly in dress as in politics. Some English artists
Of high repute tried, some time since. to substitute
certain tasteful designs of their own for the seasons
fashion-plates, but the scheme did not succeed. The
famous art-frm with which William Morris is con-
nected is said to contemplate ornamenting the per-
son, but has not yet carried the design into effect.
One or two feminine artists in London have lately
done something in this way. NJ. Charles Blanc. the
brother Of the ex-reTolutionist has just published a
book on the art Of dress. The work shows the
French passion for generalization, as when NJ. Blanc
observes that bonnets are worn large " when religion
is the fashion, but it is full Of shrewd sayings.
The author discusses the color and form Of the
raiment Of each sex, and plays barber. shoemaker,
dressmaker, miliner, and tailor by turns. He OBJ
jects to the expanse of white linen revealed by a
That substitute is certainly not to be found in a vest
cut close 10 the throat. \ double-breasted vest i
the only semi-graceful form Of that ungraceful gar
ment, and that is too heavy to harmonise with
full dress, which, by an odd contradiction of terms,
must be lighter than half dress. \ ma1 bisected by
buttons from his waist to his neck is not a pleasing
object. NJ. Blanc puts his general theory into a nut
shell, thus SO Adornment should serve only to
make the woman thus adorned admired. Men often
say, We have seen some beautiful dresses All,
well, if the dainty dresses had been still more dainty,
they would say, We have seen some beautiful
women"