The Portland daily press., 1877-11-28
The Gown OF Our Sisters.

Preacher and satirist have felt 1t duty in
all times to rail at women's gowns. Laugh
ter at feminine folly in dress is one of the
stock jokes of the world. Sometimes the
rebuke has been just, the jest witty; for we
must all admit there have been instances in
which the dress Of women was as hideous as
That OF men. But jest and rebuke never had
less point than now, for the garb of our sis
ters is well-nigh perfection, wanting nothing
art and little in convenience. The para
graphers OF the newspapers, always in eager
hunt OF matter for gibes, turn aside now and
then from the contemplation of stove-pipes,
and hens, and police trials and mothers-in-
law, and let 60 their shafts at gowns; bat
these archers of folly, as often before. shoot
wide OF the mark, and wing a fieeting fash
ion whose wisdom if not the reason Of its
being, is its ample justification; could they
but cripple it with their arrows so it might
not futter away they would be doing real
service. Even their forced laugh is mostly at
the extravagances which disfgure a good
thing.
Within human recollection-the far-away
Greek time we unduly exalt not excepted
there never has been period when the dress
OF woman was so beautiful and 80 great an
aid to beauty as it is to-day. 1t contains SO
little from sun-shade to boot-heel, that is
absurd, so much from hat to hose that is
beautiful, that admiring man ought in some
signal way to testify his gratitude to its fash
ioner.
The "Princesse'' dress, as they call it, is
work of art. 1t is simple, sensible, artistic.
Lightness, convenience, simplicity, grace, are
its characteristics. 1t permits the wide
choice in color and material which suits it TO
all kinds of women. Any woman of taste,
and who understands her own capabilities,
can in the present fashion dress well, eco
nomically and becomingy. The gown Is in
thorough accord with the canons of art. 1t
strengthens the form instead of-as has not
intrequently been the case weakening 1t.
Like all pure decoration it emphasizes the
object decorated. Following the natural
lines OF woman's figure, displ aging the
clear line of the hip, falling in at the knees
where the figure narrows, and widening q
tri1e below as it should, it is in entire con-
sonance with the laws of drapery. 1t indi-
Gates the form which has too long been con-
cealed under heavy..and oftentimes tasteless OF
disfiguring toggery. Now, the first time for
years, the contour Of the form has chance
to assert itself. The much-ridlculed 'pull-
back" is an artistic inspiration. 1t recognizes
the law that the back is the proper place for
the length and fullnes of the skirt to manifest
themselves. Of course the fashion may be
carried to an extreme, and women may pinion
their knees, and choke themselves with high
collars and drag ragged and dirty trains about
the streets. But these are abuses of a good
thing for which it is net to blame. The great
objection to the train-which so increases
height and grace of movement-has been the
street-dragging. That is obviated by the
loop woman carry ontheir finger, which not
only lifts the skirt from the dust but also
when iudclously managed gives glimpses of
bright color in hose and petticoat.
AS with the gown so with the rest of femi-
nine attire so far as it is apparent. Hats are
of SO multiform shapes that they set off to
advantage any face. Wrappings are so con-
trived that at will they indicate the beauties
of the form or conceal its defects. Qndeed
this quality of judicious suppression inheres
in the whole outfit). For the first time
women are well-shod. At the opposite ex-
treme, in the dressing of the hair, SO much
latitude is allowed no head need appear other
wise than well-shaped. Ii we could only sue
ceed in clipping the wings of leeting fashion
or in inducing her to fold them for century
or two! but that is impossible. Ere long the
"Princesse" dress will be but memory, to
be cIassed with other things too beautiful to
last.