River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-08-22
The Dress of Women.

Important rumors come from Paris that
before the cold weather is upon us we shall
be gratifed or irritated by essential changes
in the shape of gowns for women. For long
ime now the dress has been worn very tight
and it cannot be denied that to all good emil
nine figures at least, such garment is more
becoming than some of the styles it replaced,
and, inasmuch as it partially serves the ends
of both beauty and util y, it seems pitt to
discardI it, unless something very much
better is substituted. The rumors are to the
effect that the panier worn in the time OF
Marie Antoinette, and which causes far
from graceful enlargement at each side of
the hips, is to be evolved for modern use.
There may be no foundation for the rumors
which so agtate the world of mantuamakers,
or, rather, which fashion reporters represent
as occupying the thoughts Of the beautiful
craft at whose head the great Worth Stands,
but they are significant as showing the ''tyran
ny of fashisn,p about which a writer in the
Co,uhW Magazine troubles herself, and at
which social satirists and social reformers
have so long beaten that it has become pretty
threadbare. But the English essayist says
some things worth listening to. Her pur-
pose is to inquire whether the civilized world
cannot by some gigantic struggle and COM
mon protest release itself from the thraldom
of modern fashion, and obtain degree of the
quiet and fixity in the matter of costume
which has blessed or cursed the Chinese for
thousand years. She seeks for "some peace
full haven, safe from the ceaseless perturba-
lions of this disturbing influence, in which
those may find rest who are now dragged re-
luctantly with the current of fashion, or for
such as affecting to defy it, arc wallowing
helplessly in the trough of dowdyism."
Countless shiftings in the form of the
clothes of men being incompatible with the
grave concerns of life, the masculine fash
ions now change but little, and a coat, pro-
vided it is not too much injured by use,
may be worn for years. The alterations in
its shape are trifing, and man need not
make himself an object of remark by neg
lecting to keep up with them. If he wishes
to dress of an evening, there is only one sort
of suit for him to wear, and he may endue
himself in the same garments just so long
as they do not present shabby appearance.
The costume is not very expensive, 1t is
easily put on, it is invariable, and may be
worn for great length of time without CIV
ing him look Of oddly, something offensive
to the ordinary m sdern idea. Once he has
arrayed his manly form in black swallow
tail coat, black trousers and waistcoat,
clean shirt, properly blackened boots, and
white cravat, he is dressed for any society,
and looks as well as the next MN, provided
nature has gifted him with figure on which
the tailor can make clothes hang EFFECTIVELY.
And even if he is a rawboned and awkwardly
built person, he gets on well enough, and
has no occasion to trouble himself about his
garments.
But how can women, of whose attention
and money so large part Is spent on tie
mere fashioning of clothes, be relieved from
the oppression which now weighs so beay
lily on them? This is a question asked by
the writer in the CornhdI Reriesc aud her
answer is that the harbor Of refuge to be
provided one day for that cultured elite smong
women who are beginning to feel the tyran-
ny of fashion intolerable, must be one from
which beauty is not banished. but where, on
the contrary. it finds its securest anchorage
in use" That is, when women have once
found fashion Of dress that is becoming to
them, they must, if they would be free,
stick to il, in spite of Worth and his |
satellites, and content themselves with such |
changes of color and ornament as their indi-
vidual taste prompts.
The cost of woman's dress, as regulated by |
tryannous fashion, has in truth, become very |
1nerous No lady who has not good deal /
money to expend on her clothes can now
afford to 90 into fashionable society with any |
-eq u ency. while man can put in an appear
nee at balls, parties, dinners, and receptions
isily and nightly without heavily intrenehing
IN comparatively small income. Yet Wo-
men are now andmust always remain the een.i