Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-11-15
Greek Women and Greek COSTUMES.

How picturesque are the costumes that
greet the eye! In Athens it is daily
more and more rare to meet with any
thing but the ordinary European dress;
in these. small towns the Inhabitants
preserve faithfully their old traditions.
Let US walk into the streets on Sunday
to see the Greek dress in its briliancy;
there is a variety and luxury perfectly
astonishing when it is considered that
all the riches of many lie in what they
wear. The fustanella, sort of white
cotton petticoat, fastened round the
waist in a thousand folds, is the same
for the palikari and the peasant, and is
unornamented. The belt, always of silk,
is wide and long, embroidered with gold.
The waistcoat is of the greatest variety,
of black velvet or any colored silk, with
round buttons to match, and braided in
the most fantastic patterns-as a wit
remarked, "a ball of string gone into
fits" A very short vest sometimes
leaves the neck open, or is fastened by a
double button. This is the richest part
of the costume the sides and back are
covered with embroidery of silk mingled
with gold and silver. In the dress of
some rich people the original stuff is
entirely hidden under mass of gold
braid, such an article costing about
seventy pounds, and wide open sleeves
also embroidered, show the silk shirt.
Caters fall over a patent-leather boot,
meeting the silk trousers below the knee,
where they are fastened by silk garters,
which are generally chef-d'euvre of
exquisite workmanship. The fez is the
headgear for all alike, only varying in
the richness of the black, blue, or gold
tassel, sometimes fastened by diamond
clasp. Few women have preserved
Greek attire; they have bowed down to
4 the fashions of Paris in most of the
towns, but at Delphi and around Mount
Parnassus some peasants retain the dis
! finctive character. Richer even IN orna-
ment than those of their husbands,
they are family. treasure, transmitted
/ from generation to generation: Inc
young women, with the long plMts OF
| black hair falling over their shoulders,
| sdorn Themselves on the days of great
I RELIGIOUS solennity. At the occasion Of
/ a marriage a very long silk chemise is
/ bound round the waist with belt and
silver clasp; the mantle, open in front,
| falls straight down without sleeves,
| showing the neck; and bright-colC.2
apron descends to the ankle. Buckles
| of precious stones or chased metal and
other rich ornaments fasten the chemise
whilst necklaces of antique coins orna-
ment the neck, the brow, and the hair,
| fastening back an exquisitely embroid-
| cred veil. Much has been said in praise
of Grecian beauty, and the men are
| handsome in every sense of the word ;
we might well imagine them to have
been the models of Phidian and Prax-
iteles. Their large eyes, black as jet,
sparkle With glances Of fire, whilst the
long silky eyelashes soften the express
sion and give dreamy appearance OF
melancholy. Their teeth are small,
white, and well set; fine, regular pro
file, a pale. olive complexion, and tan,
elegant figure realize an accomplished
| TYNE of distinction As to the women,
| they seem to have left physical periee-
ton to the men some possess tne eyes
and hair, but as a rule they have bad
| figures, and some defect in the face
/ generally spoils the good features. 1t is
among them, however, that the old
] Oriental customs are most strictly pre-
served whilst the men are gradually
undergoing the process of civilization.
they in a moral point of view remain
stationary, and are just as they were
fifty years ago.
ExrRAvAeAxcE.-The Virginia Enter
prise says; extravaganza is the cause