Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-11-10
Fall Fashions.

L! is fashionable now to stoop;
not mctaphorically but litetally.
The latest freak of Metropolitan
bellies is nothing less than TO curve
their spines aud droop their shout
ders until they look like hopeless
consumptives. A correspondent OF
the Syracuse Journal thus writes of
this idiotic fashion. The grand at
ternoon parade of the bellies on Fifth
avenue has begun. Seeing a num-
Der Of young women elegantly dress
cd, STOPPING over as though weak
chested, or chary of stepping on
their heels, l looked at them with
sympathy as they passed, but when
the number increased | asked the
meaning Of this peculiar bend,
or stoop of the bellies. Imagine
your correspondents surprise to
learn that it is the fashion for a
woman TO walk as though she was
crippled with age, round-shouldered
and has no chest to speak of in par
ticular. The whole weight OF the
body seems to be on the toes, and
it is distressing to see a pretty girl
make such deformity of herself. A
servants recent description of a
belle is az follows: "Well, ma'am,
| walked down Fifth avenue on
Sunday afternoon, and I saw some
fine young ladies that made me
sorry for them. Why, ma'am, l
think their spines are crooked.
the poor things; and one young la
dy in particular everybody was
looking at. She had on rich pur-
pie satin dress, but it was that
short you could see the tops of her
shoes, and her hat was purple satin,
too, and it just hung on the back Of
her head. Her elbows were stuck
out square, and her back bent over
so-and she was that hollow in the
chest that 1 could have cried for
her, But it was queer to see such
a handsome girl leading little yel-
low dog with black nose by pur-
pie ribbon ; and you will believe
me, ma'am, the dog had piece of
purple satin around its stomach just
the color of her dress, 1 suppose to
keep it warm" 1t is needless to
add that Bridget has recently come
from the old country, and her ideas
of fashions aud pug dogs are rather
mixed.
1t is natural for sheep to follow
leader. Why a sensible human be-
ing should develop the same tenden-
cy. is a mystery. 1t must be a
mild sort Of contagious lunacy, that
leads to the adoption of this
and other unbecoming absurdities.
One would suppose that the sight
of an erect and well formed woman
attitudinizing as a hump back, in
stead OF influencing others to imi-
tate her example, would make them
feel and act as though they had
swallowed ramrods.
Whoever first felt inspired to i'm
itate mans ugly attire for woman's
benefit, must congratulate them
selves on the success of listers,
.swallow-tail coats, Derby hats, and
other mannish garments. Certain
ly no one who has an eye for grace
and beauty can admire the ingenu-
ity which has succeeded in combin-
ing the ugliness Of mems and wo-
mems costumes.
Since womanly garb isstill fash
ionable, perhaps it is well to be
content, for what id;otic vagaries
and uncouthness may be in store
for us still, goodness only knows.
EIt is said that in Paris they have
gone back hundred years in styles.
They wear long peke bonnets, pro-
truding over the forehead. and filled
in with face trimming of flowers
Z ruching. They have returned
to the deeply-notched wide spread
collars and neck ruffles, the capes
and straight shirts Of the Incroya-
bles of 1880 On the skirts are
many ruf1es, and at the elbow dan
giles the gathered, pulled and lace
trimmed reticule of that period.
The old-fashioned straight mantle,
called the bonnie femme, is also re.
Vived, with a hood or comb, which
can be drawn over the head at pleas
urc, A modified form of these
quaint old fashions has fonnd favor