Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-27
what should and what should NOT
Man NKnwnn

A&% ~ OAA
Editor Morsiaq Meas: To a person en-
dowed by Nature with the faintest glim-
mering of taste, not to mention that most
uncommon of all of her gifts, common
sense, a walk of few blocks on any of our
fashionable promenades viii furnish, in the
contemplation of the vagaries Of fashion,
food for reflection and wonder.
That a woman should want to take ad-
vantage of every art OF the milliner and
dressmaker to aid her in looking her very
best is very natural, aud that she should
dislike to appear old fashioned or behind
the times is also very natural; but that a
sensible woman, in her blind following of
fashion, should violate every rule of good
taste and the "eternal fitness of things, !"
and make guy of herself simply because
it is fashionable, is beyond the average
comprehension.
In fashioning the beautiful fabrics which
are displayed SO temptingly in our leading
dry goods stores, and which with few ex-
ceptions are studies in shade and texture,
1t would seem that those who profess to be
artists in their manufacture into ''things of
beauty" would, while studying to suit the
stature and coloring of their customers, try
also to forget what was fashion, able in their
aim after the beautiful and graceful; and
the wonder is that among the hundreds of
women OF good taste, whose beauty of face
and figure would fit them for leaders rather
than followers of fashion, there are not a
few with independence enough to select
from the styles as they change, those only
that were becoming and beautiful, aud firm
lV reject those whose only attraction seemed
to be that they bordered on the absurd or
iBdelicate.
To one like myself, who is not initiated
into the why's and wherefores, and whose
only standard Of taste is what is sensible,
modest and beautiful, 'bustle'' is defor-
nifty and vulgari'y. A hoopskirt is one
Of the relics of barbarsm, which should
have gone out of fashion along with tattoo
ing and the nose ring; and the last extrava-
gance in "bangs" is excusable only in an
unkempt skye-terrier.
The ulster and Derby hat, while sensible
when worn for use by those whose business
calls them out of doors in all kinds of
weather, are absurd when worn on all occa-
sions, and are certainly very ungraceful.
The jacket, collar, hat and boots Of few
| years ago were too masculine TO be pretty,
and were suggestive of a harsh voice,
slight mustsche and desire to vote, and
were the height OF bad taste.
now and then reign for a season and then
| are deposed that deserve for their beauty to
reign perpetuallY; that do not shock our
sensibilities, but are linked by association
to those lands and those times that painter
| and poet have thrown halo round by their
| delineadons and their songs.
The graceful, simple skirt, whose cling
ing folds suggested rather than disclosed
the beauty of the figure; the neat compact
couture, giving a well-defned profile like
finely cut cameo, are beautiful by associa-
ton with the peerless danes of Greece and
Troy, and are hallowed by the lofty virtue
Of Rome's fair daughters.
What boon to womankind IL common
sense, good taste, and desire for what is
modest, graceful aud beautiful, should
combine to create a standard of taste, and
to put its ban upon it's fragrant violation In
the creation of fashionable monstrosities,
that would, while allowing a wide range to
suit the tastes and fancies of all, restrict
their vagaries within modest and decorous
grounds. "HUGH LONG,"
December, 1881.