Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-12

most amusing accounts are given OF the new
craze which has seized on certain section Of
London society. It seems, for some time past,
sundry young men and women have betaken
themselves to the showing OF their shapes
as JACK Tar calls 1t, In the most fantaStlca
costumes OF the medieval ages, and playing
such tricks before high heaven as make the
angels weep. The women exhibit them selves
In tiyht-f1ttiDg garments. devoid OF all shape
and color, clinging to the form and showing
the contour OF the figure with quite as much
precision as the feshfngs OF the ballet girl;
the hair cut short and frizzed over the eyes
and dyed OF deep orange brown; the throat
encircied by double row OF large amber
beads, fIom which depends medieval orna-
ment; and a 1ooking-glass hanging TO the
side. as In the pictures OF the Venetian ladies'
by Paul feronese. The female aesthetic Is tn
general sallow and half starved, wee BECOME
In expression, dry-Hpped, and always looking
less raiment as beheld in the pre- X appetite pic
tures-olfve- green skirt, long and trailing on
the ground, but so tight as TO show the angles
OF the knee joints wbe& she Is seated; the bodice
is OF deep, dull, orange color, laced with the
palest blue; the sleeves. tight-ftting TO the Ell
bow, hang to the feet, ano are made OF differ
ent color and material to the rest OF the attire
pale, Gfm lawn color Is Ia general most pa
tronized, aud is lined with the browniSh green
seldom beheld In nature save on the back OF
toad.
the beautiful asthete has in general a dizzy
look, which is attributed to the efforts made o
attain to that dizziness OF coloring 10 which
alone resides perfection, according TO her ideas,
and which In some cases has to be procured by
artificial means. She signs and looks vacantly
around from beneath the shock Of StiH, frfzZled
hair, dyed OF a reddish brown, according to the
law she has made unto herself OF having no de-
fned color on any portion OF her frame. She
scarce can open her lips to speak, SO tightly are
they pressed together, ana never smll 3s save
when the maid aesthetic approaches. and then
they whisper together, and sometimes disap-
pear locked arm and arm toward the supper
ROOM where they are not more backward than
the vulgar herd in their enjoyment OF the crea-
ture comforts provided.
But While the female aesthetic Is simply ridc-
ulous, the male of the species is absolutely
offensive. He ltsps and ambles: bis locks How
uncomned over his collar, but, when no one is
by, he is not above Investigating the contents
OF tankard OF Bass ale OF which he partakes
freely. He generally carries an artificial lily in
his hand, at which he Suits pathetically
now and then. He has been caricatured unmer-
cifully In the illustrated newspapers and even
on the STAGE but he needs 1t not. He goes on
llsping and shifting. well aware that his new
method Of getting into notice and emerging
from the ranks OF obScurity to which his own
iDcapactty has hitherto confined him Is the
easiest and cheapest OF all. To show the extent
10 which the n5thete5 have encroached upon
the domains OF common sense and propriety,
it 1s only necessary to mention one or two of
the vagaries to which they have given vent OF
late.
A lady OF high repute and much beloved and
respected, but who has gone in for the aesthetic
phase, determined to act up to the character
sOe hau assumed, and at Solree given at her
house, after having treated her friends to a few
| melodiouS tWangs upon the ancient Tyre kept
| 10 her husbands studio to assist him In paint
| Ing his antique groups, she disappeared from
| the room. Presently she returned with a cryS.
! tai platter on which was an antique goblet
turned upside down. Going round to each
| guest, she whispered In hollow tone. ''Suppel
| Is ready" at which announcement the guest
| who accepted the invitation to descend to the
! supper. room was expected to turn the goblet
| The male aesthetic, on his side. keeps a taper
| burning before the portrait Of the lady who
| pleases him best; never owns his love, but goes
p1ng at the same time. with the most self-satis
| fled calm Imaginable. An effort is now being
made by the leaders OF fashion to crush this al.
| recitation, which Is enervattng the youth o,
both sexes and converting some of the salons
| OF London into the semblance OF the moItuary
! chapels OF the Campo SantO at Pisa.