The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-05-31
English and American Ladies' Dress.

Mrs. Scott.Siddons is quoted rs hav-
ing sad: "An American servant will
tie on her veil in n natty, graceful way
that an English duchess knows nothing
about" Mrs Siddons will not be charged
with an over-sirained regard for the
Yankee, or wish TO favor them ut the
expense oil her own countrywomen. In
thus placing the servant and the duchess
in contrast she was simply emphasizing
a truism which was less fact at that
time than it is at the present hour For
among all civilized people the English
women nre the most addressed, and
seem to lack the natural gifts, the self
reliance and ability OF choice and seec-
tion which are the inborn attributed Of
American women. An English nursery
set off against nursery in this country
may be taken as type in miniature Of
the taste in dress and all that the term
involves Of the differences which charac-
terizes the women of the two nations.
In this country little girls find constant
satisfaction and congenial employment
in arranging and adorning their dolls
apparel. Left to their own intuitions,
and hamperod by little or no pupilage
from their elders, it must be owned that
the taste and ingenuity which they dis
play are often simply wonderful. An
English lady who passed thirty years Of
her life in her native land, and who liNs
lived in this city half of that time, once
said:-"The homes Of American girls,
SO far as | am familiar with them, are
schools of art in dress adornment, and
whether their taste and skill are natural
gifts, or acquired by observation, do
not pretend to say, but there is nothing
to compare with it in our homes in Eng
land" Consistent with this admission
IL the almost universal tone of the
English press and of most travellers who
visit our shores from other lands. That
English women study comfort and
provide themselves with rich fabrics and
costly adomment in dress is past dis
pute. A dowager or duchess arrayed in
gorgeous silk, satin or velvet attire,
with the complement Of green gloves
and yellow ribbons, and shod with
broad, heavy, loose.iitting boots, is
hardly pleasant, though it is II con
stantly recurring, picture of taste in
dress among the wealthy classes in Eng
lish life. Ii the wearer has any idea O
the contrast of colors, any perception o
the shocking incongruities which the
tout ensemble Of her costume presents
to cultivated eye, nothing is seen of il
in the ease and self-satisfaction of hel
demeanor. While the fact remains that
American women are the best dressed
ladies' in the world, it is also to be re-
mrmbered that while they, with a vas
majority of their sex, yield to tho cur
rent of prevalent fashion, it 10 not {
blind or slavish submission they thinl
for themselves, and stoulty, on occa
sion, assert their own individuality, an,
refuse TO succumb to the dictates O
fashion, modiste or millincr. lhei
natural or cultivated good taste, whicl
includes the lines of beauty, which Mr.
Beecher made himself merry over re
Gently, is generally all-suilicient in doub
and emergency. Their GLORY" is t
dress tastefully and becomingly. Thei
"hallejuah is the acclaim Of sue
cessfully consummated purpose. Net
York Evening Post.