The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-01-05
Desnotism Of Fashion.

An eminent English writer says that
Americans enjoy less real liberty, outside
Of political rights, than the people OF
any country in Europe. He says we
accept our fashions in everything from
Europe in q blind and slavish acquies-
cence in marked contrast with our leal-
pussy of political interference and des-
potism. Even in politics, he says, the
same disposition is apparent, for a third,
or independent party, is impossible. In
Germany and France there are many
parties, but in great, free America there
is only room for two. Independence in
thinking is rare, and more rarely takes
shape in action. The aesthetic craze has
not developed any American standard OF
taste. From somewhere comes periodi-
cally a decree in fashions, against which
no American woman dare to rebel.
However ill-suited to climate or COM
plexion, the style is memorable. The
contest is simply Is to precedence in
acuuiescence. No one dares to revolt.
Thus upon the American people are
forced fashions in dress for men, women
and children, house furnishings, and
even house architecture, often most pre-
posterous and barbarous. The cart
wheel style of bonnets occurs as one
of the denominations in dress, q
fragrant violation of good taste as well
as of the rights OF others in public
assemblages.
But somebody must originate these
never-ending novelties. Some brain
has been tortured somewhere to invent
something startling. The wonder is that
the decree is accepted SO uncomplain-
ingly. However preposterous or absurd,
there is no remedy. 1t Is this meek
subservience of Americans to the behests
of fashion which makes the birth<f57d
growth of any real standard of taste inn
possible. The spirit of discomfort and
rebellion must precede every successful
revolution. As in China, the inherited
| spirit of obedience stands squarely In
the way of every effort at progress.
| There was a people once who had, in
dress and architecture, a standard which
has passed unquestioned. It did not
| huctuate at the bidding of milliners OF
clothiers. It had a foundation below
thequestion of dollars and cents. Nothing
more plainly evidences our singular
| backwardness in some of the higher at
tributes of civilization than the feet that
we must dress at the dictation of some
imperious and invisible tyrant whose
exact location, tenure of office, or extent
of power no one knows. There are ma
tons yet which have a national costume
Any one who has ever attended a fair al
Buda-Pesth has seen men and women
from provinces dressed in most grotesque
outre fashion, but just as their ancestors
have dressed for ages. The effect il
striking, novel and sometimes beautiful
It is a question whether their never
changing fashion is more inimical to tht
growth of correct taste than our ever
changing styles. About as much liberty
and discretion is allowed in one as tn,
other. They accept their grandparents
clothes because they were the fashion
and we often do the same thing becaus'
they will be. The authority is equally
shadowy and doubtful in both cases. 4
woman on the Danube has no more no
ton of making a dress to suit her in
dividual taste and complexion, shape o
stature, differing from her set, than on
here. The goddess the.e is as fixed an,
changeless as Brahma. Here, like tn
Romans, we naturalize all the gods, n,
matter how inconsistent, only stipulatin,
that any new ones shall come in ik
acknowledgements Journal.