Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-19

WHAT WAS WORN BY WOMEN DURING
THE LAST CENTURY.

Undoubtedly there is much idle talk
about the wonderful extravaganza of ladies
of the present day. their pursuit of con-
stantly changing styles. and the luxuries
demanded by those who can. or think they
can, afford the expense. One would be
led to suppose, in the absence of knowl-
edge to the contrary, that these were
things of modern growth. But just look
at the "style" they used to put on in early
ages, and their enormous extravaganza.
We are told that the ladies of Lesbos
slept on roses whose perfume had been
artiicially heightened. And in those
times court maidens powdered their hair
with gold.
Marc Antony's daughter did not change
her dress hall dozen times day. as do
the Saratoga graces, but she made the
lampreys in her fish pond wear earrings.
The dresses of Lolita Paulina. the rival
of Aggripina, were valued at S2,664 ,4S0.
This did not include her jewels. She
wore at one supper 81, 1862. 800 worth of
Jewels, and it was plain citizens supper.
The luxury of Poppaa. beloved by Nero,
was equal to that of Lolita.
The women OF the Roman Empire in
dnlged in all sorts of Injuries and ex-
cesses. and these were revived under
Napoleon the First in France. Nine Tai
lien bathed herself in wash of strawbrr-
ries and raspbeiries, and had herself
rubbed down with sponges dipped in
milk and perfumes.
Ovid says that in his day girls were
taught to smile gracefully.
The beauties of ancient times were just
as vain as modern bellies, and spent the
greater part of the day at their toilet.
The use of cosmetics was universal among
them. Aspssia and Cleopatra (models of
female beauty, it is said) both used an
abundance of paint. and each wrote a
treatise on cosmetics. Cleopatra used
bears grease to keep her hair from fall
ing OF. Roman ladies were so careful of
their compilations that to protect them
they wore masks. The Athenian women
of antiquity were very studious of their
attitudes and actions, and thought hur-
red and sudden step sign of rusticlty.
We have certain styles of beauty now
adays; so had the Greeks. They went
wild over the ideal chin,' neither sharp
nor blunt. but gently undulating in its out
line, and losing itself gradually and al
most insensibly in the fulness of the neck.
The union of the two eyebrows was es-
teemed by the Romans as beauty. 1t is
said they admired the air of dignity it
gives to the face.
An Albanian belle of to-day presents
rather striking appearance. She is as
rule, coifed with seed pearls and coins,
and enveloped in black serge pelisse.
She uses paint on her face profusely, and
her taste runs to cherry lips and cheeks,
and jet-black eyebrows strongly drawn.
An Albanian bride discards paint for
while, and. if wealthy, wears
suit something like this: Rose
colored under-rsbles, with an over robe of
dark-green velvet. the idea being taken
from rosebud half opened in its leaves.
Thus arrayed, the girl of handsome fea-
lures is said to look really bewitching.
The Tartars despise prominent nasal
appendages, and the woman who has the
smallest nose is esteemed the most charm
ing, but to outside ba.barians she is a per-
feet fright.
The women of Split. in India. wear
tunics, and trowsers of wooden stpff, with
large boots. partly of leather. partly of
blanket, which come up to the knee and
which they are fond of taking off at any
time. In order to get greater warmth
they often put quantity of -four into
these boots beside their legs. Their taste
in regard to ornaments runs much to all
sorts of rings. including nose rings.
A typical woman in the interior of Afri.
ca is thus desc .ibed: ''lIer naked negro
skin was leathery. coarse and wrinkled /;
her figure was tottering and knock -kneed !;
her thin hair hung in greasy locks; on
her wrists and ankles she had almost an
arsenal of metal links of iron, brass and
copper, strong enough to bind prisoner
in his cell. About her neck were hanging
chains of iron. strips of leather. strings Of
wooden balls, and heaven knows what
more lumber. Boston World.