, 1885-03-17

London Standard
II there Is one locality more thm another
where the voice Of common sense Is never
listened to it Is that very extensive ona
where fashion reigns. Who ever thinks Of
listening to the suggestions Of the former
when the decree Of the potentato has gone
forthi Tight slesves for the ladies, and
tight combinations for the gentleman Is in
the fashion. Surprising the advocates OF
common sense protest, saying it Is imposi-
bic to move ones limbs in themi / cannot
bend the knee before the portrait of my
fondest hopes, says one; / cannot get the
hands to the back Of my head, says another,
which IL far moro important. And fashion
replies. / cannot satisfy all tastes My laws
are mostly made for the unrefiocting; IL you
reflect you never will be satisfied. That
which you complain Of now is only a tempo
rary Inconvenience; when l can no longer
tightcn in your limbs, sleeves AMI leggins
viii take such ample proportion, that the
real sizs Of an arm or leg will be a subject
for divination. Fashion has no respect Of
person; II high heels are introduced for the
the bsleht Of short people. low hesls arc
never introduced at the same time for people
who are already taller than they care TO be.
The lattor must wait their turn for the opp1-
sits fashion, and then unusually short psr-
sons have their boots made " order il they
wish to reach up to the elbow OF their supe-
riors in height, or submit TO be looked upon
as dwarfs by tall people, If they prefer to
keep in the fashion.
Fashion pretends to nave an eye for
beauty. II this be true, she enacts at least
that all her followers be modelled after the
same fashion. They must have heads and
faces OF a uniform size and shape, that the
hat or bonnst of the season may become
them all, and they must have a uniform tint
Of complexion, that the color n la mode may
suit it. Those who study fashion in dress at
the expense Of their personal comfort are
surely wanting in common sense, yet we
most Of US do 50, and it seems az though we
like doing so, since the fashionable and I'M
comfortable article IS preferred to the I'M
fashionable and comfortable one, though it
may cost more than double the price Of the
latter.
Common sense suggests that in hot
weather clothing for both sexes should DO
light In texture and color; but IL fashion or
dams that ladies' dresses be heavily
trimmed, and II she refuse 10 give her con-
sent to garments of a summary nature being
introduced for gentlemen, no one has the
courage to pay attention 10 personal com
fort When ladies' skirts are made so mar
row as to be inconvenient for walking and
liable to assist the wearer to an awkward
TALL IN descending from a carriage, or when
they are widened to a ludicrous width to adj
nit of -unmanageable c~rinoline, or
burdened with the useless trains TO be
d~raggled In the streets or trodden On
in the ballroom, who ever thinks Of
refusing to obey the nonsensical mandatei
Even the most obdurate end by giving in,
believing they are NOR o ridiculous to hold
out, than to stand alone with common sense.
Nothing, for instance, could indicate more
plainly the folly Of making long trained
dresses the fashion, than to see a yeaT on two
ago now the latter was necessarily punched
up in the most ungraceful manner, or the
wearer wa compelled TO have one hand al
ways engaged with holding up the super
haeus yard or two of stuff, making her in
variably wish that artificial hands had come
into fashion with the trains, to allow of her
using her natural ones in some more prodta-
Bile way.