Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-17
WHERE FASHIONS COME FROM.
The People who set the style for
the Rest of the World.

"Don't try to reason logically about
fashion," said a dainty little milliner,
shaking her head disconsolately, as she
reviewed the latest pattern-plates, ana
irowned as they failed to meet her ap-
prevail; for of all illogical and unreasonable
laws. those which govern fashion are
positively the worst. Perhaps you
imagine that the various styles winch
invade the ladies of to-day are
the result of carefully considered
experiments, or that meetings are held
and certain fashions unanimously de-
clared desirable. You make a great mis-,
take. Such is not the case. Nearly all
the fashions which have become popular
in civilized countries have simply been
the result of accident. | am not exagger-
ating. Let me give you illustrations. In
France the beautiful Ferreniere was once
I grieve to say it-smoking cigarette.
She was not accustomed to indulge in
that habit, you may be surprised to hear,
and met with a slight accident. She re-
moved the cigarette from her mouth,
held it between her fingers, forgot pre-
sumably that it was there, was about to
rest her forehead on her hand,
when the lighted end of the
cigarette came i'm contact with her
brow and burned it, 1t made an
ugly scar Do you think that worried
her? Not bit OF it. The next day she
covered the scar with jewel, and the
next day every lady OF the court who
valued her reputation as a society star
wore a similar jewel on her forehead.
Ha, hal That's one instance. The
Princess Of Wales, as everybody knows,
has an unfortunate limp, which nothing
under the sun could render beautiful.
But the foolish London ladies, seeing this,
said to themselves: Dear me! how chic
that limp is The Alexandra limp as
it was called, became extremely fashion
able, and it was obtained by making the
heel OF one boot shorter than that OF the
other. The Princess of Wales has also a
very long and meager neck. She was
absolutely obliged to wear only high
dresses, close up to the throat. But the
thousands of English ladies who had not
very long necks followed her example
and made themselves ridiculous. Dear
me! How stupid the fashionable world
is.'"
The little milliner sighed at the frailty
of her sex, but tortured herself by relat-
ing still more OF them. "Do you know
the origin OF the puckered sleeves which
are worn by every woman to-day, and
which look like pimples on the shoulders
1t was simply this: The Countess Of
Dudley-one OF the most beautiful women
of England, by the by--was invited to q
dinner one night, and was expecting to
shine in very elegant costume, which
was being especially made for the occa.
cinn Whnt, tho pptrnfaC1 n hnI1f tr
dress, the maid informed her that the
dressmaker had not yet sent home the
costume. The Countess was in despair
manding that the dress be sent immedi-
ately, finished or unfinished. 1t came
within an hour-unfnished. The Coun
tess felt bound to don it, as several soci.
ETY. papers had expatiated upon its won
derful design. The sleeves were only
tackled in. The Countess was not daunt
ed. She took needle and hastily sewed
in the sleeves-so hastily, indeed, that
over each shoulder the material was
puckered and stood lin alarming folds
She wore the dress as it was, however
She knew she could wear anything. A
week from that time puckered sleeves
were all the rage in London"
The milliner blushed with shame al
this new instance OF female weakness
'Do you know who originated high-heelec
boots?" she asked. "Oh! that woman
has great deal to answer for, can tel
you. 1t was the Marquise de Pompadour
She was SO small, and it was the fashion
to be so tall, that she invented high heels
in a fit of desperation. That lady also
originated the black patches which wert
so fashionab lie in the French court, anc
which people supposed to-day that the
ladies wore in order to heighten the bril-
liancy OF their complexion. They wer,
thus simply in imitation of La Pompa
dour. She had an aggravating pimple OF
her cheek, of which she tried hard to ge
rid. All her efforts were unavailing
She covered the offending growth will
black plaster, and set the fashion. Anne
OF Austria, introduced the fashion OF shor
sleeves. She was not n beautiful woman
but her arms were magnificent, and in the
same spirit with which Katisha expati
ates on the beauty OF her left shoulde
blade, Anne, of Austria, resolved TO exhibi
her arms. Short sleeves were almost un
known before that time. Marie Antoin
cite had masses OF exquisite hair, and thu
huge coitiures and outlandish design.
which are so much ridiculed to-day were
simply the result OF that fact. She coul,
do nothing else with her hair, as Their,
was SO much OF it. But her ladies ilni
tated her, and actually bought false hal
in order to reach a proper standard O
perfection. Fashions originated in tn,
most ridiculous ways. Ii is absurd t,
say that one person sets the fashion. Sh,
may have q great deal to do with it, bu
she is not alone in her empire over hel
sex. The Princess OF Wales does grea
deal, but she is aided by the Countess o
Dudley, Lady Randolph Churchill, ant
the Marchioness Of Kildare. In Paris. i
is an acknowledged ia ct, that at the pres
ent day, the demi-monde exert consider.
able influence over the fashion. could
mention at least dozen instances al
illustrative OF the fact that fashions arc
the result of accident merely-but won
doit-no, won't do it," and the littl,
lady piled her needle in sience.-N. y
Mai and Eapress.
How to Consult DIR. FOOte. ST., by Mail
DIR. Foote, Senior, author OF 'PlaiI
Home Talk" " Medical Common Sense f,