Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-08
Fashion and Common Sense.


II there is one locality more than another
where the voice of common sense is never
listened 20 it is that very extensive one
where fashion reigns Who ever thinks of
listening to the suggestions of the former
when the decree of the potentate has gone
forthl Tight sleeves for the ladies, and
tight combinations for the gentlemen is in
the fashion Supposing the advocates of
| common sense protest, saying it is impossi-
bic to move ones limbs in them! 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 is far more important And fashion
replies, | cannot satisfy all taSteS Ny laws
are mostly made for the unreflecting; if you
reflect you never will be satisfied. That
which you complain of now is only a tempo
raFy Inconvenience; when can no longer
tighten in your limbs, sleeves and leggins
VIII take such ample proportions that the
real size Of an arm or leg will he a subject
for divination. Fashion has no respect of
person; If high heels are introduced for the
tbs benefit Of short people, low heels are
never introduced at the same time for people
who are already taller than they care to be-
The latter must wait their turn for the oppo-
site fashion, and then unusually short per-
sons have their boots made to order if they
wish to reach up to the elbow of their supa-
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 have 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 bonnet of the season may become
them all, and they must have a uniform tint
of complexion, that the color Ia 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 il seems as though we
like doing so, since the fashionable and un-
comfortable article is preferred to the un-
fashionable AM comfortable one, though it
may cost more than double the prize of the
latter.
Common sense suggests that in hot
weather clothing for both sexes should be
light in texture and color; but if fashion or
dains that ladies' dresses be heavily
trimmed, and if she refuse to give her con
sent to garments of a summery nature being
introduced for gentlemen, no cue has the
courage TO pay attention to personal COM
fort When ladies' skirts are made SO lar
row as to be inconv venient for walking and
liable to assist tile wearer TO an awkward
fall in descending from a carriage, or when
they are widened TO a ludicrous width to ad-
init of unmanageable crinoline, or
burdenei with the useless trains to be
draggled 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 ridiculous to hold
out, than TO stand alone with common sense.
Nothing, for instance, could indicate mere
plainly the folly Of making long trained
dresses the fashion, than TO see yea; or two
ago how the latter was necessarily punched
up in the most ungraceful manner, or the
wearer was compelled to have one hand al
ways engaged with holding up the super
fluous 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 profita-
Bile way