Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-27
THE DECoLIETE DRESS.
Its Evolution Traced From Savage
Customs.

which the fashionable evening gown is
at present evoking can therefore hardly
| be considered as closed without a chapter
on its evolution. Those who condemn the
Iow-cut bodice on other than as celtic and
sanitary grounds easily trace 1t to the
semi-ciVilized custom of exhibiting the
scantily clad female slave to her pur-
chaser; but this Is not as far back in
civilization as well-authenticated gene
Ialogy leads, nor is the history OF wom-
ans subJection broad enough line upon
which to reach the remote ancestor.
In his essay on" Evolution of Ceremonial
Government" Herbert Spencer shows how
trOm the demanding of the conquered man
of his POSSESSIONS the yielding up Of cloth
ing first became a token of political sub
mission in the savage; and how from this
meaning there developed a voluntary
offering OF it in a reverential or even a
religious spirit, as when Moses barred his
feet in the presence of the burning bush.
Later the act is seen modified into acts of
compliment and obesance. Among some
half-eiViliZed races man. divests himself
of his girdle and presents tito his friend,
who in turn makes similar bestowment.
The Fiji island chief of to-day who re-
moves his clothing-whlch consists
mainly OF
VERY LONG TRAIN
fastened on at the waist-when he wishes
TO pay especial honors TO a visitor. is
cited by Mr.. Spencer, and also the inhab-
itants of the Gold Coast, OF whom Cruik-
shank writes:
''Phey salute Europeans and some
times each other by slightly removing
their robe from their left shoulder with
the right hand, gracefully bowling at the
same time. When they wish to be very
respectful they uncover the shoulder al
together and support the robe under the
arm, the whole of the person from the
breast upward belngleft exposed"
AS token of their inferior position,
women's Obeisances to men were still
more exaggerated than those of men to
men. 'EWOmen may only come unelOthed
into the presence OF the Sultan of Melli,
and even the Sultan's own daughters
must conform to the CUSTOM" writes Mr..
TylOr, quoting from "Ibn Batula's Jour-
ney into the SOudan in the Fourteenth
Century" And from these examples and
Others of similar import MIR, Spencer
t. aces the familiar masculine salutation
of lifting the hat, with the yet more
abridged form of touching the hat-brim as
"a suggestion of uncOvering.
1t will be seen, therefore, that the I'M
covering Of more or less of the person with
ceremonial intent is the expression of
universal sentiment, that il is character
istic of race and not of sex. The lifted
hat is degree further removed from the
Dared shoulders, but it must own the
same paTentage, whether one thinks of
the brown bust OF a Tahitian or Poly
nesian, or the dazzling white one of d
rmOdern belle.
That the ceremonial race instinct is re-
spOnsible for both these usages to-day is
substantiated by the very facts which
show these usages to be related. The
3nan of independent thought and habit is
less scrupulOus than the ultra-conserva-
tive in the matter Of bOwIng. not unfre-
squently nod or rapidly spoken show
are your" answering with him for the
more courteous uncOvering; while it is
from the ranks of independent women
women whose aims are directed at con-
aservatlsm-that we hear some of
THE MOST VIGOROUS PROTESTS
against uncovered neck and arms. An
other instance is at hand in the Quakers.
Who holds the low-cut bodice and all it's
gay associations in greater disesteem
than she VINO is called simply by her
Christian name, and to whom no brother
friend raises his hat in saiutatiOnf What
ever else the decollete gown may be it is
pre-eminently and dis'lnctively a cere-
mOnial garment. Its natural belonging
is the court train, its associations artih-
cial light, costly gems, and bowling gentle
men. Assuming that its present mean
dng was established IN the reign Of
Francis l. OF France, who may
be said to have formeda court in
the true sense of the word, its
popularity as an evening dress will be
seen to have hOurished and declined in
the ratio in which ceremOnious obseTv
ances in general have fiourished and de-
clined ever since. With gentlemen's
wigs it was ta0OOed, or at least had
weak life under the rule Of the common
wealth of Great Britain but reappearing
at the restoration of royalty, it has held
its own as a court dress ever since. In
deed, such is its present importance, from
ats being one OF the conditions of a wom-
ans admission to the Queens drawing
room. that it might be said to be to Eng
IishsOciety what the Book OF Common
Prayer is to the Established church.
the same has been its history here,
modified only by changed American con-
ditions. The ceremonial dress at the time
OF the Revolution, it declined with de-
cline OF gentlemeD's- knee breaches, lOng
hair and elaborated courtesies; and it is
noteworthy that, after periods OF advance
audstecline with delegations to children,
tbe present impetus has been acquired
with a general tendency toward more
luxifr1Dus habits and more social cere-
moby.b
I'LL 10 W lctl oUuuC NhlAOoAAy no w
why the race method OF showing respect
differentiated
ftBt AT THE SHOULDER LINE,
40 TO sneak, into two forms-0ne for each
sex: otherwise, why has the observance.
modified 80 materially in the instance OF
men. been retained by feminine fashions
In comparatively original purify
For the answer let US turn TO that most
aristocratic article of woman's attire
the veil. The history Of the veil! what
hook IL would be il 10 could be written
almost the history of woman and OF mani
But the primitive veil, be it remembered,
was a mantle as well as q veil, and in
mild climates it afforded the only cover
ing for the upper part OF the body. Conse-
nuently there would grow up through con-
slant association OF mead and shoulders a
notion Of their cOalescence ana Identical
signtdcanee, n, indeed, some form 0t TINS
notion did not suggest the covering.
prioritv. however, IN this respect Is not
material. IL is enough 20 know tnat early
usages. especlally among oriental peoples,
iustify the conclusion that the feminine
l,ust was regat ded as unit ana that Tue
overinpof The face was deemed not less
.ssential 20 decency than the covering oi
70 shoulders. e...,,,.
Bur the veil itself was not more nexloie
AN the meanings that we're destined 70
given n. Ia certain Of the ancient
igiops-prObably those derived from
III wOrship-the priest when oficiating
80 4, faes. eoVerlnn. In token OF his un'