The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-03
RENAISSANCE0 FFASHION
THE PRACTICAL VERSUS THE PIC
TURESQUE.

ana American 4OIObJ pSS C0O111l
nance of the Empire" and "Direc-
toire" in American Dress-Miracles
in Many Changing Color-Romance
Reahzed-The Glory of the Past in
the Prosaic Present
New YORK, Nov. Fashion has once
more accomplished one Of those brilliant
tours de force which of late years we have
NOT given it credit for the power to achieve.
Fashion has been overshadowed for some
time past by sense, by hygienic, by practical
ideas. by the effort on the part of workers
70 make themselves, their notions and neces-
sites stand for fashion. The goddess heard
these things and smiled. She knew she
had but to wave her wand and her votaries
would rush to her side, give in their allegi-
ance ard crea at her bidding one of the
snlendid transformation scenes in which she
delights and which not only furnish con-
GENIAL occupation to her followers, but pre-
serves her empire over their imaginations
Like the poor, we have the commonplace
always with us; and those who are obliged
IN stick to it from desire or necessity may
console themselves with the knowledge that
thew have plenty of company, and such op-
nortunity as never before to preach and
practice the gospel of sensible practical
commonplace dress. But all the same, if
any such individual ever finds herself, by
any chance, in an inner circle of the realm
of fashion, she will be dazzled, delighted
epchanted a will acknowledge, with
sigh of regret or envy, that there is realm
accessible only to wealth, power and beauty,
where queen relgnS more potent in sway
than any visible monarch; and whose laws
issuing from no one knows who, coming
from no one knows where-are Obeyed with
a promptness never accorded to those of
any Charles, Caesar or Frederick, whom
men have called great"
1t is true that i'll America we are as yet
only an echo. We do not originate our
clothes, not in fashionable circles. To-day,
we echo Ld belle France, the empire and
the Directoire periods somewhat indis-
criminately in our attire; the magnlficence
of Versailles and little and big Trianon
in our furnishing. Six thousand dollars
for cradle; ten thousand dollars for an IN
laid sideboard. Bedsteads of polished
brass with panels and posts of mother-of
pearl; covering, of down and thick, soft,
silk or satin and hangings OF lace en-
broidered with gold over brocades, star
like and gemmed with precious stones.
The Arabian Nights" cannot surpass
that; vet it is all to be seen in our million
aire homes of to-day, and is even, on &C
casions, to be seen in the shops and shop
windows.
Then the marvels Of color. They actually
make one feel faint. The opaline tints and
vanishing browns. The flush of pink lost
in pale gold and cream. Soft blending of
reds which have lost all their aggressive
ness, and blues and grays which show no
longer their old-time GOODNESS and hardness.
These may be aniline dives which may have
no fxity, which disappear almost like dew !;
but how lovely they are while they stay :;
and why not have them and enjoy them /?
Science will discover some new thing, and
changing fashion will press it into service
when we are tired of what we have.
FABULOUS FORTUNES AND LYDIAN LUXURY.
The loudest cry just now is the cry of the
millions. They have found voice, the voice
of the press. lis no longer a 'far" cry. 1t is
strong energetic and persistent; but it does
not demand food or warmth or protection;
it camors for means and methods of initial
ing the Injuries there is not money to buy.
How to make cOttOns and woollens up
"StyliShly.a How to furnish with a ham
mer, some tacks and no knowledge or ex-
perence, so that the dwelling will look as if
directed by taste and supplied with abun-
dant resources.
This Is an impossibility. 1t is rarity and
chlll LIielU SlNO illOlA01 Ndlu0 w OBJbClS VI
personal and general use. The cheap and
common may be made to possess a distinct
i've character Of their own but they are
not helped by being forced into unfair COM
petition, and have not the responsibility
which attaches to the proper fulfillment of
their useful functions.
In the meantime we have got to recog-
nize the fact that we havenow a very large
and constantly increasing class, whose
&c, Eel
Keeps constantly multiplying. To these
people, in this new world, all luxurious ex-
perences are fresh and fascinating-mat-
tiers, at most, of a generation; and they
reyel i'll world of delights. Unlike the
rchof older societies, they inherit no tradi-
tons, no duties; they recognize no claims
but those of pleasure and inclination, and
they become citizens of the world owning
houses and cottages, shooting lodges and
chateaux, but not a home; and losing all the
associations that grow up around it.
The rich American has become the syno-
nym in all countries for the tabled Broesus
who could accomplish apparent impossi-
Dlltles. lie sails up the Nile in a house
beat" taken from the Thame, he floats
down the Thames in an Indian canoe COW
cred with eastern rugs. He wears the
Tartan and "deer-stalker" in Scotland. the
fuTred robe of a native in Russa2the con-
Veltlonal cloth and cut of a Bond street
tailor in London, and he brings them all to
America, with ways and habits and tastes
PICKED up in the four quarters of the globe
70 be grated upon the old Puritan or Celtic
to be.
AS the men are, so are the women; only
more so IN certain directions. They are both
more limited aud more expansive; they
cover more ground, but the surface is thin
ner and more easily removable. Their
trunks are filed with Babel of sounds and
voices recalling the glory Of Venice. the
uays OF Josephine mingling with the tailor
made tone of to-day. The tri-color with
Hlde appels and three huge buttons on the
snorJ-waiSted front of its coat, sits |
uown on gilded chairs and sofas
teoVefed with Malmaison brocades and pokes |
slo eighteenth century fire with brass
IRONS cast in Louis XIV. molds. 1t is |
az dream OF enchantment, to be able to |
~ IL. We have read our stories. But to |
n1ye theml and in this prosaic age tool |
no would not rise in the morning out Of |
uo"h IKE Undine out of he warm bed, look |
upon ilower-frescoed walls, tread in fleece |
l.siN silk upon velvet and see the brightness |
st, heaven between the cleaning bars, which |
I; Iile OUT OF the surrounding frame of tiles, |
LAY ue red sunset in a suggestive sea-
IS IL surprising that fashion is Elusive |
=, "uen 1t has 50 much to draw from, or that |
rs saI once the most picturesque and charm |
, r"sl tne most capricious and hayward, the |
n n.ge. varied and the most limited force i'll |
oonnSagehceE For while it draws IN turn from
A. a. tue world, it is recognizable only by the
Nln' lnctneSs with which a cartain fnoo1 Il |