Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-18
WEARING SUITS or MOE.
MEASURING GRIEF BY THE PRICE OF
THE BoMBAZINE.
A Plea for the Abolition of the Fashion
Which Compels Women to Wear
Somber-Hued Garments.

| There is no doubt as nation we are
original enough to get on without borrow
ing very many ideas from foreign countries,
but as matter of fact, individually, we do
borrow good deal. 1t may be that, as
America is made up of immigrants from
all parts of the world, the national mind
is cosmopolitan and so, naturally, it turns
| to its mother countries for various ideas
and customs. There is no objection to
this; we should be praised for our humil-
ity in borrowing what is desirable and
worth having, and there is no doubt that
there is much that is worthy of imitation
in other countries besides our own.
In many of the most important affairs of
life, however, we have found that American
methods are far better than those practiced
| by the Old World countries-as, for in
stance, our journalism, our public school
and college system, and our library meth
DDS, not to mention a number of other
things. But in minor matters We like to
go abroad for ideas and fashions.
We have a fondness for French and
Italian cooking and wines; we like Rus
sian furs, and japanese and Chinese quaint
or grotesque articles. Our Partially for
India shawls is of ancient date; Spanish
lace has long been fashionable with us :;
German is "a popular language just now,
anr SO are many things English.
Twenty or thirty years ago we almost
exclusively copied the French fashions,
but it is now some time since the wind
shifted to another quarter, and now it
blows straight from England, and we are
| oyerrun with English fashions and Gus
toms. Well, what matter from where the
fashions come so long as we are the gain
ers? The English are a more robust race
than the French and if the imitation of
| their out-of-doors amusements makes us
stronger and healthier, SO much the better
| for US. Certainly, it is the fashion for girls
to be strong, healthy and active and it is
an indisputable fact that the American
girl of to-day is healthier than the girl of
generation ago.
Just now number of English women of
high social standing are attempting to in
augurate the fashion of doing away with
| the heavy mourning weeds that it has long
been the custom for women to put on when
near relative dies Women are easily
! led in the matter of fashions. and if the
wind watts this reform across the sea our
English cousins will be doing us a real
benefit. But these English women are.
perhaps not the first to attempt this reyo-
luton. A few American women have had
the courage to disregard entirely the Gus
tom of wearing 'suits Of woe," while others
have merely worn what black dresses they
happened to have in their wardrobes until
they were worn out. One fashionable
woman in this city, who possessed several
black silks, at the death of her mother sim
ply trimmed with Grape and wore them for
a year. OF course she was accused of
heartlessness by those who measure grief
by the length of the veil and the price of
the bombazire.
This rushing into Grape and bombazine
IS extremely expensive; in fact, handsome
mourning, such mourning as widows wear,
Is the most expensive that a woman can
buy. And shabby, rusty mourning is the
shabbiest, most poVerty-stricken looking
gown that any woman can put on her
back. Aside from the expense, the wear
ing OF heavy English Grape cannot be too
strongly condemned, for it contains chemi-
Gals that often seriously affect the health
and there are instances where Grape veil
worn over the face has produced alarming
cases of cutaneous disease. Some physi-
clans earnestly beg their delicate patients
to wear Grape only on the skirts of their
dresses, if they wear it at ALL The mourn
ing worn by men, black hatband and
necktie, is so inexpensive and sensible that
it is well worthy of imitation by women.
Rut If this iS not arouob blant, -
that they are in mourning, why would not
the addition of black sash of nuns veil
ing or other material be sufficient? This
might be tied loosely about the waist, or
fastened on one shoulder, crossed over the
breast and tied under the arm, according
to the wearer's fancy.
But 1t must not be supposed that all
women conform to the fashion of wearing
mourning simply because it is the fashion.
To those who feel deeply and mourn sim
cerely, bright colors and even sunlight are
painful. The light Of their life is gone
out; the world to them is black indeed,
and only the somber black robes are in
keeping with their feelings. For time
they wish that they might hide themselves
away. Men, perhaps, cannot understand
this. They pursue their vocations, mix
ing in the world almost as much as if
death had not visited their household,
while women sit at home in the empty
house and mourn their loss. All this
mourning and weeping and secIusion some
persons consider wicked, or a waste of
time.
But OF late years, although mourning is
worn quite as much as ever by the majority
of women, they do not seclude themselves
so much as formerly. This is an inuova-
tion in the right direction; for if it is true,
as the poet says, "ife that lacks time to
mourn lacks time to mend,n IL is certainly
quite as true that the woman who is suffer-
ing deeply from the loss of near relative
or friend needs little diversion 1t is not
an uncommon thing now to hear of
newly-made widow, or of women who have
lost their purents, passing summer at one
of the most fashionable resorts in the coun-
try; and, although they do not enter into
the gayeties of the place, it is supposed
that as lookers-on their minds are refreshed
and diverted. The present Duchess of
Marlborough appeared at dinner parties
while still wearing bombazine gowns for
Mr.. Hamersley, and many fashionable
women attend luncheons and dinners while
wearing Grape. Frequently, too, women
may be seen at concerts and at the theater
wearing Grape wells. It would seem that
II woman is in mourning deep enough to
wear veil, which is worn only in the
| deepest mourning, she would not have the
heart for such amusements But there are
instances where women who have grieved
the most could only find comfort in attend
ing theatrical performances. And so no
conventional rule for diversion can be es-
taolished, for what one sorrowing mind
Graves would shock another.
But in the matter of wearing mourning
it Is quite different. 1t would seem that
persons of moderate means who find the
custom Of wearing mourning so expensive,
would be the first TO inaugurate change.
bat it is rare that they take the lead In
anything of the kind. The American dis
like of doing or not doing anything that
looks like economy, compels those of small
| incomes, and often of no incomes at all. 10
| initiate the wealthy and fashionable. so to
| the latter we must look for a revolution in
the wearing of mourning apparel. They
will not be accused of wishing to econo-
mize, nor Of the inability to purchase the
/ 4 L.