The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-25
THE CHANGES OF FASHION
Familiar Costumes Fade Away as
lmpereeptibly as the Sun
Goes Down.
Dress Goods That Become Sud-
denly Unpopular by Reason
Of Association.
Picturesque Costume Rapidly Dying Out
tho World Over-Uncle Sam and
John Bull Are Gone.

Fashions. as a rule, like morality in the
"Dunciad.' expire unawares''; and COS
TUNES which have been worn from time i'm
period Of their final disappearance is i'm
perceptible. h most experienced and the
acutest of observers would be puzzled to FIX
the precise date when the nobility and gem
try ceased to retain black footmen; or when
butchers left off topboots, such as We be-
hold in Sir Edwin Landseer's picture of
High Life" and Low Life; or whom Lon
don servant maids repudiated the use of
pattens, says the London Telegraph. There
have been. it is true, exceptions to the rule.
Old editions of the Statutes at Large' con-
tain the act of parliament passed after the
rebellion in 1745, solemnly prohibiting the
assumption of the Highland dress in Scot
land; while it is notorious that yellow
starch went out' because Mrs. Tur-
ner, q poisoner in tho reign of James l.,
was hanged in = ruff stiffened with starch
of the hue in question. Similar squesm-
ishness in 1849 condemned black satin as a
material for ladies' dresses to more than
twenty years prescription, it having been
in a black satin dress that the murderess
Maria Manning was hanged at Horsemon-
ger lane Jail. To tho instances in which a
certain fabric, or mode, or color in apparel
has for q detini reason ceased at an ascer-
tanned date to be worn, must be added the
proximate demise at Rouen Of @ particular
kind of cheap blue cotton handkerohiefs
printed in four varieties of tint by the very
old-fashioned wooden block PROCESS. These
ksrchiefs from a period to which the mind
of man runneth not to the contrary,
formed a distinctive feature of the
picturesque costume worn by the wo-
men of Plougastel. near Brest, one of
the last remaining s%trongholds of the
ancient costume of Brittany. The death of
the manufacturer of this historic item of
~'Rousnneries" has put an end to the pro-
duction of the cheap block printed hand
kerchlefs, as the sons are unwilling to carry
On the fabrication with the present antigua
ted plant, and are possibly intent on turn
ing out tasteful "cretonnes'' or japanese
designs printed in oolors by steam from en-
grayed steel rollers. Furthermore, the de-
mand for these special handkerchief has
been Growlng of late wears small by de-
gress. and, perhaps. beautifully but GER
talnly unproftably less. The matrons aud
damsels of PlouGastel. by this cessation of
the output OF an article of attire hitherto
SO dear to them, are left in a somewhat en-
pa RAISING dilemma. They will have to de-
eide between choosing the patteln of their
kelchiefs or doing without their accessories
altogether. Possibly, it is suggested,
they may adopt the former a~lterna-
tive, and continue to surmount their
tresses with ''couvrschsfs' of up-to-date
design, with which tn. manufacturers OF
Rouen will be only to happy to supply
them; but in equal likelihood the .'couyre-
chsf Breton" or it's Americon synonym is
destined 10 become ere long a thing of the
past. Already the native Bretons have
taken to having their hair cut, and at the