New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-12-09
RURAL ENGLAND,S ATTIRE.
Country Girls Look Dowdy Because TheI
Wear Cast Off Clothing.

+ - sSTAs 81 Z i
Country Girls Look Dowdy Because TheI
Wear Cast OF Clothing.
It is grievous and strange to consid-
er how among civilized nations rural
England stands we'll nigh alone in I'M.
beautifulness Of attire remarks the
National Observer. Where else, In
deed, will you find such monstrous
mixtures? such hopeless choice? such
perverted aspirations
Sally in her alley Ria in her East
End street. have yet some sense OF
form, of distinction The straight
square-cut fringe; the ostrich plumed
hat, frounced gallantly up with ruby
velvet on one side and pinched down
on t'other; the long jacket for its
alternative, the shawl worn three
corner wise); by these things We shall
know them. By these things are their
freedom of spirit. their sturdy, clan
ship, declared.
But Ria is a dweller in towns, while
those who abide in green pastures
have no desire Tor aught but incon-
gruity and common ugliness. Agri-
colina's toilet is either hideous merely
or is noisome and slatternly. IT'S
bound to be one or the other. And
why? Why, indeed? For look but at
Germany Switzerland, France, Italy
anywhere on this habitable globe, and
you shall never discover such DAVIS
tricked out as four-hand imitation
peacocks as our misguided rustics
have brought themselves to be. In
truth, ours is the worst dressed peas
antry in the world. The customs of
other countries have a certain touch
of imagination, of refinement of class
pride; to say nothing of their practical
quality.
IA German factory girl would think
shame to go forth a travesty of her
employers wife. Not so our pumpkin
womankind, for they go hunting in
the secondhand clothes shops for their
wear. An indescribable effect of reach
me-downs cling to each trolloping
flounce. wallows in each drabbish
''drapery." Here grewsome as nine
days corpse, is every several vanity.
of the last ten years, at once too re-
cent as we'll as too worthless to inter-
est, too inappropriate to please; for
bidding pathos by its deplorable pre-
tentlousness awakening anger by its
abominable vulgarity.
The mateless cloth jacket half way
to the knee; the short tablier; the
skirt draping like an avalanche of jelly
bags; the brimless, conical hat, inor-
dinatelY high-all these castoffs, with
one, in this hell of fashion dead and
damned. They are the same; vet have
they a difference. ."....
Odious originally. founce and fur
below sleeve and skirt have suffered
by translation; what was i'll enough is
positively appalling. And where are
the good little notes.-the Fishwife
skirt the Dolly Warden hat the Moth
er Hubbard cloak and bonnet, a score
more sonsy whimsies-where are theyP
No one knows and no one cares.
Their decent. plainness has damned
them in the esteem Of Nancy of the
Vale. Deliberately built black gar
ments are somewhat in favor with her;
but so, to be sure, is elaboration Of
every kind. The CLEANER goes out for
to CLEAN fiounced to the waist be-
braided and betrimmed to the throat
and her head in weird likeness COT
wire and lacey of some three years
gone caprice. And be she 40 or be
she 60, she will still wear the head
gear of youth. Mother or aunt, or
grandmother, she commonly goes walk
ing in an innocent little hat that would
well become a relative of 10.