The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-05
CRIN0LINE AND THINGS.
BeSeIena Gives Her Views on Fashion
able Foibles.
Some Things in Which Women Look
Well, and Vice Versa The
Wiles of Widows.

well, here are some of the latest books;
got them in last night, and perhaps you
will find something to suit you in one of
them"
l turned over the pages, but the only
thing that greeted my eyes was hoop
skirts and crinoline. In despair I turned
to the dressmaker.
Haven't you anything else?" l asked.
"Oh, yes" she replied, cheerfully. 1--WE
have the Empire-they are very stylish
at present"
But gazed upon the Empire with dis
approval in my eye. Finally, after much
talk on the dressmaker's part, and per-
suasive eloquence on mine, instructed
her to construct me a gown without
crinoline, but she gave me to understand
this was q great condescenslon on her
part.
AS l walked home l thought that if our
dead and gone grandmothers and great
grandmothers could revisit this earth
and see the women of this progressive %
nineteenth century, clad in baby-waist
gowns, and skirt the width OF which
would rival a balloon. they would think
that the styles have not materially
changed since their demise.
And | was told by a certain we'll
known milliner that if you want to be
right up in the style you must incase
your head in poke bonnet. You won't
wear it? Yes you will; If everyone else
does, you will hate to look different or
odd, and if you are blest with pretty
face the big poke bonnet will give you an
added charm. l would ten times rather
wear poke bonnet than hoop-skirt. If
you are at all inclined to accumulate sur
plus avoirdupois the hoop-skirt will make
you look twice as big; if you are tall and
thin they will make you all out OF pro-
portion, and il you are small-well, then,
you'll be all skirt and no girl.
Another thing-men don't like them,
and pve spoken to several upon the sub
iect. One man called them ''abominable
instruments of steel and wire" These
suddenly revolutionized gowns of ours
are startling TO the masculine eye after
the soft, clinging robes we have been
wearing.
y man likes to get some idea of a
woman's figure-he likes to be able to
tell whether she's tat or lean, and 10 say
the least these immense skirts with
their balloon-like proportions have rather
upset him. A woman likes TO dress 10
please the men. l don't care how strenu-
ously she may deny it, know down in
her heart she is secretly pleased if some
man she knows tells her what a becom-
ing gown she has on.
don't care what the rest of my sex do
in the matter, but | for one am going to
urge "A fierce crusade against the hoop
skirt and the crinoline.
Apropos of dresses reminds me of
wells. First we had the spotted veil. We
could get used to them soon if they did
have a tendency to make their fair wear
ers look cross-eyed, but now we have
something much worse, that is the
green and the purple veil. Most women
should know that green is very trying
color fact the most nUQptinC color
that can be worn, and, in spite of this
fact, here is almost every woman you
meet with a face-mask of emerald hue,
not a dark green, but bright vivid un-
mistakable green, green in which an
IriShman would glory.
Now, if Pd wear green veil I'd feel
sort OF spiritual affinity for old Father
Neptune and proceed at once to get glori-
ously seasick. Then there are the pur-
pie wells, and | ask myself of the twin
evils which is the worst. Looking down
street one sees nothing but purple haze.
What's the use of looking at the bright
beautiful world through such dingy
color? It's quite enough to make one
melancholy, and life is sad enough at
best without looking atiit through dusky
hue.
saw such pretty girl in shop not
long ago; she was tail and graceful and
very stylishly dressed, but the whole
effect was spoiled by the paint and pow
der and blackening with which her face
was adorned. She was perfectly. lady
like in all her actions, but there was the
paint and powder to speak for themselves
The men stared after her as she lett the
place and made unkind remarks.
nave no doubt that she was
good girl, only inordinately foolish
and vain. Then l wished that
I knew her, so that could tell her to go
home and give her face good scrubbing,
and then if she wanted a little powder,
all right; but to leave the paint-box and
blacking-pot alone. Nature had given
her q good skin, which she was system
atically running by the use of all sorts of
poisonous drugs and lotions Men may
admire a woman with painted face, but
they won't marry her. They are afraid
she's tiirty, and they would hesitate about
placing their name and honor in her
keeping.
/ don't mean to say that the women
who paint their faces are not nice, only
say that they are vain and foolish and
that is the worst that can he said of Them
Wash your face in tepid water with a
flannel rag, using plenty of CASTLE soap
in the operation, then rub briSkly with
coarse towel until glow is produced;
take plenty of exercise in the fresh air.
and go in freely for gymnastics. Don't
be afraid OF hurting yourself, gymnastics
and healthful exercise never hurt anyone
yet, and above all don't eat greasy food.
If you follow these rules, girls-and l
give them to you from xperience-you
will ere long have complexion of which
you may feel justly proud. fyou want
TO study life just take up your residence
in hotel; there you are surrounded by a
miniature world of your own. The best
place and time to make your observa-
lions is in the dining-room, between
and Z o'clock in the evening, when every
one is coming in for dinner: there you
will see the newly married couple care
fully abstaining from either speaking or
looking at one another; if he wants any
thing he merely signals to the waiter to
supply his want; he looks defiant, she
meekly adoring. That is the honeymoon
81 the full.
At the next table sit a middle-aged
couple; his head is buried deep in a news
paper, from which he only looks up when
their dinner is served; their honeymoon
waned many moons ago. Then there
is the business man, who swallows his
food in hot haste so he can keep an APP
pointment and the young blood out on
his maiden Il mean youthfuD tour of the
world. He wears a superciliously i'm
portant air, but by the time he sees his
Governor" again this will all be worn
away.
And over there in the corner sits a
woman upon whom every masculine eve
in the room is leveled. Her gown is a
marvellous creation, the admiration of the
men and the envy of the women. She is
out fortune-hunting, and presently she
falls TO work-her modus operandi is
something like this: She selects a good
looking man, and looks at him. not with
bold stare, mind you, Oh, no-she is too
smart for that; once their eyes meet, and
then she quickly drops hers, whilst a
faint blush 'erspreads her face; but not
before he has seen the half-concealed ad-
miration shining in her eyes.