New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-22
THE NETWORK WOMAN.
WHAT A FOREIGN CRITIC SAYS.
CHARMS AND FAULTS OF OUR WOMEN OF soCI-
ETY-THEIR "CHIC" ToILETTEs-TIEIR
REPARTEE AND THEIR MOODS.

| The fair critic whose comments on fashionable NE
| In New-York aroused not long ago uncommon in
| tere,t and much discussion among Tribune readers
has been persuaded 10 communicate her observa-
lions on The women who lend to that life the larger
| part Of its charm II not without reluctance
;hat Nine. de consented to speak.
THE New York women," she said, can alone
rival the Parisiennc in wearing with chic French
| toilette. Neither the EngishwOman nor the
Spaniard yet the Italian nor the German, ever
looks well In Partisan made clothes, no matter how
| great the beauty Of the w"arer may be; for they
| lack this namccss something which the French call
.cachet' and which is absolutely necessary in order
10 follow In every detail the delightful but very In
| trcate ecganccs Of Partisan fashion. one fault
however might be laid the door OF the fair Amer
lean, and that is want Of proper Consideration
for les dcssous' 1t Is impossible 10 give any trans
lation OF this denomination In English, but 1t desis
mates every article Of feminine apparel that l. worn
beneath the outermost garment. do not mean. Of
course that the American Is careless about the clean
illness or even quSy Of her pelcoats, stockings ana
other underwear but / have noticed that even the
most elegant daughters Of Uncle sam do moi, lie
their French sisters. consider the 'dcssous' ~
really Of more importance than the gown coat or
| bonnet which they wear II Is by no means neccs
sary TO 20 In for lingerie deliberately trimmed with
lace and ribbons, and If the truth We're kno"h real
grand danes rcpudiate these snowy articles OF
apparo but there ought to be harmony and extreme
duintiness In every detail and this only be at
tanned when Il woman remarked above. gives more
care and attention TO her blossoms than she doe'
10 the clothes c,tncd to b. seen by everybody
very pretty FrcnchwOman once said TO me: Il DO
not care much whether my dress Is success or not
| but nv .dessous' must be always irreproachable,
or would feel wrctchcd' In this lies the secret OF
perfect elegance noticeable in the Pariscnne be-
| longing to the highest classes OF society.
Another reproach which. whilst am about It, /
| might as well make to American girls and women
is that they do not know In tte least how to man.
| age IA train. They allow 1t 10 sweep bchihd thcm
and collect an amount Of dirt and dust which Is
enough "a disgust any onooker II they raise II
from the ground they do without tho grace which
is so much needed In ainbearing. The train ought
nevertheless to be beloved by the American woman
for when carrying II In her hand she Is able TO dis
play her feet which general rule, very near
| 10 perfection. II there Is a thing more than any
other upon which she is entitled "a pride herself II
| is her foot. Long, SLIM wcll-arched ana oehch'cy
onkled II fly matches In shapeliness the celebrated
| feet of the French, the Spanish and the Russian
woman. In one word, the fair 'citoychhc Vi u"
| United states has, TO supreme degree WHAT rar'
slams call 'un pied spiritue IA pretty foo' ana as
there nothing that fascinatcs man so cohpie'e!
as pretty foot, this fact partly accounts Tor 'hc
success OF American girls wherever they 20.
There IS yet another point in which New-iork
women and French women are very much alike, ana
that 10 as far rcparee and Wit are concerned.
They are never at II loss how To rctort and they
ALWAYS know how to turn the tables ON tlcli inter-
locu,or with absolutely amazing desinvolturc' There
is no DENYING the fact that the Ncw-fork woman l.
the only serious rival which tho Pari'cnnc has ever
found in The matter OF cLc' and 'desvoture,' Tor
she has much OF the sparkle which renders the latter
20 adorable.
However, there are no roses without thorns
nor pictures without shadows, tbs American woman
| ~ "A
much The pecularies which form the principal charm
O, the true Parlsienne For nsnnce, the versatility
Of the latter displays itself IN the ot the former
by fits OF mooiiness which might be termed mere
caprice and tie slight strain Of Bohcmian'm with
which the Parisenhc has been tainted becomes Ire
ouently too pronounced when an American wishes %
appear thoroughly in the swim Moreover. her
oris,ocratc aspirations take often tho form Of AFRO
caucc toward Interiors fault never committed by
women who have bccn accustomed from their ten
TO consider impoleness 10 servants III The
light OF a practical lowering Of ones own social stand
ing Familiarity breeds contempt but 50 does AFRO
gnnce, and an sorry 10 that, AS general rule
the New-YOrk women l have met do not understand
the difficult art OF sailing between these two extremes
on the other hand, American women are far more
beautiful than Pansennos. Tall, well-made, grace
full endowed with beautiful compile Mons, luxuriani
and perfect teeth, they are very lova6e to
look at, and when they consent 10 remain natural
ana simple tnry are certainly !O,t tuhTlhlub rlN'i
mems Of healthy and attractive wOmanhOoc.
"Another point Of similarity between the French
woman and the American Is that The latter Is first
rate housekeeper. not In the same style rs the English
woman who IS merely content to do the ordering
and to rely the obedience and experience OF we'll
trained servants. but in her readiness 10 do things
herself Unlike their English sister, the American and
the French woman not only know how to order din
ner to be cooked, flowers to be arranged or room to
| be busted and cleaned, but they are able TO per
sonally do these things at pinch. This, however
does not mean that the American woman OF Today con
fnes herself entirely to the socncd feminine sphere
Far from f. She takes as a rnle IL vivid interest In
politics or In her husbands business she expresses
| her oIdnons-whch are generally good-perfectly
freely and Ike the French woman. she not only talks
much but she also talks we'll imidity Is certainly an
American virtue, and here IL is the woman who LEADS
the conversation instead OF passively listening 10 Tie
men after dinner. II must be- remarked here that
| the American wOman's education Is pushed ulnch
further than that OF her European sisters, and con
| seouently, she Is neither shy nor awkward, nor
| f. she self conscious when the occasion Is al
forded Of discussing matters not strictly appcta'
| Ing 10 her sex. III Europe The widespread behef
about Americans IL that they are arrant mr's' III
my opinion. however, there Is no more hirihg zone
over here than anywhere else on the surface oi the
dvu,y.d Globe On the contrary the freedom existing
he, v,n the sexes In America cngenderS relations OF
genuine kndlness frank good mature aud genial COM
radcship which not 10 be found on the other Sne
of The water and must say to the praise OF American
men that they attempt 10 take advantage oil Il
feminine friendship, frcnchmrn, Germans, ItaanS'
standards or Russians would do II placed In the same
| situation.
| .Thcre Is another point In which American girls
| and women have a decided advantage over as Ih"S
ar. energetic and able To hold their own IN pre't'
nearly every position In life There Is nothing mainly
,h,. ,hout Them they can take care of themselves,
p 'n,Icr M name D, abIoad and whether This Is dn,
In The pos,rs>ion OF remarkably SUI hs hrNes o 10
cnioy IL Is very desirable quality TO posses. inns,
If coarse again, Is IN great degree atuiOdIDic ~
d.. Ia shion IN which American women are t'itrn
| iv men while in their own country lhry reii.y
| " world. Tor NE