The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-01-18
RISE OF THE FLUFFY GIRL
From the New York Sun.

Il is thought that the great French
lfess-makers originated the fluffy girl
for purely commercial purposes. She
is the tailor maids most dangerous RI
val; in fact, feminine types of the end
of this. nineteenth century have mar
rowed down to just these two. There
are few people so oid-fashioned nova
days as to describe young woman as
tall or short, plump or thin; there are
simply two kinds, the hutfies and the
tailor maids.
The French modistes are responsible
for the tailor-maid girl also. They
put her upon the earth trim, trig, and
swagger, but she proved far too popu-
lar. Every woman wanted to wear a
tailor gown, and she wore it every
where. 1t was suitable for shopping,
for a luncheon, and when of fine cloth
and silk. lined it did duty as theater
frock, or with 4 bunch of violets it
could be worn to q church wedding.
The demand for trimmings and furbe-
lows had died short and complete
death. Women no longer ordered
spangled bands and embroidered laces
y
ed plain welted seams and a perfect
cut. In vain did the Paris modistes
bring out their most exquisite crea-
tions. The talor-made epidemic was
raging and trimmings were bad form
The great dresamakers were in de-
spair. They racked their brains for
some plan by which they might rein
troduce the old frivolous style that
used to bring so many dollars to their
Golfers. but it seemed an impossible
task. The women who set the fashions
refused to be dictated to, and the or
ders for tailor-made dresses came in
faster than they could be filed.
1t was about this time that the fluffy
GIRL appeared upon the scene. There
was no reason for her coming; she was
unheralded and unwanted. She was
dressed in a manner IN direct contra
diction to the prevailing mode. She
was artistic" and the antipodes of
the stiff, correct, tailor-frocked girl.
She was not at all aggressive. She
simply staid. BY and by people began
to ask who that very pretty feminine
looking young woman was, and then a
few daring ones initiated her. She had
come to remain.
The fluffy girl did not brush and
band her hair in the sleek English
fashion that the tailor maid affected.
She waved it and ffuffed it out over
her ears and let a stray curl escape up
on her temples. Perhaps she tied it
with velvet knot at the back OF her
neck, but, at all events, she obtained
the effect she was striving for. Her
dresses did not cling to her form with
the ungiving exactress of the close-cut
cloth frock, but draped her body in
graceful lines She wore a dainty lit
tie baby waist and frills and frivols of
all sorts Sometimes she tied her waist
about with a sash or wore ridiculous
little white apron with impossible
pockets. She did not GO in for politics
or athletics. but waxed enthusiastic
over ba bies and violets and new nov
els. Her feet one might notice with
out much trouble were clad IN silk
stockings and high heeled slippers, and
there was quite quantity Of white
lace frilling displayed when she took
her mandolin across her knee or step
ped into a cab, for the fluffy girl dis
likes walking.
In short while she became the rage
and had hosts OF initators- But you
can always tell the original fluffy girl F.
from the converted tailor maid o.
course, she IS desperate hirt. AT par
ties you NAV detect her spooning on
the stairs with the most desirable man /
there, or lingering IN the conservatory Z
with the football hero of the hour. 4
She likes TO talk about affinisies and I
things. and while her tailor-maid sister 4
in the next room is astounding every I
one by her knowledge OF the game she !
carries the champion OF a captive oy !
her sublime ignorance OF creations 4
entire scheme
The fuEy girl has been great sue .
cess TIE object OF tie Paris modisses 4
has been attained The trim tailor .
maid is giving way 10 the Gibson girl, 4
with her shoulder frills and her big 4
sleeves The bottle has been almost .
but the defeat has been .
sweeping. Over tie past world OF .
fashion the fluffy girl at present reigns ,
supreme by the divine right OF her 4
womsnly charm and her old-fashioned 4
horror OF a mouse her love for bon
oons Is almost criminal but she can 4
give the woman politician, tie suTra-
gist- and the female athlete cards and 4
: spzdeS and baa. them IN tie contest