Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-02-25
shows that in 1897 had come to
discredit the becoming hair-puffings

shows that woman in 1897 had come tt
discredit the becoming hair-puffings
and side face curls of the years just
preceding. There appears, also, an at
tempt at hair decoration which pres
ages the close, ~unbecoming bonnet
that distinguished the '4Os. What the
fashion did not accomplish in the way
of rendering women's necks unlovely
by dragging the little curls away, was
done by the bonnet with the valance.
Between 1887 and 1910 nothing of
rare interest eventuated in woman's
clothing. Fashions continually were
getting away from the tasteful lines
and colorings of the early '30s. Parts
of costumes were big or little without
reference to others. And, as will be
seen by consulting the pictures, in a
season when some m were dress
ing with pitiful severity, others were
tricked out with ribbon-bows and mis-
cellanies. One woman was wearing
her hair headlight, and her ,eighbor
was arranging hers with a fringe to
cover the ears. 1t is not possible to
speak of the fashion of this century
after 1880 as distinctly that or this.
Women have followed, and yet are fol-
lowing, vagaries in design. So when
n refers to the woman of 1910 or of
1850, or what not, he surely means one
representing the majority of those who
acted or dressed similarly.
Mrs. Cashel Hoey, writing of women's
clothes, says that the ladies of 1910
wore "hesitating sleeves and anyhow
bodices." 1t was in the '4Os that the
congress boot f1ourished generally, as
it does yet in rural districts. Queen
Victoria, it seems, bought and wore
them with delight.
They were constructed ~variously of
morocco, %prunella, cloth, silk, satin, ac-
cording to the season. Congress boots
have elastic side-pieces which are said
to insure fit and comfort
Shawls were the rage in the '40s.
Primly folded across shoulders that
erstwhile had been uncovered, they
were ugly dress accessories. Those
large cameo brooches, Of which all our
great aunts now have one or more, then
NelS uScu " ldSleu SudWlS, ldESe anu
small.
Women at that period were wearing
their waists immoderately tight, and
the "agony" of it was referred to by
many of the fashion writer's of the day.
Some Of the pictures in this February
issue show petty the b~eltmeasures
were. Caps in the '4Os were worn by
women young and old. There were
many models from which to choose,
some really pretty, though the tenden-
cy of them was to add years to the
appearance of women. For full toilette,
small head-dresses that were all of
lace, or of flowers and lace, or only
flowers, were chosen. The large cot
tage" bonnet was put on for outdoor
use.
Unjust not forget to repeat that high
gowns by this time were worn COM
monty, replacing those which, earlier,
invariably had been low. Dress col
ors were bright; to-day we should
think them offensive. One frontispiece
shows a woman in a garnet skirt and
coat, a peacock-blue bonnet, and pea
cck-blue gloves. Pea green was priced.
Thackeray speaks of Lady Crawley's
brightest pea green" as her gown for
great occasions, such as the visits OF
Lady Crawley's rich aunt, Miss Craw-
ley. Parasols were smaller than bon