New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25

Partisan was a favorte accusation on the part OF
70 he Woman nu Tnressed the opinion that in no
other country in the world, civilized uncivilized
yidua I or 'ft illness be- suffered It was Pretty
ba % o b hat %ho
accused Of wearing the most outre things on the
are said to have patronzed was the depegne
coiffure. style of hairdressing which attracted
ii caused at the Court of saxony The Queen was
n by ea a ana coSr bali and m
medlately thereafter issued decree by which &C
cess to her palace was denied to all women whose
What American opinion on the subject was may
poet:
Anon the changes of the walk reveal
The patent panier round the form divine
It's patent arch supports patent spine,
And t bears 5ii''t the label. Patent 6S 49,,
Behold the Plantive glance of languld eyes.
And lifts her crayon eyebrows in surprise.
She shakes her head-four pecks of vagrant hair
Fly like hop yard in the August air;
Dear sylph, we wore that wig before we died!
Her falls. teeth gnash with gutta percha ire.
Her false eyes flash with fabricated fire,
She drops her patent chignon in chair.
Then jumps to pick 1t up-but 1 forbear.
AS for the fair devotees of fashion themselves.
they We're moved by none of these things oHt wSi
nothing and their bows that tied nothing thelr
awful hoops and humps and their terrible r fOnr
generally willing to admit that 1t wasIput they
maintained that the frock coats and nigh mats OF
the men were equally so, and when any particular
folly attacked they were ready with thou
sand excuses for 1t.
High heels improved the carriage tight lacing
not only h8 unless, but beneficial ana as TOT
mot only elegant, but necessary. No lady
could walk out In rainy weather minus crinonne
without song her clothes in manner that no
ceanly delicate woman could endure &C.,.
The hideous distender described as grace
full" the skirt said to flow over 1t in ar
tiStic folds and the wearers congratulated them
becoming attire of the Empress Josephine and her
court.
But in spite of all these absurdlties it would be
mistake to suppose that the ugly and grotesque
Some beautiful models in both dress and couture
shown among the fashion plates, and no doubt
it was then as ii is now-the artistic woman chose
the beautiful things when there were any, and
contrived somehow to look well in the ugly ones,
while the tasteess made a guy of herself.
And as for the discomfort entailed by some or the
fashions, it may not have been so great as one
would suppose at first thought.
The dresses all have the great redeeming feature
of being comfortably low in the neck, and one can
understand o putting UP with great deal
in the way of crinoines, tight corsets and high
heels when they not obliged to torture them
selves with high or stiff collars
Less cumbersome garments, moreover, were
allowed for hunting and riding. Plain felt hats.
short skirts and kniCkerbockers, which 1t not
considered necessary to conceal. were worn for
hunting, and the riding habit similar except
latter often coming below the skirt and strapping
below the boot. great deal of time devoted
to these sports, and as they must have worn wrap
pers and tlounging robes occasionally and also had
sleep, the time during which they bur-
dened with the monstrOsities of the fashion plates
may have been comparatively short. On the whole,
therefore, their clothes perhaps did not them
much more ANNOYANCE than would be entaed by
the costume of to-day.