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

OF THE FEMININE FOLLIEs
great deal has been said and written about the
extravaganza and spendor of female apparel in
the days of the gay Eugene and the equally gay
Marechale MacMahon but probably few have any
idea of what the fair actually in those
days The accompanying Illustrations taken from
some fashion magazines of the time, afford an in
teresting glimpse of the past, and will no doubt
play havoc with the prevailing ideas regarding the
dress of that brilliant period few uncolored
plates. however. give but an inadequate idea of
its eccentricities and absurdities. The women Of
the time a certain section of them, appear to
have gone mad the subject OF personal adorn-
ment. and after inspecting few dozen of their
fashion plates and reading some of their fashion
articles is inclined to con>lude that the aim
and end OF their existence was to combine in each
of their costumes many colors, materials and
trimmings as possible, and TO distort and conceal
much possible the natural proportions and
beauties of their persons.
Crinones effectually concealed all the outlines
OF the body below the waist, and many ingenious
minds were brought TO bear on the problem Of in
venting distenders that would not fly up when my
lady took her seat in railway carriages or drawing
Two inch boot heels often compelled the
wearers to walk in the form Of the letter C. and
tightly laced corsets frequently compressed their
waists into narrow a space consistent
with continued existence The natural shape of
their heads and the natural color of their hair
entirely concealed by piles Of false dyed and
powdered tresses. and lest any should imagine
that the hair had any natural color capricious
bellies varied the hue of their coiffures with that OF
their costumes
Sweeping trains were worn everywhere during
the whole of this period-n the street and for
travelling well in the house, and in the rain
and sunshine alike as be from the illus
trations of fashionable waterproofs which are
shown over trained dresses. Full dress trains
Of such enormous length that in crowded
blies IT almost impossible to without in
jury to ones neighbours apparel, At ball in the
Tuileries it is recorded that only the most reck-
less ventured to dance and that in spite of all pre-
lace, tulle and gauze. while the dresses Of the
dancers next morning fit only to be thrown
away
Shortly after this-Whether influenced by the Wig
protestatlons of the French priests against
the exaggerations of fashion because she had
had much of this particular annoyance as she
could stand-the Empress shortened her train, and
the whole fashionable world obediently followed
suit
About the same time also dresses as short as
Of those by the Rainy Day clubs came
into fashion, and some women, 1t said emu
lated the ballet dancer in their street attire Others
sti chung the train, and the real grande dame
never abandoned TIA course for which one can
hardly blame her when one sees how ugly a short
dress looks over crinoline.
The bonnets of the period were among its oldest
features. and constantly changing in accord
ance with the style of hairdressing in vogue When
chignons the chapeau was pushed for
ward onto the face. sometimes assuming the shape