The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-12-21
THE ORIGIN OF STYLES
CAUSES THAT MAKE FOR AND
AGAINST NEW FASHIONS.


Fashions and styles are never formed
tout of thin air. they are always
brought into being from a definite
cause or for certain purpose.
Just why a mode is born is rarely
thought of by the majority of produc-
ers and wearers, especially on this side
of the water.
Some of the fashions Of bygone days
reached us in so concrete form and
were so directly related to the infiu-
ences that gave them birth that their
origin was unmistakable. In more re-
cent days we have had to thank the
French stage for the majority Of new
forms. Going back, we readily recall
the advent of Lohengrin, of La Tosca,
of Cleopatra, and of variety of Bern
hardt ideas, reaching from hat to shoe
and comprising every article of wear,
including even accessories and Jew
elry.
The world had been satisfied for SO
many years to look to Paris and its
cosmopolitan and high-pressure exist
ence as the birthplace of all that was
particularly interesting in art and style
that the habit became second nature.
Paris was regarded by the too ehthusi-
astic and possibly not cver-intelligent
buyer of other countries, as well as
America, as the only birthplace Of
style-the only centre where ideas Of
value took a concrete form. For many
years the entire world accepted Par
isian dictates, impractical, grotesque
even, as they sometimes were, without
a murmur.
Thus the American buyer of former
days, with an eager, consuming popu-
lation behind him, ready to take even
ridiculous merchandise at a profit,
needed to know SO little that he failed
to make a study either of necessities
or merits of style or merchandise. All
that was necessary to insure sale
was an exhibition of the merchandise.
So the question Of style-real style and
real taste-was an unimportant one,
except with limited portion of the
population of our greater cities-peo-
Pile who really knew thing or two"
The tendency of such a period was
entirely guided by the within and fancy
of foreign manufacturers, who founded
their ideas upon historic presidents
and traditions rather than upon neces-
sity, progress and good judgment.
There were always recurring periods
for each class of merchandise For in
stance, the whole world was eager dur
ing the days of the Second Empire to
adopt anything French, and readily
acceded to the undoubted supremacy
of French fashion ideas.
The French taste of that period was
decidedly erratic and anything but
practical or artistic. But it was the
only taste, the only authority of the
day, Paris then being the centre of the
which all eyes and minds turned as
the source of all that was truly beauti-
full and inspired. The consequence was
that the chignon, the hoopskirt or
crinoline and other monstrosities were
easily foisted upon an eager world, to
tAAC SlCdt punt VI SAlSW0 II IGuCa
manufacturers and dealers.
Then followed styles in which untold
yards of goods were draped into the
costume, simply to make a greater
feast for French wooden and silk man
ufacturers.
The form or figure Of the wearer
was rarely considered in these mat
tiers. Women had little to say about
the numerous DISCUSSES and freakish
arrangements which were heaped
upon them, and which only extreme
grace and artistic sense permitted of
being worn successfully, even in Paris
itself
Think Of transplanting to America,
with its then unpaved streets and pc
culiar conditions, styles contrived only
for the acme of metropolitan existence.
Yet every woman, poor and rich, from
end to end of our broad States, had
her chignon, and fat women waddled
through the foot-deep mud of Western
cities holding up their hoop skirts.
Then followed another era of idiocy
the hustle and pad period. Great ex-
tensions in the back composed of wire
with horse hair pads at the top, holding
straight out yoluminous draperies.
This was the last CULVER of dying slav-
cry to fashion. OF course, women re-
belled, men swore, and people of
sense. born under American freedom,
began to think and determine. Still,
accustomed as they were to take fash
ion religiously, as a doctrine handed
down to them by certain authorities
at home and abroad, the idea of de-
parting from the faith was regarded
as little short Of treason or heresy.
No woman of twenty years ago would
have thought of expressing her own
opinion or suggesting the form of dress
suited to her wants. She took fashion
plates as if they were edicts. The
dressmaker's advice was followed as
closely and as carefully as that of the
physician.
Even to-day the smart woman be-
iieves in her dressmaker, especially If
she has good dressmaker to believe
in. But in those days she took all
kinds of medicine, whether it suited
her case or not, as far as dress was
concerned.
America changed all this. The free
dom of expression, the education and
courage of it's women, and the great
mercantile sense of Its men soon in
sisted upon more practical forms for