Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-07-11
ORIGIN Of STYLES ONCE WAS ENOUGH
Many Of Popular Fashions Were
Results of Chance.
Queen Invented Pannier to Cover Ply.
sieai Defect; French Duchess Re-
sponsIbIe for "Patches"-
Other Instances.

So That many Of the fashions which be-
came famous in their day and have
come down to our own were due to
chance or accident Is now matter
OF history. Interesting are the stories
told of the odd origin of certain styles
which an unsuspecting world probably
thought were Intentionally chosen for
their beauty or comfort.
The courts Of Europe have been e..
pecially noted for their sheeplike fol-
lowing of an idea introduced by the
reigning monarch when frequently
that idea was evolved to conceal one
OF the rulers physical defects. One Of
the kings of France came to the
throne child of ten; he wore his hair
In long ringlets all about the head.
Immediately men and women coif1ed
themselves likewise. The same mon.
arch was bald at thirty and being .
lover Of all that was beautiful and
feminine he ordered the elaborate wig
which was taken up and reveled In
during many reigns.
AS for the hair being caught in tho
back and held with small bow OF RIB
bon, the style beloved of men several
hundred years ago, little girls are said
to have originated the idea. and acci-
dentally. One day court leader hap
pened to be visiting and his hostess
was late In arriving In the salon. The
young man fell asleep and the two
children Of the noble lady, creeping
in, saw the guest and, to play trick.
tied his hair all together. The little
girls, fearing to be caught, ran away
and the young man never knew OF the
curious picture the back Of his wig pre-
sented Other visitors discovered the
garnish, laughed at the ribbon. and
the young count declared barefacedly
that he had so fastened his hair and
meant to keep 1t always so from his
neck and shoulders. Within few
Gays the entire nobility found the
scheme an excellent one and adopted
the idea.
The pannier was introduced by 4
queen to cover a misplaced hip bone.
1t was an actress who finally threw
the pannier aside after 1t had been
fashionable half century. One eve
ming Just before she was to appear
on the stage, the actress discovered
that one pannier was entirely drench-
ed in oil; the dress, 1t was thought.
was spoiled by rival.
The actress and her maid quickly
thought the matter over, and both to-
gether quickly tore of the offending
member of the costume. The actress
donned the dress, but. Of course, 1t
presented ridiculous appearance. So
the other pannier was removed, and
the slim young woman appeared on
the stage more supple and graceful
than ever. The audience at first gasp
ed, then admired, and the next day
all OF London (the scene took place
there) decided to initiate the actress
on her severe skirt.
The origin Of the beauty spot is no
less interesting. The duchess de Mont
morillon suffered with a boil on the
cheek and put on bit Of black mix
ture overnight said to be healing. In
the morning, she either forgot to wash
her face or did not use enough care
so the story goes-and the inattentive
or malicious servant allowed her mis-
tress to appear before the world" with
her face spotted. Powdered and per.
fumed, Montmorillon received her call.
ers who found the black spot charm.
ing, so much so that before night they
had anointed their faces with the
black ointment.
To come down to present times, the
feather boa was originated less than
20 years ago in Boston. In an idle
moment an apprentice in feather es.
Enlistment sewed the discarded bits
and ends Of poor plumes together and
strung them about her neck. The 9th.
er girls laughed at the trimming, the
head Of the department found it pref
ty, and the order was given that no
castaways in the form of plumes be
thrown in the waste basket. All parts
Of the plume were kept. sewed on to
a ribbon, the entire thing curled and
long ribbon loops put at each end, and
the feather boa was the success Of the
season.
The uncurled plume, 50 fashionable
in Paris few years ago and revived
recently in another manner, was pure
ly the result Of an accident. The big
gest race Of the year, the Grand Prix
d'Auteuil, was on, and women were
there dressed within an inch of their
lives. A fearful rainstorm came up
and people were drenched. Plumes
that had left home finely curled we're
wet and each spiral stood apart It
was not pretty, the effect, but 1t was
original, and one Of the milliners, not
wishing to take the trouble to have
the plumes OF all his customers re-
curled, advised them to allow the gar
nish to remain as 1t was.
That week following the Grand Prix
d'Auteuil saw nothing but stratght
spiral plumes, and women liked them
so much that before the following Sun.
day, when the Grand Prix de Long
champ was to be, women who had
curled plumes had the wave taken out,
SO that they might appear like the 9TH
er fashionables. For mere than
year the defrissee plume was sought.
AS a whole, fashion is, like in this
instance, only the result of an acci-
dent. Sometimes it is the outcome
of an experiment. But like the won.
en-, it is capricious and changeable and
capable Of most anything reasonable.