The Colorado statesman., 1916-04-22
EASTER OF 1875
Feminine Finery Hard to Procure
in That Year of Revo-
Iutionary War.


immediate prospect for the wom-
en- Of the American colonies at Easter
tide in the year 1776. They were des-
tined thereafter, through long and
very dark period, to undergo many Sc
we're deprivations in this respect-not
the least of them being lack of pins.
Think, o ye fair ones, of trying to get
along without pins! But it had to be
done, for the colonies were dependent
upon Europe for their supply of pins,
as we'll as for many other things, and
this was cut off by the war. Even the
most fashionable ladies' of Boston and
other centers of population were COM
PEELED to have resort to thorns for the
fastening of their garments, and his
tory tells us that the spines OF certain
cacti actually we're utilized to a consid.
erable extent.
Ours Is supposed to be the age OF
luxury par excellence, in dress as in
other matters, and yet the women OF
today are not more beautifully attired
than were those of the well-to-do class
in the colonies during the period just
before the Revolution. They wore
silks, satins and laces as exquisite as
any that can be found in our modern
shops-fetched. of course, by trading
vessels from France-together with all
sorts of other costly feminine gear, in
cluding ribbons. trimmings, stockings,
gloves, shoes and dainty materials for
the making of undergarments.
There were, howaver, a great many
women in the various colonies who,
long before the comilv; of the war, had
made up their minds to do without
pretty things, so far as was prac-
ticable. We read of pretty Patty Par
sons, during the British occupancy OF
Philadelphia, who out up the en-
broidered sky-blue satin waistcoat
which her grandfather had worn at the
English court, and made out of 1t a
jockey'-deemed by admirers most
becoming. And of another girl, a
friend of Patty's, who converted
troopers scarlet coat into jacket,
using the leftover pieces to make
pair of warm gloves, which she bound
with gray squirrel fnr. The collar and
cuffs of the jacket were likewise of
gray homespun skirt.
In those times 1t was no very seri.
out undertaking for a young woman
to make pair of gloves for herself.
Indeed, though fine and expensive
gloves were imported from France, or.
dinary ones for everyday wear were
commonly manufactured at home.
Mrs. Alice NJ. Earle (to whose books
Of high historic value the writer ac.
knowledges indebtedness) says that of
all deprivations suffered by women
during the Revolution none was SO Sc
we're as that of gauze. At that period
the fashions demanded this material
for an astonishing variety of purposes.
There were gauze caps, gauze bonnets,
gauze aprons, gauze ribbons, gauZe
kerchiefs, flounced gauze petticoats,
and even gowns of gauze. But most
of all was gauze needed for the high
headdresses of that epoch, which
could hardly be put together and held
In place without it.
So late as the year 1882, in a
London fashion journal, a tonsorial
artist" is found advertising "a new
method of stuccoing the hair in the
most fashionable taste, to last with
very little repair during the whole ses-
sion of parliament Price only five
! guineas. N. Bile takes but one hour
to build the head and two for baking
It."
The Fastertide costume OF a lady
in 177G, when she walked on the street,
was likely to include a mask of white
or colored silk. If she rode on horse
back she would wear riding mask;
and the very latest fashion at that
period was such a mask provided with
q fiat silver plate, to be held between
the teeth for securing it in position.
1t should be understood, however, that
these masks were worn not for a dis
guise, but to protect the complexion
The women Of today still wear masks
for the same purpose, but call them
veils, and they are made of net or lace
Instead of silk.