Year: 1871




II will be seen from the HERAID's Paris
fashion letter, which we print to-day, that
there has not yet been complete revival In
the preparations of ladies' costumes AS
winter often fingers in the lap OF spring
fashion cings to the forced simplicity of war
times The rustic in dress is much affected,
and to look countrified is the ambition of many
fine women. But this is an idyl in real life
which cannot last long, and the fact that such
rich and elaborate costumes as the one called
''cloud lining" which is described in the
HERALD, are seen at all is evidence that rus
ticity in dress is already on the wane.


All this is the natural result of the political
condition of France. In the days of the
empire the gilded show which all Frenchmen,
and especially Frenchwomen love, was fos-
tered by every art in the multifarious re-
sources Of the Emperor and the exquisite
Eugenie. The Empress seemed born to lead
the fashion, aud to her was the exquisiteness
of Partisan taste attributed. But when the
empire went down in that fearful crash at
Sedan and the government of the National
Defence sprung into existence in an hour, only
to be subdued by the same hand which had sub
dued Napoleon, and afterwards to fight less
glorious even but more successful battle with
the Commune, the leadership in matters Of
dress was also lost. The croakers lamented,
and those who were wise beyond their genera
ton declared that thereafter Berlin would
dictate the fashions to the world. 1t was a
vain saying, for much as we admire German
fighting we would be slow to welcome Ger
man sovereignty in fashionable costumes.
American women would as soon allow London
milliners to transform them into scarecrows as
submit to the hideous tastes of Berlin. After
all we can look only to Paris, and when the
fever for republican simplicity" has passed
away Paris will show to the world that in
matters of dress at least she is the Paris OF
the past. The fall of the empire could
ingenuity of the worlds m0dlstes.
These will still go devising their devious
models, and pretty women will demand that
the reign of the sombre pass quickly away that
the bright things with which Paris has been
wont to console them may again make their
hearts glad Even the necessary accessories
to fashionable dress-tne aims pouches, chate-
LANES and bonbon boxes, made in the shape OF
explosive shells, and the long walking sticks
to small sunshades-are, as our correspondent
asserts, suggestive of the support France
wants to some genial form of government and
of her fond anticipations of the time when the
city of inventive resource will be again free to
exercise her wonderful talent in the art of
pleasing.


Our own openings for the autumn will take
place earlier this fall than has been the case
for many years, the sudden termination of the
watering-place season having the effect of
makers to the necessity Of preparing for the
returning multitude If we are to get along
without Partisan taste in matters of design
this is our opportunity. Whether we shall
succeed is exceedingly doubtful. This season
will determine the nnastior- INIT .anst mol
fail to remember that Paris is daily growing
stronger in the field which she occupied sc
long. The October fashions which the in
genious workers in the models of dress in this
city and in Paris are preparing will put the
matter at rest both for Paris and for us. We
should like to see New York lead the world in
this respect, as in every other, but if we must
get our fashions from abroad let us have then,
from Paris by all means.