I’m running late today. Today I look at May’s
fashion plates and description of men’s fashion plus the general observation
which is rather long.
FASHION
FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
PLATE 23. – BALL DRESS.
White satin slip, under
a crape dress, made to fit the figure very exactly, cut open in front, and
bound all round with white satin ribbon and a row of beads, linked together in
front with bands of beads loosely suspended at distances; short sleeves the
same. Fan richly spangled. Pearl necklace, with diamond clasp in front;
ear-rings and bracelets to suit. White shoes striped in scarlet or blue. Hair
in ringlets on the forehead, and lightly turned up behind with a diamond comb.
Petticoats very short.
PLATE 24. – WALKING DRESS.
Dress
of white Scotia washing silk. Bishop’s mantle of sage or olive-green striped
and plain silks, made entirely without seams; border of the same colour. Hat to
correspond, and decorated with artificial flowers. Shoes sage or olive green,
also to correspond.
GENERAL
OBSERVATION.
Spanish hats, which
have been worn all the winter. With feathers, for full dress, are now converted
into walking hats, substituting flowers instead of feathers. Straw hats and
bonnets, ornamented with flowers, and white silk hats, are making their
appearance for the season. Light silk mantles, of all colours, are much worn.
Spencers, of a beautiful grey, ornamented with silver, not buttoned, but tied
loosely at the neck, form a most elegant dress. The Scotia silk, introduced in
the last number, is now in great request for dresses, as is also spotted
muslin. Colours vary with the taste of the individual; silver grey is
unquestionably the most elegant and most fashionable. The attempt to introduce
waists has completely failed; they have not, nor will they ever become fashionable.
The full dress of this number is the present standard.
I happened to be in a
family party of ladies on the evening of the publication of last month’s Repository: the moment it was introduced. The dresses
became the subject of critical animadversion, and the essay attached to them
under the title “General Observation,” was read aloud for the entertainment of
the company. Various (as many be suppose) were the comments of the fair
hearers. I was pleased to find that scarlet
was given up to its fate without a pang: the colour, however, was out of fashion and out of season, so that I could not congratulate myself much on the
victory. Green, on the contrary, found its admirers and supporters. Green! Cool,
lovely, refreshing green! – Green, the universal livery of nature! These and similar exclamations from the lovely
lips of accomplished beauty, made me almost waver in my opinion, and tempted me
to recal the anathema pronounced against it. This was not all.
The passage soon
occurred in which the writer looks forward to the time when the “dress of the
British fair shall be established on the simple and unerring principles of
nature.” - Here the lovely reader made a
sudden pause. – “Principles of nature,”
she repeated (as if to ascertain whether she had read the author aright), and
at the same instant the “principles of
nature” was echoed through the room, accompanied by all marks of confused
apprehension. The whole of the passage
was repeated – still nothing could be made of it. At length a maiden lady, with
a prudish gravity of aspect and contemptuous elevation of nose, observed that,
in her opinion, it was mere impudence.
– “Nature indeed!” said she. “It would make the ghosts of our grandmothers
blush, could they see how much of nature
is already exposed – and has this fellow the assurance to which to which for more? For my own part, I was not without
the hope of seeing the modish innovation of the present day set aside, and the
hoop petticoat, with all its modest
and becoming appendages, again
introduced into the circles of fashion:- but if this fellow be permitted to go
on – really I have not patience to think of it – I will write myself to the
Bishop of London, or to the Society for the Suppression of Vice and get a stop
to his impudence.
All this, and much
more, was I, in my character of incognito,
compelled to listen to; and now I again make my appearance, to defend myself
from dreadful a charge. I only entreat to be heard out, and I promise that even
the fastidious delicacy of “Cælebs” (who is now become the fashionable monitor)
shall find nothing to object to in all that has been advanced.
It has been the aim of
all nations to convert those garments which the climate renders necessary, into
something decorative and ornamental; and as long as the decorations are kept in
subordination to the object decorated, they will be in good taste, but no
longer; the moment dress become principal, all beauty and consistency is lost.
That dress, then, which displays as much of the form as is required by grace,
without infringing the laws of modesty – which shall leave the limbs to act
with the greatest ease to the wearer, and the most agreeable effect on the eye
of the beholder, and admit only such ornaments as will add to, rather than
diminish the beauty of the face and figure, may, in strict propriety, be said
to be composed upon the principles of nature.
But my limits will not
admit of enlarging at present on the idea. I will resume the subject next
month, and will endeavour then to lay down some general rules for the adaptation of the colours introduced in dress to the various characters and complexions of the lovely wearers.
AREIETER
ELEGANTIARUM.
GENTLEMEN’S
FASHION.
Under
this head we have no other alteration to record in the present month, except
that leather breeches, of a very deep colour, approaching to brown, and boot,
are much worn by gentlemen. It will be recollected, that, in our number for
March, we announced the probability of such a change.
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