Old-fashioned girls
Denise Robins
Health, Art and Reason Stella Mary Newton (John Murray E3.95)
This is an intriguing book which the publishers rightfully describe as "a valuable contribution to Fashion History." It is so, not only from the feminine, but the Masculine angle. Some of the illustrations show 11? how fantastically men, as well as women, c,hanged their ideas about clothes between the I800's and the turn of the twentieth century. tlJndoubtedly it is the dress-designers who see that the tailors and dressmakers make such regular changes. The shopkeepers accept them because their sales are automatically Promoted by the very alterations in style. It is then that those who are fashion-conscious lay aside last year's models and follow the new trends — sometimes without judgment and not
g whether they suit them or not.
he author proves that it is not only the vain Woman who is conscious of the 'necessity to ciceeP in line with up-to-date styles, but the 'ashion-conscious man who seems to be just as anxious not to be thought out-of-date. „So many of the pictures in this book feature' me words 'Gentleman' and 'Lady', that I am reminded of the fact that these terms may soon be as Obsolete as the fashions. Gone are the white-tie and tails, the top hat, the bowler. Gone the veiled bonnet, the voluminous cape beneath which the early Victorian lady sheltered from the winter's blast. Gone, the corsets, thick woollen hose, bicycle-bloomers, button°P boots, gloves (except on special occasions) and mittens almost entirely. It is said that 'women dress for women'. For Whom, I wonder, do men display their sartorial elegance? Interesting to note how regularly the Cycle comes round. The author shows us how our men of today have returned to long curling hair, the beards and the drooping moustaches of the 1890's. I wonder if their delicious Norfolk jackets, plus-fours and tweed caps will ever come back?
A good selection of the business-men who stream daily across London Bridge to the City, Stick to conventional attire. The 'collar and tie origade'. Will these fashions in turn disappear, and will the world of men as a whole go to work in denims, jeans, sleeveless vests in the summer, and shaggy sheepskin coats in the cold weather? With few exceptions, I doubt if hats will ever be worn regularly again. Health, Art and Reason lives right up to its title. Miss Newton tells us all. The subject of health, ever of interest, is given much space and IS Widely illustrated by one Splendid photograph of "Fashions in the Health Exhibition of The abnormally small waists of the grand Ladies, constricted in what they called a "Survival Corset", suggest to me that it is astonishing that these Ladies ever did manage to survive! Quite apart from the discomfort and the strain of trying to breathe normally, tight lacing could be a real threat to the health of a w, °man — gasping as her maid pulled her corset 'aces ever tighter and tighter until she cried' "Stop!" The dresses were delighful then but the Oelicate lady, who swooned at the slightest Provocation, seems to have been somewhat stupid.
There are some enchanting pictures and descriptions of these languid beauties of the 0O S. The 'Gibson Girl', created by the famous Dana Gibson, I have always found original and beautiful. She bears a certain resemblance to some of our modern model-girls. But the matron in her classic draperies (inspired by the Athenians) has vanished from our midst. Yet how luscious were the rich velvets, the exquisite laces, the colourful ribbons of their beautiful evening dresses which were originally designed in America and stunned London Society when they reached our sober shores.
The Ladies then were, as a rule, well-muffled with only a hint, when in full evening dress, of white bosom. But the words 'see through' had 'certainly not been thought up. As for the voluminous petticoats, the thick combinations, the long frilled drawers, etcetera, as represented in this book, they can no longer even be bought, let alone worn.
Miss Newton tells us that long ago a firm named 'Capper Csandeco' advertised 'hygienic knickers' with great success, and under the gorgeous skirts they became the order of the day. I must admit I liked the amusing drawings of the pretty girls wearing their knickerbockers, jackets, stiff collars and ties, and gay boaters perched provocatively over their foreheads. This outfit is described by Miss Newton as "rational costume in 1806".
The first trend, perhaps, toward the more masculine attire that women enjoy today, with their boyish pants and pullovers, began at the turn of the twentieth century. At least Miss Newton impresses us with the fact that the health of the nation is improved by the new simplicity of style. And what could have been better than a sensible finish to mock modesty and the acceptance that much of the body could be uncovered and waist be allowed to expand to natural size. So began our progress towards the near-nudity of the 'seventies.
Reading through this book, I gladly acknowledge the artistry of the designers of one hundred and twenty years ago. They possessed a genuine sense of beauty. In addition, their new fashions following the bustle had a strangely political flavour. Miss Newton has convinced me of the truth of her interesting statement that fashions at this time (and I quote the words from one of the old magazines), were "not so much a sanitary reality as a symbol of democracy". The poor were too poor to be able to 'dress up'. It was only the rich who could indulge their tastes ad-lib. So we hear that those two fine artists, Morris and Walker Crane, played a large part in introducing a note of Socialism into the wardrobes of their day. What Miss Newton describes as a "Worker's Dress" began to appear in the shops, made, as she says, "in two or three different styles of plain, good material". A step toward Morris's Utopia. And interesting for artists, who should certainly read this book, to note also that on the outbreak of the First World War, the Dorelia paintings of Augustus John inspired an altogether new and beautiful dress style. Miss Newton writes: "It was a change from a reformed dress worn as a mission to the unenlightened to a dress worn as a badge". She proclaims that the taste of the wearer may have seemed subtle but it was important.
Art, theatre and novel had a strong influence on the clothes of the 1800's, for example the paintings of Burne-Jones, Whistler, and other great painters: also, the dresses worn in the plays of George du Maurier or Wilde. The illustrations in Meredith's novels, and the then so-fashionable Yellow Book inspired many top dress-designers and set them to work furiously on their drawing boards.
I was impressed by the richness of knowledge about all these things which Miss Newton must have stored in her mind, and is handing on to me. How invaluable, too, she must have been to the National Gallery during her ten years of labour there on "Dress in Works of Art".
She writes beautifully and has an intelligent grasp of the main subject which she enriches throughout by her grasp of world affairs, politics, medicine and health culture in general. I strongly recommend this instructive and unusual book, not only to the women who enjoy thinking and reading about Fashions, but to those who create them.
Denise Robins, the romantic novelist, has most recently written Dark Corridor, published by Hodder and Sloughton.
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