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III.—­FASHION IN DRESS

It is very difficult to say what constitutes Fashion.  We allow our French neighbours to prescribe what we shall wear, and at certain seasons of the year, English milliners of any pretension flock to Paris to learn their lesson, and on their return to London, announce to the public and to their customers that they are prepared to exhibit the greatest novelties in style, form, and colour, which they have been able to procure.  The variety that is presented, as having been just imported from Paris, convinces us that there exists everywhere, even in the great French capital itself, the greatest possible diversity of taste; and, if we may judge from the extraordinary specimens which are introduced to our notice, we should infer that the Parisian taste is by no means faultless.

We do not mean to insinuate that a really well-dressed Frenchwoman is not better dressed than most English women, or that the French have not a peculiar knack of putting on their clothes to the best advantage; for there is no doubt upon the matter.  But, if we maybe allowed to judge from the examples brought over to us in the shape of bonnets and head-dresses, and other articles of a lady’s toilette, we should say that there must be a considerable inclination among our foreign neighbours to what is both gaudy and vulgar.

When anyone complains to a milliner of the style of any of the articles she has on sale, she replies that she is obliged to provide for all kinds of taste; that it would not answer her purpose to limit her supply to those who have a faultless eye; that, in order to make her business succeed, she must be prepared to accommodate all persons, and cater for them all alike, studying to please each individual in whatever way she may be disposed to be pleased, and never presuming to do more than merely suggest some slight improvement or modification.  Ladies are apt to take offence at their taste being too severely criticized, and dressmakers do not always find it the easiest possible task to steer clear between securing their own reputation as “artistes” of fashion and good taste, and avoiding giving offence to their patronesses.  It is the public who are to blame.  When some one remonstrated with Braham for his florid and vulgar style of singing, he replied, it was the people and not he who was at fault.  It was alike his duty and interest to please the public, and not to instruct it.  He sang to be listened to and encored, not to be hissed and snubbed.  It does not answer for any tradesman not to be able to supply what his customers demand.

It is the public who are to blame.  If they insist upon being supplied with certain articles of consumption or of dress, the shopkeepers have no alternative but to supply them.  If ladies prefer what is ugly and misbecoming, the dressmakers have to make it.  It is the old story over again of the demand creating the supply.