Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1874 — Fashionable Trappings. [ARTICLE]

Fashionable Trappings.

A Paris correspondent writes: Pouches, happily, seem to be “going out;” but, apparently, only to leave more room for the hanging on of other things. Formerly, a lady carried in her left hand her handkerchief, card-case, or purse; in her right a parasol or a fan. As it was then customary to do no more than make an inclination of the head on meeting one’s acquaintances, no inconvenience was experienced on going out with the hands thus filled and occupied. But the English habit of shaking hands has been generally adopted here of late, and now a lady hangs upon her person everything that she wishes to take about with her. Not to speak of the chatelaine, which has been coming back of late into favor, and which comprises about a score of articles, it is now the fashion to hang to the waist-belt the aumoniere (literally alms-bag) when worn, the fan, the cardcase, porte-monnaie, the small umbrella Or parasol, the little, thick, turnip watch (of various patterns) now much in vogue, the pin-cushion, ivory tablets, little mirror, etc., etc., all of which dangle about the person of a fashionable belle, making, when she moves, a slight clatter which is considered agreeable and amusing. When traveling, the personal baggage of a daughter of fashion is increased by a leather bag carried on the left arm, and an opera-glass slung ever her left shoulder, a leather strap holding a water-proof cloak or a shawl, with an anchor in her collar, a sword or an arrow holding the feather of her hat, and perhaps a pair of little bells in her ears. As the traveling-dress is often loaded with broad guipures that seem to meander in every direction over thewearer’s person, the various addenda just enumerated are apt to get entangled therein, demanding both time and patience to get them “ right” again.