in the matter. Fashion is such an essential part of the mundus
muliebris of our day, that it seems to me absolutely necessary that
its growth, development, and phases should be duly chronicled; and
the historical and practical value of such a record depends
entirely upon its perfect fidelity to fact. Besides, it is quite
easy for the children of light to adapt almost any fashionable form
of dress to the requirements of utility and the demands of good
taste. The Sarah Bernhardt tea-gown, for instance, figured in the
present issue, has many good points about it, and the gigantic
dress-improver does not appear to me to be really essential to the
mode; and though the Postillion costume of the fancy dress ball is
absolutely detestable in its silliness and vulgarity, the so-called
Late Georgian costume in the same plate is rather pleasing. I
must, however, protest against the idea that to chronicle the
development of Fashion implies any approval of the particular forms
that Fashion may adopt.



WOMAN'S DRESS



The "Girl Graduate" must of course have precedence, not merely for
her sex but for her sanity: her letter is extremely sensible. She
makes two points: that high heels are a necessity for any lady who
wishes to keep her dress clean from the Stygian mud of our streets,
and that without a tight corset the ordinary number of petticoats
and etceteras' cannot be properly or conveniently held up. Now, it
is quite true that as long as the lower garments are suspended from