PERSONAL ORNAMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5372, 15 June 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERSONAL ORNAMENTS.

Ornaments adapting themselves to the female form, such as wreaths, chains, girdles, cords, fringes, and ribbons, have In all times claimed the fullest interest of women. Necklaces not having the binding character of wreaths are suggestive of playful and graceful freedom. For these, pearls, brilliant stones, and gold have at all times been • adopted—pearls, oh the whole, have the preference, as mediating, so to speak, between the difference of complexion between face and neck. The linked, twisted, or braided chain has an expression of its own, and as indicating “ a keeping together" appropriately sustains some ornamental article. It has a lengthened effect like the tresses of the hair. The girdle is essentially a ring decoration, and the primitive idea was the giving the shape a wasplike air. In the middle ages, the leather girdle was chiefly worn fastened with a buckle, or with the front slung to a knot, the falling ends having fringes. It was aderned with geometric forms, or crossing wavy lines, and was slung loose and low. The knot has always been a leading ornament, as well as rosettes and buttons. In the fifteenth century, Italians ladies in high life wore girdles set out with amber balls and large pearls; in the front a Venetian looking-glass was suspended, also fans and chains. In the sixteenth century, the favor was worn in the hair, on the girdle, as a bosom knot, and on the shoulders, arms, and shoes* care being taken not to stitch it as a blind knot, but to cause it to hold together stronger or more delicate material, balancing, where necessary, in the way of color. It often consisted of a cluster of rose forms round a centre. The cord was formerly, as now, applied to purposes of embellishment, as well as for lacing and clasping, the charm lying in the lace - like twisting. It was worn in the middle ages as a girdle ornament. The tassel was originally nothing but the unravelling of the cord beneath the knot that was to stop the further untwisting, the fringe originally proceeding from the unravelling of woven stuff. Whilst the tassel was round, in reference to the cord, the fringe developed in the breadth. The art idea in the suspended fringe is rest in contrast to the motion of the lambs. The Asiatic nations have applied fringes in profusion. /The advance in ornament was lb joining the tlireads of the fringe developed into the, woven network of passementerie of this character. Ribbon decoration has always been

al* inexhaustible resource of toilet art. The handsome flow of folds in drapery is to he classed as dress ornament. Whilst the Egypttiaus endeavoured to rule the folds artificially, by simply ranging them symmetrically near each other, the Greeks,above all other nations, developed in beautiful forms their artistic feelings. The stiff out in the ordinary dresses of tho past generation rendered graceful folds almost an impossibility. In tho female shape every form of beauty is united by such folds, the swaying with every motion that can enchance its mainfold attractions. The tracing the influence of one nation over another would make a curious chapter in the of fashion. In the national dress of the Russian woman may still be traced tho rude magnificence of the Tartars iu all kinds of glittering and sounding metallio ornaments, with small rattling hangings, embroideries, and cords of colored glassbeadsand coins. The alterations in the fashion as to the extent of ornament worn are very striking.' ■ Thus in the thirteenth century, when dress became more simple, we find ornaments lessened in number, though remaining the same. Subsequently, a_ profusion of gold ornaments sprang up, first in Italy; Cellini and other artists lending their influence to gold work. It is a curious circumstance in fashions that periods of political and social disturbance have usually led to exaggerations in ornament, as if personifying an undue exaltation of spirit. Thus, at the period of the Reformation were to be seen monstrous towershaped head-curlings, small bells, bill-pointed shoes, broad lace cuffs, enormous puffings, gowns overloaded by trimmings, and ;i great variety of gaudy colors. We find, iu the period of the renaissance, Italy correcting the: tasteless extravagance of Germany. France drew over to herself the Italian masters of art, and these influenced dress. Later and more slowly this influence extended to this country and Germany, causing greater _ freedom and the entire abandonment of Spanish stiffness.— —Milliner and Dressmaker.