"The women of Ailgna use to colour their faces with certain oils, liquors,
unguents and waters made to that end,
whereby they think their beautie is greatly decored:
but who seethe not that their soules are thereby deformed,
and they brought deeper into the displeasure and indignation of the Almighty.
A Woman, thorow painting and dying of her face, sheweth herself to be more then whorish.
Whoever does color their faces, or their hair, with any unnatural colour,
they begin to prognosticate of what colour they shall be in hell.
When they have all these goodly robes uppon them, women seeme to be the smallest part of themselves,
not naturall women, but artificiall Women; not Women of flesh & blod,
but rather puppits or mawmets of rags & clowtes compact together.
Did the women of the former world attire themselves in suche forte as these women do?
The Women of the former age, you may be sure,
never appareled themselves like one of these.
I condemne these abuses, these corruptions, and enormities there used,
and I pray God thei maie be reformed.
He showed me some Portugall ladys, which are come to town before the Queen.
They are not handsome, and their farthingales a strange dress.
You are but the Milleners Machin, joyned together by Chambermaid’s efficious hands.
A meer Chaos of needless Manufactures jumbled into the perfect Figure of a Woman.
Together with the long dresses there was a fashion for necklines
cut so the whole back but the shoulder blades, and the whole breast but the nipple was uncovered,
which was a sight terrifying to the righteous and exciting to the lewd.
I find the vagaries of fashion among the French astonishing.
They forgot how they were dressed this summer; they don't know even more
how they will be this winter. But, above all, one cannot believe
how much it costs a husband to make his wife fashionable.
What would be the use of giving you an exact description of their dress and adornments?
A new fashion would destroy all my work, […]
and before you had received my letter, everything would be changed.
It is not pleasant to see a woman cut in half like a wasp.
Saw her lately at a Gaming Table, with her Hair, in a Soldierly Manner,
turned under her cockaded Hat, her Jacket resembled a Man’s Coat, and she fequently sat Bare-headed.
The Ladies must have odd Opinions of the Men,
to think they can be most agreeable when they most resemble the Male Sex.
How would they like a young Fellow making Love to them in a Suit of Pinners, a Pair of Stays, and a Mantua?
The Reason of Disgust holds good on both Sides.
Of the riding-habits lately become so common with those who never ride,
I shall only observe, that however befitting it may be to ladies in the character of Diana,
it is still a masculine garb, and in our eyes does not add those graces to the female appearance
which have been by some supposed peculiar to it.
When first introduced into this country, it was worn only by ladies when intending to go on horseback,
and has many conveniences for that exercise.
To put it on, therefore, when one pays a visit, or goes to church,
is such a deviation from the original design,
that I hope the ladies will take the matter into serious consideration.
All fashions, moreover, which tend to remind the beholder that our dress is designed as a covering
are as improper as those which do not effectually cover us.
And here let me say, with sufficient plainness, that there are such fashions in existence;
and that they ought to be shunned like the plague.
Does not the world in which we live, contain sources enough of temptation,
and avenues enough to vice, seduction and misery, without increasing their number by our dress?
It is the fashion of exposing the neck and a part of the chest.
Let no young woman forget, moreover, that she lives, not for herself alone, but for others.
Every now and then we find you, dear ladies, labouring under some monstrous extravagance of attire,
as wide sleeves, arachnoid waists, and so forth.
Now the reigning solecism is over-long gowns.
It is a case which may almost excite some doubts as to the soundness of the feminine understanding,
so entirely does it seem to defy all of the ordinary rules of common sense.
Any one can see for himself, that the dress of women is of a kind to permit of infinite disguises.
There certainly is an abundant show of nonsense,
and sometimes of a most real and contemptible selfishness, in what is called fashion.
I have lost much of the faith I once had in the common sense
and even in the personal delicacy of the present race of average English women,
by seeing how they will allow their dresses to sweep the streets,
if it is the fashion to be scavengers.
When a lady walks about town with three or four yards of silk tied in a bundle behind her,
she doesn't see it her- self, or benefit by it herself.
She carries it for the benefit of beholders.
Nevertheless, women have decided—upon what grounds who will venture to say ?
—that, concerning their own bodies, the plan of the Creator was not good;
that so far from being a “perfect woman, nobly planned,” she is a poor deficient creature,
requiring a further development of a bony framework OUTSIDE the body.”
Where were the mothers of the future generation to come from?
No woman with such an outfit could possibly bear healthy children.
Fashion and folly indeed travel together,
are inseparable companions, and pervert and destroy our young girls and women.
It may be stated emphatically, however, that almost all men abominate
all forms of woman's attire that merely aim to be "mannish,"
that are adopted only for the sake of making a "smart" appearance.
Mannish collars, vests, hats, neckties, etc., when worn by women,
almost always create a revulsion of feeling in a man.
A bachelor's grave is a cold thing to look forward to,
but many have thought that it was preferable
to taking a chance in that lottery where the diamonds and the booby-prizes,
the Venuses and the viragoes, have all been concealed in a maze of crinoline and whalebone,
cotton, powder and paint.
Who could know whether the beautiful maiden or the ugly dwarf
would step forth on the night of disenchantment?”
Women spend all their time and money on their clothes and amusements
and let their homes take care of themselves.
High heels are more dangerous to the welfare of the United States than German submarines.
Is there a man married to a woman of fashion who in the past five years
has not felt a pang of shame at his wife's appearance?"
Today’s woman loves luxury more than love. A visit to a great dressmaker’s establishment,
escorted by a paunchy, gouty banker friend who pays the bills,
is a perfect substitute for the most amorous rendezvous with an adored young man.
Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.
Why must she dress that way? I think she's confused about her gender...
All these big, baggy menswear tailored pantsuits
Sultry? She looks ridiculous. Ask her to put some clothes on (if she has any...)
Wear a bra, respect people.