How to Adorn Yourself, 1899

woman in dress But what’s below the furbelow?

“Dear Past, Should I adorn myself with furbelows? How much is too much? Sincerely, Plainly in the Present”

Friends, never follow the far-fetched, fleeting, fantastic freaks; the frivolous, farcical follies of Fashion… fancying you are fascinating, when you really are frumps, funny fools at finest functions, for all your furbelows and Frenchified fixings.

Kate Sanborn, “Fashion, and How Far to Follow It”

Furbelows are like alliteration: best when used sparingly.