Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-05-02
An Old Bachelor Criticising Ladies' Skirts---
Home Truths.


A smart and tasty old bachelor, who has trav-
elled and seen the world, offers some very shrewd
and instructive remarks for the consideration Of
our country women, in the columns of the Home
Journal. He says: 81 am sorry to say that our
American ladies with all their extravagancies, are
not the best dressed to be found in the world
they overdo the thing; in the streets they are
bales of cation with silk coverings; in their hous-
es, ladies' maids in their Sunday clothes. In no
part of the world do ladies put on their best to
draople in the Streets and their almost worst as
soon as they get home, except in these United
States. Every foreigner remarks this unaccount-
able bad taste every travelled American con-
demns it. have known ladies put on their per-
sons the value of hundreds of dollars, and then
wander up and down Broadway without meeting
sinple gentleman of their acquaintance; then 90
home and put on an old dress, when, just as they
made their appearance in the parlor, the husband
would come in, and have with him two or three
friends to take tea, and quiet rubber Of whist in
the evening.
SIN all parts of Eurnpe the walking dress is
simple and neat, not expensive nor snowy; the
dress of fashion and richness is for the evening a
lone, when friends call. How | shall rejoice
when my fair countrywomen learn the difference
between simplicity in dress and the common blocks
they now make of themselves to show off the skill
of their dress-makers. The question Of expense is
more matter of individuality than reality; one
| LADY will dress better on two hundred dollars a
year, than another will for five times the amount.
What mean is this-a lady of taste Will look
better dressed, and be more elegant in appearance,
than another will although one may have the val
lie of thousands on, while the other had not tens
saw this fully exemplifed short time since, a
mongst some ladies of my acquaintance. A par
ty was about to be given, and, as is generally the
case on such occasions, new dresses must be got
Two young ladies, belonging TO different families,
but on intimate terms, were sadly puzzled as to
what they should wear; at the same time 1t was
rather suspected that one Of them was deslrous to
take her friend down, as the saying is.
The lady alluded to went to Stewards, the
great Broadway dry-good depot. and purchased a
most expensive brocads her friends proclaimed Ii
elegant, and every one supposed 1t would he the
dress of the evening. The other young lady was
not envious, but joined in the common praise, and
hinted that she thonght she would bear away the
palm as far as regarded dress not at all put out
at the evident attempt to throw her IN the shade,
she very quietly went to work 10 prepare for the
occasion. Having called in the dress maker, they
put their heads and wits to work, and so metamor-
phosed an old ball dress that had been cast aside
two years before, that when. on her partners arm,
she entered the brilliant parlor, she was at once
proclaimed the best dressed lady in the party !
1t was however. not so much the materials of the
dress that gained the appreciation of the company,
but the artistic taste displayed, and the consum
mate fit of the lady to the Dress and the dress TO
the lady.
ga few evenings since received an invitation
from celebrated New York professor of dancing
to calico ball amongst his scholars; the ladies
were 10 appear in calico, after recent fashion up
town, and the dresses to be afterward given TO the
poor American females. The gentlemen were to
give, in money. any amount, they pleased from
two dollars. Of course attended, and it was the
best-dressed party ever saw in this country
How wish the ladies could be made to under
stand what we male creatures consider the beau
ties that constitute the woman. The simple
calico adorned the lovely girls far more. in my
estimation, than all the most costly silks that
LYONS ever seat US could have done"