The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-03-14
I'll strllann. .
Ladies' Dress.

NJ karr's comments on Ladies' Dress
ton often the cngrossing rubicct Of her.
/ thoughts. while dressing becomes one of
the chief occupations Of her life His
remarks are severe in the extreme. and
yet we shosld not call them qcbolly de.
void Of truth We give our readers a
few vivacious extracts. but thew must
bear in mind that NJ. Karr is French
man, and writing of French women We
need not take it for granted that his
structures are equally applicable TO A.
mericans. Let the American Woman of
Fashion answer whether or not they ap.
ply to berself:-[ IPoman's Advocatc.
ARBITRARY DRESS.
Every one has founced gowns. every
one has five tucks on the skirt, no one
has less if every one wears short waists
of course | must too. But what do you
mean by "every one?" All the world
But do you not make part Of all the
world ? Yes; but every one does not
consult me. Who is it, then, that invcnts
fashion ? Woman, Of course. Who are
they that follow the fashions All the
rest. Well, that shows the rest are all
very humble thus to submit to the deci
sions Of few. Listen to woman. and
she will tell you she wears nothing but
what she is obliged to wear, because ev.
cry one else does the same but question
each of these tyrants in particular. and
you will see the same Submission the same
selfsacrifce. But if fashions are invent
ed by woman, why do you not each in
vent for yourselves, since you may be
quite sure that a fashion invented by any
other woman has always in view the
coEccalment Of some defect which she
has, or of some Leauty which you pos.
sess2
BEEss THE BUSINESS OF LITE
/ Dress is the great business of all wo.
men. and the fixed idea of some. Thus
every event in their lives has change
OF dress for its result. and often for its
cause, In this way gowns divide n wo.
mans existence into an infinite number
Of eras and hcgiras "Such thing hap.
pcned at time when | had nv purpie
velvet dress; such another, when | bought
my pink satin" To mark important
events ore precisely, You hear, THE
first time he saw me, | was dressed in
blue" When girls do not marry solely
for the purpose of putting on the we'd.
! ding costume, you may still be certain
that 1t docs, in some degree, influence
their minds. Monsieur - never would
have been accepted. if his wife had
thought only of him but a veil and
orange-fower wreath, which suits bride
SO well cannot be worn excepting on the
wedding day, and, in order to marry. a
husband is required so he is taken as an
accessory, just in the same way as car.
rlages are hired. Many would, very like.
ly, prefer to be married without hus.
band, but that is not the custom.
MOURNING.
Madame has just lost relative her
grief is profound, but it will be alloyiat.
ed by the necessity of providing mourn.
,,TTn - Wh"t 70 most worn Inis year
What is the most fashionable kind of
mourning :" The mlliner must lie visit.
ed, the dreSs-makor, and the drapers
this is done with less scruple, now that
shops have been opened for the sale of
articles OF mourning alone. All sorrow
quickly disappears beneath the load Of
cares about dress the anxiety is ybetb.
er tho bonnet should be too small or the
gown too short. But it is seldom an ac.
cident of this kind happens. When prop.
erly attired Madame goes to make call
upon friond. She says, Z" | hear you
have lost your consin it must have been
a terrible shock to you. What
lovely bonnet you have on. Sho was
quite young believe. ... Do you still
employ Mrs --2n
Yes, she has been my miliner for
last three years"
Nothing could possibly suit you bet.
ter ! feel deeply for YOU sorrow u
Il loved her like sister. Sbo has
left a dreadful void in my life.
How do you like the material of nv
dress ~
it2n ''' o'y
AT the Snrcophagus. She has
left two poor little children /"
And MadaDe's friend begins to feel
little envlous she would willingly lose
relation, SO that sho might be able to
wear such charming bonnet, and she
says to herself 4" the first time ] haya 10
60 in mourning, will buy my dresses at
the ,Sarcophagusi" !" aud then she passes
oil her relations 10 review to see wheth
er there is any one amongst them old
enough, or i'll enough TO give her any
reasonable hope she may soon possess
such beautiful gown.