Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-11-28
xouna Ladies, Allowanees.

In Enpland, the marriage settlements generally
provide the wife with pin money, varying, OF
course according to the fortune and position oi the
partles. 1t is customary in England, also, tor
father to give his daughter yearly allowance ior
her dress as suon as she passes the Rubicon OF the
school room, and is what is called sou" /" which
oreat event takes place at the age of eighteen.
MANY noblemen's daughters, in the very high
cot circles have not more than two hundred pounds
sterling wear, Zone thousand dollars.) This, IN
deed is very magnificent allowance; many girls
have but sixty, and some coHtrive to make very
fair appearance upon thirty
This, for those moving In society, win morn
ino concerts. dinner parties and ball every night
Of course demands great ingenuity. Urls, now
ever, are only required to display tasle and e'e-
gance magnlicence, whether IN SILKS OF Je"eiry'
is not for them. The season, too. IN LONDON 'las'S
but from three to four nunths it is the spripg ana
summer in which muslin dresses and all cheap
fabrics are worn in the day in preference to Silks.
During the other months OF The year, there Is
very little dress required. AT country houses, II
is bad taste to wesr any but the most unpretena-
ing costume during the day, and for dinner dress
es, thuse exhibited in London Will do.
French women possess, 10 an extraordinary de-.
gree, the spirit of order; they are also quick and
clever ariihmeticans, and therefore never liable 10
self deceplions as to the price of things, as many
Young ladies with less mathematical heads are apt
to be- For instance, a silk is marked and offered
for sale at one dollar and ninety-fve cents yard
-"How cheap!" cries the young lady, because
the only figure impressed on her mind Is Inc
one dollar; the nineiy-fve cents is not put down
as an item, though afterwards, on reflection, 1t is
= 4 N,
been the figures impressed On the mind, as 1t is al
terwards on the purse.
A young lady in the large cities of the United
States should be able to dress tastetuly, elegant
ly. and according TO the season, on two hundred
dollars year. This, of course. implies some IN
dustry and taste on her parta great deal OF tldl-
ness and great care never to wear within doors
the costume destined for without. Neatness OF all
the accessories to the tolIette-such as under
sleeves and collars, elegance in the way dress
is cut and made, extreme attention to the smoln-
ness of the hair, are all that is required tor home
Plain muslln mouseline de lame. and simple
brads or curls, well beft household duties and
the fresde home much better than silks, embroId
eries, and flowing ribbons. These, II worn at all,
should be reserved fpr gala days, the promenade,
and then with great sobreIy as TO quantity ana
color, and invitations I'D lienuS hun iHc Sooi"i
tea party TO the brilliant ball.
At watering pllces no variety of dress is deem
ed necessary, excepting at the German baths, SO
much frequented until within the last year, when
the campaigns of the allied armies. and the fear OF
German revolution, kept people home Al
these baths-Baden, Carlsbad, kissengen-the
dressing and promenadiug began at SIX In the
morning, and are carried on with great vlgor at
the rate Of five toiiettG day.
In France the young ladies' have no allowance,
because they are not permitted to exercise either
taste or discretion in the choice of their dress
mamma dresses them, and papa pays moderate and
modest bills without the slightest murmur. All
the expense is for mamma, but among some of the
higher classes, the nobility Of the old Napoleon.
and the richer classes, the bankers and brokers,
there is fabulous degree Of extravagance. A
French woman is, in general, rather inclined to-
economy lnan extravaganza ne'lNess and 9as'e
90 great way, and have more to do with ele
rance than we think. Some ladies dress very
we'll upsn fifty francs month (ten dollars , eieh-
-,v or hundred is the average allowances ior the
middle CLASSES, Graham's Magazine,