Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-23
A CHAPTER ON DRESS, EXCLUSIVELY
FOR THE LADIES.
From the New York Sunday TImes
GREY I" NIKE

two or three seasons. In fact, grey has been
the uniform, the only wear" the entire fe-
minine community, in spite of q pretende ed
love Of exclusiveness, always running after the
same thing, so that, be it grey or black, they
csn be mistaken for nothing but crows, which
always travel in focks, and wear precisely the
same livery.
The grey mania has its advantages however.
1t was neat, modest and becoming, and apps
rently economical, and, il this last good Quail
iy was more apparent than real, it was not
their fault. The popular methsd of producing
grey in dress goods is by the conjunction of
black and white, and in mixed fabrics the
black, By a strange perversity of the manu-
faeturer, Is almost always cotton. The effect
can be imagined the frst time one of these
grey dresses is caught in a shower of rain-the
black runs in streaks wherever the moisture
touches, and if it had been put on new that
very morning, it is ruined forever The effect
appropriation or Of a little dampness attach
ing to the bottom OF the skirt lis equally yisi-
BILE, and destroys all the utility for travelling
wear. The fault even extends to quite expen-
sive materials. Grey silk poplin, in some in
stances, does not pay for the cost of making
up, from the mixture Of black cotton with the
silk. In buying mixed goods, therefore, Ia
dies should take especial care to rayel out the
ends, and see if the black they contain be cot
ton, If it is don't buy it, because there will be
no satisfaction in the wear or in the purchase
no matter how pretty it looks at first
WINTER SovHLrfEsN
The arrival Of every steamer demonstrates
the fact that We are not to be restricted in our
love OF luxurious novelties, provided we have
got the money to pay for them. Our ezIgeant
caterers for jsPOnicadom have accepted the
war rs necessity at last, and find there is
still some demand for the rare and exclusive,
the something quite out Of the common, +"
which has been the object Of other beside yuI-
gar aspirations. Agreeable visions of winter
receptions, bridals, bouquets, wedding cake,
and German" AOat across the brain at the
slgnt OF charming coifures, garnitures, bodi-
ees, and even robes, rosy and graceful, as if
Intended to clasp the brilliant Aurora which
are among the recent arrivals.
Prominent among the superb novelties i'm
ported is velvet evening dress for the lady
OF the White House, of the magnificent shade
known as sublime rose. The skirt is deeply
en- traine, and laid in plies of immense plaifs.
but not gored. The corsage is low pointed
and trimmed with folds. and a stOmacher of
pointed lace. The sleeves, Eugene, are to
be clasped with diamond aigrettes The Golf.
fure to be worn with it consists of long bsrbes
Of costly white point, the wreath of short red
feathers and a long rosy plume, tipped with
maraboat, fastened with a diamond aigrette
over the forehead.
The new bridal setts received are also very
novel and singularly graceful and becoming;
cher d. euvres from Duteis, the artist in hoW-
ers to the Empress, from whom this house re-
celyes Its magnificent decorations
Inc oonnes present a new and extremely
elsgant combination, consisting of an extreme
front OF thin transparent lisse or Grape, united
TO the rich dark velvet, which forms the body
OF the chapeau. The ornaments are very rich,
long, oaros-lke plumes, mouRted with a tuft
OF the same feathers, or scarfs and barbes of
lace, festOoned by a monture of lace, and moss
rose IN buds, Of the blood-red camelia.
MELTED woOLLEN GOODS.
Nakfa6 ID -,
marksbly pretty variety for children this sea-
con, and are very fashionable, as they can
hardly fail Of proving, when so much taste is
displayed in getting them up. The novelty
is, Of course, in the variety Of stitch, in the
difference Of shape, and in the combination of
colors, all the new shades Of red, brown mixed,
gray, and others, showing to great advantage
IN wool, and especially in conjunction with
white The prettiest thing for children is a
new netted turban, with close crown, and open,
turned up brin, finished with tassels; it is very
becoming, which is not true of netted hoods
and caps usually. The little cloaks and jack
cts are also very-pretty, just adapted to the
season, and save mothers any amount of trouble
In fitting out children with these troublesome
garments.
Melted Woollen undersleeves are made in
great variety, but there is only q style of white
pulled zephyr, with intersecting colored straps,
which are ut all ft to wear, and these only
when they are desirable for warmth Nothing
but the purity and delicacy of lace and cam
brio should be permitted to come between the
dress and the skin.
Mariposas and Sontags share in the rsduu
dsncy Of color which the aorid taste of the
season demand, and are 80 attractive as to
elicit man. admiring obs snd abs from i'm
presslye young ladies, and give rise to innu-
merable expeditions, the object of which is
Magenta and Solfsrino worsteds, which are
sold In every variety and shade, from purple
To dark brown. aaa0rdinU n fha g
the sbopkeepers.
Melted shawls and netted talmas are not now
seen In the street; but they are pretty for
house wear, over the rather light dresses which
the warmth Of the sun mskes equal to the me-
cessities Of the daytime, but which re0uire
something additional for comfort as evening
comes on. The use Of woollen netted goods
has supplied an inexhsustisle reservoir Of ac-
cePtaole presents, inexpensive and useful
May they never grow less. !
Fancy netting Is, however, rather at q dis
count now, in private circles; thick grey socks
for the soldiers, and huge ''comforters'' have
taken the place Of "clouds," and are daily sent
OF to the Sanitary Commission in place of
havelocks, which proved rather failure so far
as the good ia concerned which they were ex-
Pected TO accomplish. Let us hope the .sock''
business viii prove mere successful, and knit
away, 30 long as We cannot fight.
aooPED SKIRTS.
A very great Improvement has appeared in
hoped skirts Of recent date, Of which lady
readers viii be glad to be informed. It con-
sists Of Q greatly increased number Of stand
ards, which are placed close together round the
bottom Of the skirt, 20 thickly that the heel
cannot catch in them, and adding much to the
general strength and durability. This idea
originated with . woman, of course Hooped
skirts have reached perfection now, compared
with the first clumsy specimens which made
their appearance six or seven years ago. The
number Of standards amounts to l28 in some
instanoes-of course Of the lightest and most
highly prepared material, but which possesses
none Of the brittle quality which formerly
rendered steel springs or standards dangerous.
The shape is also greatly improved. The bulk
at the top has given place TO q narrow eircum-
ference which almost tspers to the waist, and
extends out1n a gradual fow to the bottom Of
ths SKIRT, slightly deepening at the back 90 rs
70 support the greater length Of the dress at
that point
HOW TO WASH LAcKs.
Washing lacss is one Of the easiest tasks in
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