Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-01-17
9adies' &eadimg,
About the Winter Fashions.
BY MADAME DEMoRRsT.

If women are not healthy, and do not
dress sensibly, il certainly is not the fault Of
fashion. This much abused goddess is, at
least just now, doing every thing possible
to render the clothing Of both women and
children healthy, convenient, and economi-
cal. The trailed dresses which are SO gene
rally worn in the drawing-room, are here
after to be confined to such privileged local
tiles, and dresses hooped up or shortened
so as to form mere upper skirt to the petit
coat, worn in the streets.
These short dresses are the novelty Of the
season; they are always cut gored, and are
vandyked out, or shaped in battlements, or
square teeth, over a petticoat, ornamented
with plating; flat, single plating, called
'tMarie Aatoinette, is the most in vogue.
A striped Balmoral peticoat is very good
wear, the plating edged with contrasting
color, and put ON with narrow braid also
of the contrasting color This may be worn
with all kinds of dresses, long or short, and
with all dark or neutral colors. With short
dress cut out square, and bound, or edged
with a flat silk, or jet braid a short sac, Or
loose paletot worn, also cut out square, and
edged to match. If the dress is vandyked,.. "a
peplum basquine, or ''Ristori" paletot is
worn, both describing points to match with
dress.
Ladies should be careful In changing the
style of a walking dress, to change also the
size and shape of their hooped skirts to
agree with 1t. A short dress is of course
narrow, and requires very narrow hoop, of
the proper good shape. If one cannot be
purchased, it is better to cut short gored-
skirt (six gores) in cotton cloth, and insert
in castings, five Or six springs.
A flounce made to button on and take off,
will transform this into handsome =" dress
hooped skirt, the whole at a less cost than a
good skeleton hoop, besides which, the in
delicacy of skeleton hoops is avoided.
Ladies who do not like the short dresses,
or who consider them unsuited to their age
will find the ''RSnoiton Dress Looper, u
very graceful, convenient, and ornamental
adjuct, extremely simple, and efficient in
raising dresses without injury out of contact
with the dirt Of the streets. This useful
novelty is made in all styles, and contributes
sufficient trimming to any dress.
An inexpensive, and very lady-llke acces-
sorry to handsome gored dress, consists OF
a dress peplum, which is attached to a waist
band, and forms sort of pointed basque to
the skirt, relieving it entirely Of the look OF
plainness, which is to many so Objectionable.
The dress peplum opens on the sides, in
front, and at the back, and may be trimmed
with fringe, with braid, with gimp, with
Cluny lace, or with anything adapted to the
material, and in harmony with the othel
parts of the dress.
There is simple and excellent Shoulder
Brace, and skirt supporter, which ladies
should always wear, in conjunction with &
heavy hoop, or Balmoral skirt. 1t is com
posed only of bands of elastic, arranged sc
as to support the back and relieve the hips
of the weight upon them, and this it does
effectually, at the same time greatly promot
ing fine walking pose, and symmetry OF
| form.
Bonnets are still worn very small [ridcu-
lously so--Ep. although the last Partisan
advices indicate considerable enlargement.
A decided change, however, will not take
place until spring. In the meantime, ladies
may be thankful, that with little Skill trou-
bic or expense, they can make their own
bonnets.
Anovel little invention has been introduced
recently, which has such direct bearing upon
the health Of women, and children, that
can not forbear an allusion to it. This is a
new Stocking Suspender, superseding the
old elastics, which form tight ligature around
the limbs, causing congestion, rush Of blood
to the head, cold feet aud various evils.
The new Suspender has no machinery,
requires no sewing on of buttons, is cheap,
and keeps the stocking neat, and accurately
in place. 1griculturist.