The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-22
OAEE4Y sE<egJRNA AZ
MoNDAY....................FEBRUARY 2, 1865.
Fine Dresses aud Where They Como
From,

a correspondent of the Cincinnati
Times gives the following description
of how and where the fine dresses of
the Broadway fashionables are made /:
The gorgeous display of rich cos
tunes, gaudy flowers, sparkling eyes
and happy faces might vie with Mo-
hammed's heaven in attraction, and
entice an anchorite from his devo
tions. In fact, the great numbers Of
Young and old men gathered In
groups. with and without eye glasses,
decked in superlative vestments, in
conceivably elaborate neck ties and
glossy tiles, arrayed in all the charms
of pearls from the most fashionable
dentist, and adorned in ambrosial
locks of every tint. from the sunniest
gold aud snowy white, to Cristadora's
deepest black, are in testimony to the
attractions of Broadway, although we
are not in possession OF facts pointing
to the monkish or ascetic nature Of
the anteeedents of the gay and festive
cusses whose staring admiration would
utterly wilt any but IA New York wo
man in Lysterical parOxysm OF out
ged modesty. Nothing like habit;
one can accustom oneself to anything.
The unusually fine weather has filled
THE FRENCH MODIsTEs
With despair lest the Spring shall
arrive before their Partisan fashions
do.
WHERE THE FINERY COMES FROM.
Indulging In very laudable curl.
esity to know where all the finery
comes from, who gets it up, and how,
L entered the sacred precincts Of the
most fashionable dress and millinery
establishment on BrOadway-NO.9 900
owned by the elegant and affable
Madame Caralena. | was little
dazzled by the respondent costumes,
flowers and bOnnets displayed, and
awed by the arist0cratic surroundings
of carpets, dIvans, mirrors, pictures,
and show cases-not to mention the
terror-insplring presence of several
naughty danes and gay demoiselles,
engaged in the ail.important duty OF
pulling over the goods, trying on
bonnets, and admiring the dresses.
PereeiYing, however. two or three
exquisites, who, with eye glasses az
stu, appeared to be regarded as UNI
pIres, my courage revived, and | OK
planned to the exceedingly polite pro-
prietress that being Western novice,
and albeit all unused to the ways of
the tickle goddess, Fashion, my
motive was curiosity merely-to learn
from headquarters somewhat of her
caprieiOus customs. Madame Cara
lena seemed not at all unwilling to
enlighten me on the mysteries of her
art, and your lady readers may not be
Wearied in learning what L did.
Such establishments as the Ma
DANES import their quarterly style of
bOnnets and dresses direct from
Paris, frequently in quantities (espec-
tally dresses, sufficient for their sales.
In case the demand is more than ex
pected, they duplicate them of their
own manufacture. The loves of
bonnets" thus distributed to the fair
denizens of the avenues vary IN price
from $50 to 800, and in size from a
postage stamp TO a green back; the
value bearing no proportion, however,
to the dimensions. Expressing sur
Prise at che eostliness of the beauti-
f1l little adornments, the Madame
pointed out the exquisite beauty of
the expensive lace, flowers and ma
terials, and added that besides the
original cost the necessities of Uncle
Sam required revenue tax of some
sixty per cent. upon all such Inquiries.
/ saw several dresses, $400, 5000 and
$500, and one plain-looking silk, with
an immense trail and lace trimmings,
81 600
This introduced