The Portland daily press., 1870-06-10

A GRAND OPENING AT STEwART's--THE
SUMMER FASHIONS.

"A GhAND OFENlNG AT SIEWART S--THE
SUMMER FASHIONS.
Now YORK, Saturday, June A.
dresses for breakfast, and dinners and balls,
Dresses TO sit in and stand in and walk in,
Dresses to dance in, and fl irt in, and talk in,
Dresses in which to do nothing at all.'
And not only dresses, but all manner of
things called dry goods, have been making
most magnificent show during the past few
days at the palatial store of AT. Stewart & Co.
1t is not the custom of this firm to set apart
opening or show days annually, or at the be-
ginning of a season, in fact, they have made
no demonstration of the kind since on the oc-
casion of first Opening their present store
| Steamer after steamer has arrived lately, laden
with goods for them, and 1T is probably true
| that their present stock is greater in richness
and variety, than they ever before possessed
and it is what they claim, the richest and most
extensive in the world. Notice was given to
the public that on June 1, and 2, they would
exhibit their new goods; crowds OF people
have been coming and going, during the whole
time, through the vast building, and common
consent decides it to be one of the biggest
shows of this or any other season.
In the evening, the display was particularly
gorgeous. The whole edifice-which occupies
the entire square, bounded by Broadway,
Fourth avenue, Ninth and Tenth streets
was lighted from floor to roof. On en-
tering the center door, from Broadway,
most prominent, displayed along the aisle to
the rotunda, were the real India camel's hair
shawls, ranging in prices from $3.50 to $1,000.
(Tbink of that, ye women! if ye can, without
breaking the tenth commandment. And think
of that, ye men-husbands! il ye can, without
quaking, Next in notice were the dresses
many imported, Paris made, and also many
more by Stewart & Co. These were exhibit
ed on lay figures standing upon the many
counters of the first floor. Prices were from
$40 to $1,000. To minutely describe even a
few of them would occupy too much space.
There were evening dresses in great vari-
ETY. of devices of lace, silk, and satin, and walk
ing dresses for ladies', and dresses in all styles
and prices for misses, little girls, and little
boys, tOo,-and infants. The rOtunda was
fairly dazzling, with its display of tier upon
tier, even to the sixth, of fabricks of the rich
est of texture and beautiful in colors. Round
the upper tiers were hung most elegant car
pets and rugs, and the most conspicuous was
a Gobelin tapestry, made expressly for Mr..
Stewards Fifth avenue mansion. 1t repre-
sents the harbor of Marseilles, and cost $1,000
in gold.
There is no very startling new style in the
making of dresses. Both evening and walk
ing dresses are susceptible of great deal of
individual variation; SO that, for the former,
if one has only long train, plain or court,
and some sash, or bunch, behind, she will be
en- regle, and may suit herself with whatever
oddity of material she can find, ,-mauy have
very short, flowing, or coat sleeves, low cor
sage or high,-if the latter, heart-shaped, with
broad lace collar; she may have the skirt
founced with broad or narrow rutiles, or trim.
med with lace, or velvet, or fringe, or, better
still, if she can conjure up something for trim
ming that looks pretty and stylish, and is yet
n from, hat ,s.o
she is particularly fortunate. One of the more
noticeable evening dresses at Stewards was
black silk net, fine as gauze, embroidered with
real straw, in sprigs and sprays, on the skirt;
this was the Overdress; the underdress was OF
heavy black silk, with one broad founce; with
feathers and lace for heading.
Brocaded silks, and light or white silks with
plain, broad satin stripes in any color are
abundant; sometimes the satin stripe has
velvet figure price 81 to $6 per yard. very
sood imitation of those with plain stripes, is
lound IN one of the various poplins; the differ
ence couldn't be told ten feet off in the even
my, ana tho price of the latter is only 65
cen.s per yd. Prominent among the new
goods 1or summer wear, is the gauze de cham
pe[1iy'CVery airy, with light ground an inch
wi9e, or narrower, satin stripes for oyer-sres S
anu underdress plain; 20 inches wide. 81 TO
~ per yard. The tissue roubaix. prettier
.han tissue, prettier than fouladr, ard destin-
eo 10 supplant the latter, comes in plain deli
S Sate colors, rs Of yard wide, price 81 so.
Inc most popular material for thin dresses
doubtless will be the grenadines, these include
everything in the berege line, of colors and
qualities various, in prices from 25 cents to
81 10 per yard.
Walking dresses do not drag the streets.
They are made just as long as possible and
not touch the ground. The trimmings are
not materially different from last season.
Kufiies are still popular; but almost eyery-
thing else for trimming is used to some extent
Light silk, plain or small check, and a great
variety OF goods under the name of pongees.
poplins, and serges are in vogue; the buff
linens are seryiceable and an ever suitable