Evening star., 1870-03-01

4 "1yetaes OF the SeasOu-Grand ToS.
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Ts.Ss.S fashions Upon the Road
tFrom our Fashion Correspondence
INV YORK, Feb. lss0.-The weather for the
past two months has been 50 much that OF pro-
longed fall, or precocious spring, that we
hardly know for what TO prepare next. Theo-
lstieally, it win be time very soon 20 throw of
cur heavy cloaks and furs; practically, We have
lad, since December, NO occasion for them.
Wise people predict a rough March, a cold
april. and a chilled and fearful May 90 paw for
| ~ this sunshine and fair weather in the two
muCh in Eores that il is only the Gulfstream
Iyng 10 make amends for it, stormy yagaries
during two recent summers, and that We nav
escape without a winter of any consequence this
season altogether.
GAYErIEs OF THE SEASON.
The Prince brought little furry Of festivity.
and there have been many large balls. at which
the toilettes were magnificent, but socially there
has been much les gayety than formerly.
The truth, is, there are so many more ways OF
growing niegardly of hospitality. The hows aud
wherefores Of ours absorb nine-tenths OF the
women, business nd politics the men.
ne modern s. les Of dress for women are
beautiful-there is no denying that-but they
are last becoming a nuisance TO those who have
anything to do but study them. A plain, simple
uiSss VI slik or Satfn, which would fOrmerly
have been elegant enough for the most fas-
tidious lady, is put quite out Of sight by the
numerous and bewildering features OF an elab-
crate ballroom or dinner toilette.
There is not only the dress but the over
skirt, and the pdnier, and the sash, and the
drapery about the shoulders, and the wonderful
eh,gnor, and the trained underskirts, tucked and
ruined, and the ornaments, and the antique
sleeves and boddices, and, added 20 all, falls
and hcunces OF most rare and dainty lace.
Where does it all come from? Heaven knows;
| tOlettRS laf r.all
and large entertainment, and, i'm addition to
u EN-, there are such triies as gloves, shoes a
carriage, bouqet, supper, and sometimes ten
dollar tickets to be provided for.
III Is easy TO think at dis tance, that one will
be independent, and wear thu plain dress, with
out the accessories, but il is extremely difficult
TO fight IL ont on that line-yol are with people
but not Of them, you feel century behind the
age. You wished you had stayed at home, and
new ov, r-skirt, new sash, q large panier, and
an enormous ehtgnon, before you venture out
again.
It is all the worse because the modern
"Jenkins" makes dreadful record of every
thing everybody has on. Imagine such an
ordeal for the economical lady who has only
breads to 60 anywhere, for fear of seeing herself
put down again for the same s.green silk and
lace oyerdress" She could almost kiss jenkins
ior making mistake on one occasion, and cali
ing ii "lavender."
SOCIAL LIFE IN NEW YORK.
This is undergoing complete revolution i'm
consequence of the change in the habits and
manner of living. Only the rich can afford to
inhabit houses, and receive their friends i'm
them, the larger number, in the absence of the
or take boarders to make an addition to the
income or help ray the rent This crushes out
indy dual freedom, restricts hospitality, and
renders living more gregarious, but much less
We can have no improve~ens unssi women
change the fashion of their dress, remodel their
nOuSPkeeDlnQ. 4 a Twill zaA A
rican, instead Of raw Hibernian, footing.
EVIDENCES OF SPRING.
The stores are fresh and bright with the usual
variety OF spring materials, the most of them
clearly resuscitated, however, from last year,
and offering little in novelty or beauty.
As the exceptions, however, must be men,
toned some lovely satins in light shades, Nile
green, pale salmon, peach blossom, and the like
picked out with the needle and by hand in the
most beautiful, shaded velvet designs. The
time and patience required for such work make
II seem almost incredible that il could ever have
been performed in this way.
There Is also a new style of Chambery gauze,
striped with satin, marrow stripes, } upon which
small velvet flowers are raised in the same way
These dresses, both satin and Chambery gauze,
cannot be implicated even in Paris-there is
only one dress pattern Of each color and design.
The price of the satin is sl5o, the dress Of CHAM
their beauty and rarity.
Pure mohairs and .alpacas are about as SER
there is growing tendency in favor of the tine S
cashmere cloths, which are 50 much worn
abroad. Some of the prettiest Of the new spring
SUITS are made with silk skirt, walking length,
jacket The skirt Is trimmed with ruffies single
pleating, headed with velvet, the oyerskirt and
mantelet with fringe Of the same shade headed
by crosscut bands Of the silk, piped on the edge.
The mantelet is confined back and front with a
silk sash, short, wide and bunchy generally
consisting Of square bow, three wide pendent
The new "satin" cloth is a twilled fabric.
which looks something like cashmere; il is
hrmer, however, has more "body" and is a trifie
more costly, but not more 50 than very fine CASH
mere.
Cashmere and satin cloth are newer and
setter, and altogether more distinguished than
the serges and crepe Eugenies, which, however,
are still employed for suits by persons who |
admire stiffer and more wiry fabrics. The ten
dency, however, is to soft and flexible materials
to those textures which form drapery rather /
than stand out i'm hard and unyielding out lines.
Prices in standard goods have not declined /
during the period Of .staking stock as il Is
called some articles and some STYLES undesira- |
BILE to carry till another season, might have
ness has brought them mp to recent frures.
1t is Of much less Importance to buy goods /
cheap, however, than to buy them Of best |
auan.y, qua. M ana ~ ns matter for congratulaton
reputation, which serves both to identify them /
and a. . guarantee of their excellence. The /
Dunalo DrenQ OF alpacca Is one OF these, and
the new "beorer" brand, of pure black mohair, |
Is another. This cast has finish equal TO silk
and Is warranted to retain its color.
Ladies should be very careful to learn the |
trademark and distinctive appearance Of GER /
tain kinds Of goods, Is they are 60 exceedingly /
liable, otherwise. TO be cheated by ignorant or 4
unscrupul0us dealers. The other day a lady at 4
the West sent the writer Q sample Of French /
poplin which she had purchased for "Irishn pop /
lin. The difference In the cost of French and /
Irish poplin I'm New York IL 81 .25 per yard. The
lady had paid half dollar less per yard than the
regular price Of Irish poplin, which is s2.2, /
and thought she had got q bargain. She had
simply been cheated to the tune OF IS cents per
yard on her goods.
Another lady sent Q sample Of imitation lace.
which she had purchased for Honiton at 8 per
yard. Had she known the fact that there is no |
longer any such thing as Honiton lace In the |
market, that it IL not manufactured, excepting |
as an excellent imitation, she would probably
have saved her money.
eRrYy uFox THE PROMENADE.
The change that has taken place with regard
10 mourning IL quite remarkable. Much less
attention 10 paid to IL than formerly, and OF
tl,ose who appear TO adhere to the old traditions
very many simply prepare . black suit for tho
street, and consult their convenience at home. |
Thie growing tendency TO disregard an old and
long cherished custom, is due partly, no doubt 4
to the sensible, practical spirit Of the age but Il