Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-11-02


of families are familiar with the mysterious fact
that young female, when she wants new
dress, will explain that it will only cost-say
Sailor the materials-in cases where the ac-
tual bill to be eventually footed amounts 10 a
round hundred or hundred and fifty dollars
Statists have never been enable to do this sum
until the interesting exhibits in the case of
FIynt vs.. Coolidge. Mrs Coolidge's poplin
suit, for example, cost SGT l6 but there arc
two other little items OF $45 tor "making" and
SIG 81 fer trimmings" Her hernan cost
500 for the material, but the whole bill for the
"heruani'' mounted up to 1869 IS. The trim
mings" here cost the snug little sum of SITS 33
besides two yards ct ''tea rose at $780, Her
"back silk suit cost rather more-a matter
of $4l3 20--the same trimmings" (including
satip) being 10 the tune of some s20S -. The
bill for the trimmings on her seersucker suit is
not made out separately. The trimmings OF
the purple silk cost $lS5, the garment itself be-
ing S377.
Mr.. Coolidgc's mistake was 10 not allowiog
for the trimmings We believe that half the
surprise experienced by husbands and fathers
at these bills would be kept down if ladies would
lust take the trouble TO explain about the
trimmings" When distinguished looking
dress maker presents bill against 4 man Of
$l,9ll II for equipping his wife for halt . year,
he is naturally iucrcdulous until he learns the
enormous amount OF trimmings dress requires.
1t is matter that it is impossible for u man
to understand until he realizes that i woman
dressed in the old style, that is without trim
mings," would look to the eye Of the modern
beau monde as tame rs ship sailing under
bare poles The decoration of our women has
become one Of the most refined developments
OF modern art--aud will recall to the lovers Of
painting the gorgeous apparel on Tltlan's can
rass. That wonderful master of the science
of the beautiful knew the value of silks and
s1tins to set off the charms Of the female sex.
and in bis famous picture of the "Rape or
Europa" in the DogeS Palace at Venice, hc
represents that young lady crossing the Greclan
Seas on the back of Bull attrcd in the fam
ing costume o! Venetian lady Of the 10th
century Dressing in this manner i3 urdoubt
rdiv expensive, but so are all aesthetic lndu!-
gences We formerly paid nur money for
architecture, ior statues, ior pictures, for
euuipagts, for beautiful grounds Now instead
nf trescoiug cur houses we atorn our women.
We lay our cclors on the living form instead
OF on tho mute canVaSS-0 on The speaking 1esh
instead OF on the silent walls. Where plioceiy
fortunes were once expended in guiding the
chisel over the stubborn marble. our boarded
treasures are now devoted to the work OF the
scissors on the plant velvet. Large sums were
once spent for curious loys, tur curlouSy
wrought worries, for mosaic tables, fox rarely
carved hunting horns, for costly cabinets; We
employ Mrs FIynt, and send upon our streets
\ pertect little bijou OF radiant beauty, curious
r. wrought with all subtle lines cleaning with
all rare and charming tints, nlall With icarIS
and worries and diamonds, rich and cXuacrant
as cornuc0pia ia her braided hllr. ny
should the trimming OF dress De
recorded as only an employment like pIaStrrlng
house?
It's merely the diversion OF art from one
channel into apolher. The rulcst artist can
buy a niece of cloth ard cut it into the female
shane: we take it that it is the "trlmming OF
the dress which makes the heavy drafts on gen
ius, and, like all high art, involves as matter
of course the expenditure of money Women
had as we'll admit at once that 1t takes great
deal OF money to get them properly up; their
husbands will always have the best OF the ar
cument so long as they make the fight against
his point; the proper line Of defence is to rest
heir case on the demands OF art, and the at
soiute necessity OF meeting the requirements
of the cultivated modern eye.
We are extremely glad that the FIyht Cooi-
iJec case has removed one halt OF the dithcui-
ties in the premises by furnishing to men an IN
i,llipible EXPLANATION OF how the money is
spcnt-for no man likes to pay money IN the-
dark; and now that it Is clearly apprehended
that it is the trimming OF dress which runs
up a bill the velvet and the lace, and the
bouncing, and the 'pinking' OF "l95 yards"-
public opinion will reconcile reasonable people
TO the expense, just as they saw the necessity
of paying for the spire OF the Srasbourg cathc
dral or the elaborate fagrce in stone OF the root
of Henry VIII's chapel in Westminster Abbey.
Men must tamiIiarize themselves with the Idea
that it is not whit more reasonable to spend
four or five hundred dollars on little bit OF
canvass labelled Landscape" than it is to
get a fashionable mantuamaker to send his
wife a scersuckcr dress for the same money
Rich Wing.
S~S CHAPMAN NEALE Esq, is recon-
,nnndod ss ~ sDita hla condldata for tho Office of