The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-04
THE MODES FOR MAY.
JENNIE JUNE'S HINTS FOR TIE
LADIES.
The Long nnd Short of a1king
Dresses-Hooped Skirts and Bustles-
Spring Mantles-Fashionab1c Cd Il 8
and Ends.
Jenny June. in her May letter, says

are to be long or short is not yet settled to the
minds of some ladies', who simply want to be IN
the fashion, whatever that is, aad do not want
to bother their heads witt, the morale OF the
subject. They cannot understand but that
one or the other is the style to adopt and they
have very little choice as to which it Is. II is
undoubtedly. the fact that dresses trailing sew
eral inches upon the ground are now seen
upon The streets. and the question Is, are they
worn by fashionable women, and will they
continue to be worn and grow longer, rather
than shorter? The answer TO this question can
not be simply yes or no, because the subjeetis
at present very much mixed: There is one thing
clear however, and that is. that at least half the
weli-dressed women in the street have their
skirts cut to clear the ground, so that there
are plenty at present, and firmly believe Will,
be during the present century, atleast, to keep
any woman In countenance VINO wishes 20 re-
tain neat and comfortable walking dress.
Another fact may be mentioned, and that is
that one of the largest and most exclusive
houses in the city makes its walking suits and
Costumes Just to reach, not to touch or lay
upotl the ground, and has received, as yet, no
orders to the contrary from its most fashiona-
bic customers.
among the demi-nonde, on the contrary, eX-
hbt suits with exaggerated trails, and every
day such persons may be met, parading light
blue, lavender, green or striped silks nponthe
pavement. up.aiNl down before the principal
stores and hotels, with such an obvious design
Of attracting attention as would put any one
but the most hardened women to the blush,
and electually prevent the self-respecting
class from following their example.
The truth is, O reaction has set in, even
among those who thought short dresses ''too
common" and who will wear anything that
comes stamped with high cost and is recon-
mended IN broken English. They find that a
st rn n1frhf l0nr
moiern costume, are two very different things.
The long, straight skirt was easily made, easi-
Nv taken apart, and easily put together. The
costume of the period, on the contrary, is
work OF art One part is made with exact rel
erence 10 the other, and one part cannot be
changed without changing the whole. More
over. the street suit, Or costume, when made
of handsome material, is very costly. Pur-
chased in store or made by dressmaker.
silk or poplin suit will run mp from $50 to S350
Thousands of suits have been sold In New 7 ork
tliIs season at these prices. II may OF may not
be eytrava.ant for lady to pay such an
amount for one dress. This depends alo-
gether on the length Of her purse. But few
would care to eXpend it to become the pos
SCISSOR of O rich and admired costume. with
the prospect Of having its beauty trampled
out in the dust in one wearing. Even wealthy
women caunot afford TO spend meney In TINS
way, and II they could it would be a SID for
them to DO so. No more ruinoHs and aoso,
lutely silly idea has ever taken possession OF
women than this. that dress could De worn ,,,
only once, twice. or a few times, and tnat lle
more costly it Is the less 1t must be worn.
Why, IL takes some time 10 adapt oneself to
dress as it does to new shoes, and when we
have fitted ourselves to 1t, become acquainted
with Its curves, and lines, and folds, felt its
soltness. and known how It's simmer III up
eyes and hair, and Impaired radiance TO tue
whole appearance OF the Wearer. we oegin 10
feel affection for it, and adopt 1t as part OF
orr personality. Ii is mere refinement OF
torture to have beautiful things, and be oolis-
ed to throw them aside just as one Is begin
ming to feel sort Of love Tor them. a thing
of beauty Is Joy forever, and one clings 10
the memory OF some pale pink, or "llght
blue" or "rich black. "pure cream color,
that has been signalizsd by special evidences
OF approval, because, try as We may, we never
can quite reproduce the same design or lhe
same impression. Tie universe has moved
since that twice, and the pieces can never
come together in precisely the same way
again, even so far as to give us O duplicate OF
| dresses, works or loops exactly like thosc
which we have known. women, TO dress
kwell, should buy fewer dresses, be more care.
fIll what they buy, and wear them as Il they
| were. as indeed they are, part Oh lAeir per-
sonality.
HOPED SKIRTS.
There has been a great effort to get rid Of
| hooped skirts. and it has been partially sue
cessfn. With long dresses, hoped skirts J. arc
not now worn ut all-only hustle, snall OF
| large, according to the taste and fancy Oh lle
weirer. The underskirts are, OF course, long
nearly the length OF the train-and generally
very mich trimmed with tuckins anu 1utins,
which greatly assists TO support the length OF
| the dress skirt For time. the short walking
dress. also, was worn minus hoops and plus
hustle, but that has not been found neat OF
convenient. The ftllness OF the skirt, spread
out over the hustle, fell in straight. thick folds
| TO the feet, tapping in ut the ankles most m
gracefully Nearly all ladies, even those WHO
| for time discarded 1t. have returned 10 the
small hoop, with u curved back, forming q
small bus.ie, finding the slight distenslon (the
new hooped skirts only measure 90 lnches oil
| the basel essential to comfort, especially with
the lighter spring dress materials.
SPRING AND SUMNER MANTLEs.
/ The newest garment OF this description is
short sack, without or without sleeves. anu
! cane forming in effect double CSrr: ThlS
| is imported in fue black cashmere, very
richly embroidered with black or white, or
with Il mixture OF black and white, and 0or'
dered with lace OF fringe, or both. There ara
also costumes in cashmere black or pearl gray,
forming tunic skirts or jackets. or o .polonaise
with basqllcs, for wear over silk sklrts, lons
or short. These costumes. richly embroidered
and trimmed with gulpure lace, cost from Slol
| TO $3.50, but are really distinguished, anu I'D
HIGH favor. because they can be worn with q
short black silk skirt Tor Walking.dress, OF
with a long lavender or pearl-c0lored SILK iol
visits and receptions. Handsome black sliE
suits, made en- costume, are found very use,