Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-08-01

SARATOGA,
From Our Onn Correspondent

From Our Own Correspondent.l
NEW YORK, August /.
1t would be useless looking for fashion in the
large cities during the months Of July and Au-
gust. The only people who remain at this sea-
son are business men and hard-working artisan.
and their wives and families, who cannot get
away, and none of these furnish the material fOr
fashion records, or chronicles of society.
SARATOGA AS IT WAS.
Saratoga has never been quite itself since the
war put a stop to the annual migratiOns OF the
brilliant southern women, whose yearly visits to
the north were the great event of their lives,
and who, to give dash and effectiveness to these
brief campaigns, were wont to bring all their
forces into requisitiOn. Those were days OF
Saratoga" trunks, OF gorgeous toilets, changed
five times during the day, of gorgeous equip
ages, of troops OF negro servants. of dinners at
the Cape, OF suppers at midnight, of a carnival
in which every one felt it necessary to join, or
else be excluded from all the rights and privi-
leges common to citizenship and humanity.
SARATOGA AS 1T is.
The present season commenced late, but has
been SO gay, since the races i'm July gave it its
first impetus, that visitors remark how much it
is like "od times" 1t is not quite like old times,
however, and probably never will be again, nor
is it, perhaps, desirable it should. There is
greater simplicity OF style and manner more
freedom OF action; ladies dress more accordingly
to their convenience there is much less effort to
vie with each other in the matter of dress, and
more desire to have "good time, !" according to
individual idea.
A..
1t must not be supposed, however, that Sara
toga has become cheap watering place. or that
IT does not cost as much or more to live here two
months OF the year than it did ten or fifteen
yearsa Five dollars per day and extras which
means fees TO servants and the like, brings the
the cost per diem up to at least six dollars while
Tor riding and other expenses, twenty to twenty
1--WE dollars per week would not be extravaganza
1t will be found, therefore, that exclusive of
travelling expenses and the cost OF additional
clothing, person may do Saratoga very finely,
boarding at the best hotels, and taking drives
week. pa
HOW LADIES DRESS AT SARATOGA.
Freedom In dress does not by any means con-
vey the idea of poverty in dress; it simply means
adapting il more to convenience, and less to the
former conventional standards. Some ladies
have an idea that 1t is now hardly worth while
to take their nice dresses to Saratoga; that they
Will find no use for them. A very brief STAY
would convince them that this is q VERY mista-
ken idea 1t is quite true that one misses much
OF the magniticence that formerly distinguished
the toilettes, and finds the severity that dictated
rigid attention to the changes from mornino
afternoon, dinner and evening costumes much
relaxed. A dress put on in the morning is not
unfrequentiy, though not often, worn all day.
upon the evening promenade, and even 20 the
ballroom. Quite as many short dresses are seen
as long ones. But II lady should presume upon
stay at a fashionable hotel among fashionable
women, with very limited wardrobe without
ieehng awkward and out OF place, why, She
rouiu lifu uciScii Histdhtn. Onc cannot realiz
the cost that is put into these apparently simole
Costumes until one tries to copy them and dis
covers the numerous changes that are reoujred
in order TO preserve the exquisite crispness ana
freshness. ~
THE CHARACTER OF THE SHORT DRESS.
1t Is not very long since lady,s social nas;tio,
could be gnaged, Il was said, by the length of
her tram; TO-DAY, it is not too much to say thai
her standing can be best judged by the create
or less cost o. and elegance of her short dresses
The lady OF economical habits and Ijmite,
means, who hives In the city, and wishes 10 pre-
sent sooo appearance upon small sum, is