, 1873-01-05
Natures Teaching VS.. Modistes'
Practices-New Years
Styles.
Different M,ds Of Laee....lts Subjection to
tho Nhims Of Fashion.
Where and How Lace is nIade~--.
Why It Appeals to
W0meu.

new YORK, Dec. 81, 1872.
Until ne begin to mako fitness the first 1e-
Quirement in our wardrobes, good dressing and
fashionable dressing must be, in the main, dis
tinct from each other. Just 80 long as Mts-
Tomkfns fails to perceive that the gown render
ing Mrs John6on's proportions moro stately
and graceful makes her OWL short limbs and
squat figure more dumpy and inelegant, just so
long must nine-tenths Of tho feminine sex be
improperly apparellcd.
CoSTRAyESISa NATURE.
Nature does not give with the niggard hand OF
Fashion. She allows to each Of her createres
q tint and form Of its own. AB everybody is
aware, no two leaves OF q treo, no two
feathers Of a bird, no two scales OF fish,
however much they eeom to resemble each
other, can be found, identical in hue, OF form,
or shape. To pursue the familiar analogy. tho
color Of eyes aud hair, the form and expression
Of features, differ in every individual. Yet We
are absurd enough to demand that every we'll
dressed woman must be arrayed like every other
wel!-dressed woman, ignoring Natures lava set
forth in script go plain that those who run r1ay
read.
But, since the uplifting Of ono feeble
voice can scarcely work a revolution in rufaes,
or Transformation in trains, nothing is left but
to note the changes in style, Whateyer the
beauty destroying result.
MANY OF the richest toilettes Of the winter
will make their appearance on New Years; for,
though the habit Of calling on that day is yearly
falling into non-obseryance, still sufficient
number presarve the custom-by no means un-
pleasant originally-to render tho serious dis
cnssion of -of-Jauuary gowns interesting to
the vor1dly-miuded.
INTERp1CTED.
Two habits Of the past are this year to be ban
ished from the best houses here: wine from the
luncheon-teble, and decollete dresses from the
lrawing-room. Once in while, fashionable
eociety has q shock Of common sense.
and it has discovered of late that the miscella-
neous slipping of Champagne at innumerable
sidaboards is not always attended By benehcent
results; and thnt the broad daylight does not
enhnnce uncovered necks and Rrms. So, for the
future, we'll none Of them.
NEW YEARS STYLES.
Tho faro1ite style for New Years and all day
receptions will be plain silks, OF mauve, pearl,
Eray, lavender, lilac, rescda, ecru, and other
delicate tints, cut with denl~trains lin some In
stances scaoPed or pointed on the edge} either
no oyarskirt, or the underekirt undecornted, the
overekirt and basque being elaborately orna-
;mented. These dresses are very pretty and be-
coming, if the front Of the waist, from the neck
to tho third button, lie turned under like the
old-fashioned Y necks, and tishu be worn Of
lace and crepe do chine in some contrasting
color.
> LIE 6Ao"he 0PpA -
... 49, ~ o,t 1,,.,o.
'es necessaly pal; y. ~ 4.sta or rsa1 ~
tist in dress knows the full value Of lace
of all kinds. It softens bold colo1s; covers
large lines; tones down bad complications; otho-'
dsn4ad by ee tbe ma;oritv Of Americsn won,eu. wRo
a4a faof to learn that lace i tho
Kreateat neantlher Mthan me inoals!9 pn;nt
rVl coo1se, ~ - eapGnse, o sI"ai1;,,' Ts1a-,
point oappH134e, o4eneeeo, - - .,,aaana
13'u 1;e Iii, - tuo 1,s,ra hacon;nG1
!bn5 tnele 9nne lno iaco ~ 1 anIa' ~ 1e.tad IA
anu "asn plonue, VIII ta,, tAI ;1,nrv W ~ +n11a
"asnea ma3y t1nes "i.hoat ~ !aasi, - ~ ar
ana "aaa,1lonno arc "!tIu tao ttaen a:ea. - e. -
1ueno ol plonAa ~ nssA anu 49,, 1,' 10 ~. sn
olo gown, anu improves . ue" oue, 20 1eH oua
pect- eueh P1et!y 1eposs auo i1es - aoo
with simple muslin ana iooIlng, nnat - ssens
pity any woman should 90 nefsen tne nlnstlce
oi gong "1thoot tnem. a ysfo u nusnn ean1;s w
12 cents OF - uoAen ynt'1s " na." rras1o -
machine and hand, viii keep lady IN fresh
1uti1es Tor month, ana VIII % sucn IN aooleon
10 her toilette thht themGe1oItn ugtgl nncompeo, t
mizane ilnen cona1s WILL oe S'i1cAen ioio'ei l1onl
!ne1 neca: ie a .,a. so s.;,+ ,oa+or;.1 g. 1oco
:, 1t is odd that 80 dainty ma.erla Is iace e
;enoud oe sub1ecs 10 Inc capIace q 1asnon DIV
Ut Is, quite as much as anything else-
. PoET -. :. T.
us the one exception; and the sole reason II 10
all others in price, wo can never afford to disre-
gard it, lest We be suspected OF bias toward
economy. Point Lace notwlthseanding tee gel
cacy Of the finer qualities is du1able.-,possibly
the most durable OF h1l-lace. Nlth careIM
treatment, it will last for two or three genera
lions !; 80 that, II it only be yellow enough when
in our possession, We may DO supposed to have
had grandmothers. Tho absurd pretense- OF
ndmlring yellow lace II increasing. and many
ladies put their new purchases through pro-
cess Of staining by means Of solution Of coffee
grounds, till they attain the desired dlEcolora-
tion. That any ono can conscientlously LIE
yellow lace eeens incredible, for it loses most OF
its soft vrginity Of appearance when it turns
from white, and, even to the greatest connois-
eeur is unpleasantly suggestive OF need Of
vulgar soap and water
TIE RAnEsr LACE
in the wor1d, and, therefore, the most highly
va1ued, is old Venetian Point. 1t il not IN the
market, or has not been for half o century, and
NaB only Qbtainabie once in q while from tile