Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-07-31
1.-THE Rage for Finery."


Under this title the New York World has a
practical and suggestive article.
Two books have lately been issued, one from
the American the other from the English press
which deserve the careful attention OF the ten
der sex. We mean Miss Phelps "What to
Wear" and How to Dress as a Lady on Els a
year.
Miss Phelps addressed herself to the subject
from hygienic point of view especially, but
the economic is scarcely less important to the
majority.
For some time past it has been generally
conceded in Europe that American ladies
dress magnifceutly," and this is perfectly true.
1t is, of course, pleasant for an American
abroad to hear the tributes given to the ex-
quisiteness Of his lady friends taste, more es-
pecially if he had not the privilege of paying
the bills of those who exemplify it, but never
theless considerable portion OF the male crea-
ton here is beginning TO ask whether they 90
not pay somewhat too dear for sustaining the
national credit 10 point OF femme attire.
The difficulty about this and so many, other
matters in this free country is that we all want
to be equal nowadays, although we are dreadful
lvupeoual in purse. when | dine with
man of $4,000 year." said millionaire,
he gives me just the same dinner as when |
dine with one who has 100000 year, though
how the devil he manages 1t don't know.
Some one well remarked too, as another ln-
dicaton of would-be equality, that the poorer
classes nowadays have in most countries quite
ceased to have a cheap and picturesque attire,
and look merely as though they were wearing
the shabby old clothes of the rich. If this be
one of those proofs Of what stump and plat
form orators call progress, We can only say that
it is progress very little to be desired.
The love of dress in this country has, since
the war especially, assumed most alarming
proportious more especially In all our large
towns Those who look at the matter super
hcially may thiuk, "Oh, it is very harmless
and doesn't much matter; and it immortality
doesn't much matter, perhaps this hnery fever
is Of comparatively little consequence, but II
it does-and there are yet many people who
think it does, and whose oplulOn Is entitled to
some rcspect-it matters very much indeed, in-
aslnuch as it is tending to begetrimmorality In
the women Of this country.
During the war class of very uncutlVated
men Dotorlously accumulated rapid fortunes.
Their wives were as common as themselves
Such persons had but one way Of asserting
their consequence display. 1t might have
been expected that in such city as New
lo,k, where there was large number OF per-
sons ofeducation and refinement, the splen-
dOrS Of these nouveaux riches would 40 more
have affected the old families than did the g0r-
geolS coach aud caparisoned steeds of the city
knights the old county family described IN
Bracebridge Hall.
Unfortunately, however, as lady Of ancient
KnickerbocLer stock put it. 1--WE were such
fools that we allowed ourselves to be Influenced
by these upstart vulgarians." And there arose
sort of race In dress between the mushroom
and the oak.
New York influences the country so much
that this rage for fnery became as common as
houses a6re after Hott's discovery of roast pig
in Charlie Lamb story. Rem quoucnque modo
rem became, and continues the cry, Rem"
meaning in this instance fnery, and quocunque
modo a surrender of all that woman ought
not to surrender.
Do not lei our lady readers imagine that we
are here making idle statements-we have am
Pile grounds for such assertions Nor is it only
the Massachusetts, factory girl and such as she
who is thus lead astray; hundreds of married
women in a much higher class, who would but
for this accursed thirst for fnery have been
true as steel to their husbands, finding them
>eves involved in emulation with women FIVE
times as rich, get into debt, fear to tell their
husbands, and borrowing money from men who
are waiting to see them fall into the trap, find
themselves sinking into intamy which when
they married they could scarcely believe posi-
ble Love Of fpery is in fact the parent OF mis-
cradle marimoDy and divorce.
And there is another and not unlmportant
Sl1e to the question. On all hands In the
higher classes comes the complaint that the
Young men won't marry And it must be ad-
'EIued that when the young men say they can't
afford II there is much ground for the excuse
And 1t is to be borne in mind that the expe-
flruce many of these same young men gain OF
other mems wives is very often by no means
OF nature to encourage an ardor tor matrl-
mnny.
How many homes, too, are rendered materi-
ally dreary by this passion for dress. Good food
NICE furniture, prints, books, and various trifes
which go to make up the sum of a comfortable
home cannot be afforded because Mrs. Robin
son would die rather than that Mrs. Jones
Should see her again at church or at the Browns
party In that mauve silk. Men cannot be too
resoIute iu the steps they take to diminish this
great evil. Most women are amenable to rea-
s'nabe arguments persistently urged by those
they regard with affection, and the remonstran-
ses and representations of father especially are
hSe y to carry weight with his children, whose
errors often arise from the absence of such SEN
Nole counsel precisely at that period of life
"fen 1t is most needed.
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