The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-08
FASHION IN NEW YORK.
THE CHARITY BALL, AND THE Sc
CRRT CFITS SUCCESS.
Changes In Etiquette-The Latest Styles
of Toilette-Society Hints, Sc.


New YORK, January 80.
AS the season wanes, great public balls be-
gin to take the place of the private receptions
and entertainments, which have occupied the
day and part of the night since winter COM
menced. There are certain balls for beneVo-
lent purposes, with an extended list OF lady
patronesses, which 1t Is permitted people OF
society to attend, and though the grand
danes do not themselves make their appear
ance in their freshest tolettes, yet avast num-
ber OF people buy tickets or hire boxes al hisn
ra, es for the purpose Of patronizlng the great
ladies', and getting nod, bow or smile III re-
turn. Some one says that Institutions were
invented to get rid of poor relations. Ger
taInly the benevolent Institutions of New
York are largely used as means Of getting
into society. New rich women, or the wives
of rich men, win pay large sum to see their
names on the list with Mrs. Jonathan Blue
blood or Mrs. David Sauerkraut. 1t is some
thing to meet them on committees, or at cozy
assemblages OF the managerial forces, or the
directory, even If they are never invited to
their houses; and, all the same, the children
obtain the ehtree into the sacred circle II their
parents do not.
The great charity ball is, however, very 6ne
as spectacle. The lady managers are part OF
the show, part OF what people pay their ten
dollars per ticket 10 see, and they know 1t;
and of late years have accepted the situation
10 the extent OF forming In line and opening
the tesllvity with q march In procession
around the floor OF the Academy OF MUSIC.
They are always accompanied by very hlS1
bred young daughters and nleces, VINO re-
main in tue seclusion of boxes with male
friends until the proper time arrives, and
then descend to the floor, perform languldly
the proper number OF duly dances, and retire
again to their boxes to examine and criticise,
through their pearl opera-gasses, The over
dressed crowd, who have come to puff and
pant, and surge and swell, and drag alter
Them enormously long trains for their amuse-
ment.
TIE ETIQUETTE OF NEW YEARS DAY.
The etiquette OF New Years day has
changed somewhat OF late years. Formerly
it was considered incumbent upon the ladies
themselves to walt upon The guests, and hand
them refreshments, and servants were only
needed to remove the dishes which had been
used, wash and help replace them. The ad-
ment, has changed all This. The elaborate
dressing OF modern times will not admit OF
any exerLion on the part of the wearers-oply
studied and graceful motions and attitudes are
admissible. With corps OF servants, the
lady of the house will not run the risk oil soil
Ing, and 1t is not good style to SET an over
flowing table, or urge guests against their
will. There Ia something good In this, and
something not Iod. The heartlness OF well
hao Z
pressed ln serving guests with their own
hands ia gone, and with more cost and more
elegance, we have less real hospitality.
YOUNG LADIES AT home.
Where there are young ladies' at home, IL L
especially delightful to see them busied at al
times In performing necessary services foI
vIsitors and friends. I recall two homes In
New York where the wealth OF the occupant
does infinitely less than the charming grace
eff the daughters of the house to render
stay In either, be 1t long or short, something
to be rendered. No servant ever bestows
those personal attentions upon guest, which
slight tn ugh they may be, serve to stamp the
manner OF The doing upon the heart OF the re
cpient This Is one oil the uses 10 which girls
can put themselves, which, trivial though II
seems, is worthy Of their attention.
YOUNG LADIES' To1LETrEs.
The effect of toilette this season depends
infinitely more upon its arrangement than
npon the material of which 1t is composed
If II Ia very much punched up, or very much
spread out, or very much mixed In material
aud color, cost cannot save it from condemns
lion. Young ladies, especially, affect The re-
stricted style. They wear tournure, o.
course, but IL Is small, made nat on the hips
and made long, 80 that the skirts trail of from
it to the ground without forming that enlarg-
ed hump on the back, which has 30 singular
an appearance. looked at from the abstract
and general rather than the concrete and In
diyidual point of view. Nearly all traces
of Dolly Warden have disappeared. Il
stripes are worn they are very narrow; and
figured silks are confined 10 dowagers, or al
least TO married ladies who are no longer anX'
ious 10 appear young. Muslin pliitiDg as gar
niture and white muslin overskirts are passe
The evening and dinner tollettes of the mice
girls" of New York society are composed o
pale.linted silks, soft and rich satin de leon
or poult de sole, trimmed with white lace, OF
China Grape, and lace upon the low, smal
BASQUE, or pointed walst and sash, which IL
usually draped low upon the back or Side o.
the skirt, sometimes making very moderate
pannIer. Overskirts are abandoned unless
formed BY polonsise, but the entire length o
the front ls sometimes formed by hat slde
plaitlngs, partly covered by little apron O
grape or gulpure, and fastened at the back
under the basque or saah ends. When made
of QuIpure they are bordered with lace
headed with @ fringe of silk. When oil Grape
fringe may be the garniture, with o silk head
ing. Skirts are cut demi-train, and the ma
iorlty are destitute Of trim ming, except suct
a.. houo hoep dpacrhpd More low bodice!