, 1873-12-14
From Our Drn Correspondent.

Ihe poor. tl NIX tho pfospecl ID. tnat Lue shnoI"
pg wall be loss this winter than In moro
ridoly-prosporous year. Everybody has it in
MUD to giyo MI le can possibly afford and
.hero aro newly-foru,od charitable eocloties,
ocsido tho old ones, with practicalworkers among
ho members, and much private aims giving.
Nevertheless, VIC moan to have Christmas ns
happy and bright as though no banks had failed
md mono OF our railways had dofaulted, and as
though VIC could give jewels and art-gems IN
place of noodle books mud pin-cushions.
Ordinarily, N1etropolitans arc rathor lavish,
aot to say rccklcas, in their prosont-making,
Ind fccl thoir restriction koonls; but, on tho
Uholc, accept tho situation gracefully. On cvery
zido you hear. "Oh! shall mike only useful
gifts this year; 1uxuros must be douo without"
So dresses, furs. lacos, shawls, fanciful mock
wear, all sorts of articles Of apparo In fact, as
vol as Inexpensive souvenirs, will DO in order.
cun1sTa1As Io1LETTEs
nre by no mems overlooked in tho proaont burst
Of economy. Thoy aro less elaborate, though
prottlcr than have seen them for many year.
Not infrenuently, they arc merely combinations
of eeyora old GOWNS but this docs not detract
from their becom,ngnoss, Which, Of course, in
Thy dro4s Of bride, who ia to DO dned, on
Christmas -lay, for tho first tiulo in her new ca
pacity, is mado Of whito silk and white casl-
nero. Tho petticoat (cntre. nous. it has ap-
poarcd several soasons in various combinations.
but is freshencd by now kilting) is of tho silk
(Glace). with n killing which appears to cover
the elirt entirely. Contldentially, It reaehcs
triile above tho knee in front, but is less docp In
tic back. Tho oyersliirt md whist ore cut sone-
what like nabriolle,-or, ms it iB called nova
days, n princesse-drcss. It las three wldo box
plaits in tho back, at the waist, aud three deep
toopiuge, which: however, hang gracefully,
~, rnf1 AT
front it is closed like. the old Ga
iriello; but the broad band Of swnn's
down, bordering the oyer-slirt, passes up the
front scam (wlere it is closed) and ; aroand M tho
band Of down following the square caahmore
cuff, anl outlining tho armhole. OF course, tho
ayor-dress, though. quite long, does not ronch
the bottom Of the deni-train by fourteen INCHES
In front; while. Oil tho sides, it is looped very
high, almost to tito hira. As you soc, tho dress
is extremely simple. but wonderfully effective.
Altogether think that tho most effective cos
tunes uro those that Rro least trnmcd.
GAZE DE CHAa1DERy.
Or what we should ouce have called Sheer s'lk
granadine, striped in Helf-shados OF contrasting
tints, is popular again for polonaises, which
y?ySfqy oaSs TO- 5 dfspfG M se sao af mn,
tho stripes, tile polonalso and all tho sk!rt-tr!m-
mings being Of tho thlu goods. charming
robo of this, description will bo finished In u
gauzo tho same Shade (tllo thin aud thick atr1po
being alike In hue), Of course tritle intonaiAod
by being oycr tho silk. The skirt ia covered
ha1f-way up with lye-inch bias rufllcs OF the
sauzo, edged with Valenconnes lace. lThis
1ocuu't euggoBt extro1no penurv. does ny 4
anah OF q single breadth of tho thin stuff, edged
with luco ia caught OIL the right hip with chain
Of ilnc,y.etrunE. opalescent shells; u brought
gracefully round tho train, md held low on the
left silo by another chain OF shells. The waist
Of silk, with deep points before mud behind, ia
covered with bius fults OF tho gauze, la'd on
Bu,piicc-lnAhion, with ruchca Of the lace in the
pointed neck, and half-llowing sleoyes, and
rullo Of 1t round the bottom Of tia waist Dc
you think tho shclls littlo startling7 They be-.
long to the gown, wl4lch seems as if spun fro1r
tho froth OF Tho sea. 1t lni@ht havo boon de-
Hleucd for some Naiad OF Fifth avenue, because
sfler ALL it belongs to the realms Of high art in
atetd oi to Nature.
Another robe OF similar character is more te
my fancy than the preceding. Tho silk skirt i
white glnce. It il fostooned with White tull'
all ovor tho skirt, in tho most delicate AM
iudcscsibable manner. Tho laeois so gracefully ar
ranged that it Heoms to have fallen whcrc 1t lies
sud to bo lcld in rlnce but by a few punches o.
whiet marabow fcathers. Tho waist ID round ant
low, aud llas short sleeves Of silk but scarf o
cenl the neck, and long angel-slecves sllado th
arms. The whole drcBs is in perfect keeping
and on its blonde owner sugGests tho spirit 0
Winter. Frost, and snow ind moonlight mp
COSTUMES
arc in more favor this year than usual, sir,c
they can be economically contriyeta out Of two Q
throe old drcBseB, and Binco everybody is tired Q
:he conventional evening toilette. For tho lat
ter reason, all sorts Of quaint and p|ctures1u
:lcsgns arc used, ind arcicnt illustrated book
aud epgrnyihgs rnnEncked for nuW-old Ideal
Often, IN u single drawing-room, may DO sec
dresses that might hive been taken ,I1 bodily flot
fifty years ago. Historical portraits contribut
their suggestions to the nuyelty-scckors, an
there is m Infinite variety Of Wattoauesqno e
vices. Naturally, all this seeking after tho orif
iual aud peculiar rcudcrs company OF prett
women m exceedingly attractive sight.
Il gl.1nmerlng notion IL penetrating faRhionn
bio corebclluns, TINT to be picturesque Ia bette
thun to be Lundsomo or Inodish. 1t IL very III
tlc,!t for purely fashionable woman to look pit
turosque, however uniquo her apparel, Thol
il always Ill oNtcrGpping Of conventional gel
tility, which IL anything but picturesque. ;,
spice Of irregulagity and informa!isy always II
heFos il q really p'ptates,.s nsrn1:wns,R person.
are very pretty, this season. There arc MOI
white cloaks md dulmans than Iemc1nber for
long timo. 1n1ocu, for I'LL mAntlan design
white seems to have taken frosh loaHo OF fayo
White cas!llnoro IL less fashionable than it III
beou; ; but while ladics'-cloth, orora-tlRnnel. no
corded silk, striped agcrlueH, ard tho inlini
number Of inlutnorabie fabrlch suitable for Il
purpose, gro everywhere conspicuous. Tho do
is short sacq,s. with peam in tho mldalo
the back. aud undor.arm Aeama, quite far b
hind. Tho seams aro all shaped to tho fgur
which gives hle garment n smooth slope oy
tho hustle, and prevents the plan fronts fro
looking baggy. Tho sleoyes, wtdo aud doep
pointed. hang low down on the dress. a Hupo
wrap OF thia Hind ts made Of l.oRyy, thuuf
worry soft, whlto silk, embroidered all oyor
llnnd lincd with wAito porsiani, mud clgod wi
wIlite yak fringe. Swarm down is widely OIL
ploycd for bordering,, ESPECIALLY. on sllk III
striped ulgoriucs. White cone3y fur. Which iS
il, In tho form Of long Hac1nes, .!
large cnpcs, favorito party oloqk'
wlito il clouror nnd less slckly than that Of {
mine, aud much moro bccolui,R, therefore, y
fmr IL iuexluuaiyo ny compared with ermno
u'.illcIently lurye oapo, with la,lds9mo quilt
rjj;; lining, costing lcss tEan $l00. Nothing ls
ncnlt q find nj wrap that Is warm enough &,
ciuulH c1ucnft.l aud handsome not to seem
OF nlaua, These white coney ol0aks eorye I