The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-09
How Ladies Dress at Saratoga.
CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS.
New York World Correspondence

contrasts and contradictions in a limited
space Saratoga can be rivalled by none
The most magnificent hotels, charging the
most magnificent prices. almost adjoin the
| plainest boarding houses whose prices cor
respond. On the hotel piazzas the lady
| whose array cost thousands may be seen
| talking with one the value of whose mo-
dest outfit would not reach $50, heard
a story not long ago which ia worth repeat
ing here. Two gentlemen-one old, one
young-were on railway train passing
through mountainous district of Pennsy-
lvania, and, pointing to bare. looking
mountain near by, the elder said, "Ten
years ago that mountain, now covered with
stumps, supported a luxurious pine forest ;
it was worth 900 then, it is barely
worth Continental now. The net pro-
duce of that mountain lies curled up in
yonder seat"-and he pointed to pretty
girl, the daughter of a lumber merchant,
who was mapping under adverse circun
| stances. according to my calculation"
he continued, sit cost her father all the
profit he made on his lumber to bring her
to the point at which she has now arrived,
to educate her, dress Der, and introduce
her into society. One of you young men,
if asked to make choice between the
mountain as it now stands and its net pro-
duce, would choose the net produce !; but
as for me give me the stumps."
So we have here the net produce of
mountains and the net produce of dairy,
the net produce of an oil we'll, o specula-
ton in stocks, rise in real estate, and
also the net produce of good crop of
grain, of poultry yard, or a clerks salary
and woman represents each.
As woman dressed in the height not
not only OF fashion, but costly fashion,
promenades ball room, suppose we esti-
mate what in round numbers she represents
in cash-that is, the actual cost, as nearly
s. T. n m liza aAn Rrfa r,fx ,hnt
Her dress, independent of lace, will
scarcely cost less than $500. Worths
cheapest are 5000 in gold. A get of the
handsomest pointe lace tlounces may usual
ly be valued at about $1,000, thong very
handsome ones may be purchased for less.
A hne pointe lace overdress or shawl costs
at least 81 500. A fan suitable for such a
dress is worth $50 at least, and handker-
chief about the same and the diamonds
seen with this toilet frequently represent
$5O,0OO, consisting of necklace, ear ryps.
algrette bouquet de corsage, and brace
let besides these are rings rarely purchas.
ed for less than $4,000, when there are
but there rfour of them. So we have our
fashionable women representing $57 900 or
even SGT, GOO, for there are many minor but
costly accessories for the toilet, and even
valuing her toilet at $685. is a low esti.
mate.
But this is the ball dress alone and only
ohS oe1ii oieso, auu WuO would expect
grdnde dame to go through Saratoga sea-
son with but onef She has another silk
covered with embroidery and Valenciennes
lace edges its rut1les this will scarcely cost
less than $500, and then she has a velvet
at $500 or 81 900, and three or four light
SIX robes OF light shades, trimmed with
silk of the same or darker tfnts, for not one
of which she paid less than from $500 to
$500 and she has other jewelry besides
diamonds, corals, earrings, necklace, bra
ceiet, and brooch at 5000 and she has
onyx and diamond ear-drops and pendant
ana various other styles of ornaments,
beautiful and costly because in fashion
one one mas fans to match every dress, and
not ono can be purchased for less than $50,
ana she has costly haudkerchiefs without
number.
Her daylight dresses are not less expen-
sive. One of her morning dresses of Paris
muslin and FalencieDnes lace cost Sl2O
and the colored silk over which she wears
it cost nearly another 500. The sash
of ribbon and lace at $25. iabot for-the
throat $40, scarf of black guipure $l2. A
parasoi OF white silk lined with color and
covered with lace must be used sitting on
piazza or going to and from the spring, and
another 500 may DE easily counted in for
that. Her ladyship has of course an en-
broidered batiste ut $75, black grenadine
walking dress at 5000, a black silk at $500.
- SASIuS AZ SoO, ID OeuuSu pOlODalSe
at $50, ut least half dozen hats q have
been told of lady here who has three
uozen), and not one costs less than 500
She spends 50 every few days for silk il
fusion to pin over her face and hat and
bring down around her throat as q scarf.
She has jet belt with deep fringe aud
pocket costing SIG. Gloves she rarely
wears at Saratoga, preferring to show her
rings, out at balls, at the races, and at
church kid must eclipse the diamonds, and
IS and 8 pair she generally pays for
.hese An opera cloak at 500 and an In
ia-shawl at ST 600 are indispensable to
her wardrobe. Dresses, gloves, fans, par
lrsols, and the numberess small articles
which are only pretty when in fashion, are
Aphemeral and must be renewed each year I:
me India; shawl, diamonds, and lace form
l Tine lady's capital stock. Still, having
ne shawl, diamonds and lace, having even |
few colored silks from last year which
may d" to wear beneath musins, the lady |
"h" desires to present in her own person /
he latest styles of the season can scarcely
,Npend less for her Saratoga outfit than
Ihout $1,000, to wit: for lingerie, 5000
hoes, 500 ; hose, Sig dresses 80 900 fnr