The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-05
OUR FASHION Letter.
Shirley Oare,s Winter Gossip Tho
Styles Prevailing %. Christmas
Wear, India ShsWls, Wraps, ana
other VaNities.

Wear, India Shsvv1s, Wraps, ana
Other Vanities.
New York, Dec. %, 1874.
The shop windows never held out
promise of more brilliant Christmas.
Merchants are bringing forward every
tempting and choice article in defiance
of depressed times. 1t is significant Of
the season that objects Of luxury never
were offered at % low cost before.
Superb bronzes and enamels which
three years ago sold for unheardof
prices, are quietly reduced 800 per cent.
Bronze Nubians, a third below life size,
may be brought to hold lamps in
library or vestibule for quarter what
a likely quadroon would have brought
in flesh and blood before such property
lost its value. Such indulgencies Of
toilet as real India shawls and Shetland
seal jackets gracefully descend in price
in company with diminished dividends
and sinking shares. Every trick of
skillful dealers is in play to put the
best face on the matter, and very good
Christmas may he had for the looking
at it. l would like to give to the chill
dren some idea how br,gh: the show is.
Large plate glass bow-windows in the
fancy stores are turned into scenes
where
PARTIES OF ELEGANT PARIS DOLLS
dressed in superb style form exquisite
misunderstanding crowds about them oil
course. One window seat is mimic
lawn with garden seats and croquet
ground where dozen lovely blondes,
about ten inches high, in costume COM
plete to Saratoga hats and ravishing
boots, are posing with mallet and ball
in the demurest way.
A reception is going on in the next
window, the languid looking demoi.
selles carrying rufied ard vatican
trains in satin and lace, their faxen
tresses done up in miracles Of couture,
little point kerchiefs and pearl fans at
their side, satin slippers on the tiny.
high-arched feet that show clicked silk
hose, and futed pctticoats brushing the
instep-a petite mockery Of fashion,
rather more enjoyable than the real
thing, because all the toilets are fault.
less, and the faces pretty. These Won
derful dolls are dressed in the last
styles, to the smallest detail, and they
look so petite, and helpless and delicate
Of complexion, and their toilets are so
pretty it is wonder that men who
prefer that sort Of women don't fall in
love with them. There is something
captivating in the idea of the finest
French dolls, whose bisque or waxen
features are nodded in miniature of
reigning favorites, in other times
the Empress herself and the ladies
of her court. So a lover who
presumed to admire popular beauty
might possess an image Of her, exqaisit-
ly dressed, and large enough to stand
on his visiting table, for 200 francs, de-
cidedly the cheapest, and finally the
most satisfactory mode Of disposing Of
her. A good many mortals these days
would be pleased to see the miracle
reversed, and their expensive idols turn
to wax or marble. The change would
not be so great in many instances, but
human skill shonld be equal to it.
Inside the doors, hung the whole
month with Christmas greens, there is
store of fabrics to divorce woman's wit
from her purse strings. If faith is to
be put in the fur of muskrats or the
thickness of corn husks as signs Of a
heavy winter, let us hope fashion has
no such forecast, OF the thick materials
worn will bring US an arctic season be.
fore it's close. The lighter damasA
woodland camelss hairIgoods are set aside
for armure coatlngs.
INDIA cAsBxEREs
find very pleasant the reduction O.
prices that has taken place since last
fall in their favorite shawls. The
largest merchant house in Newt York
decided it self-interest to pat dow1
these rich goods on the same basis as
other French prices, as most shawls are
imported through Paris agencies. A
lady going to buy an India shawl has
always felt certain of paying an artifi
cial price, at least 800 per cent. profit
but from the cost of such things al
present it is no longer easy to think so
India cashmeres are no longer out O.
reach Of moderate prices, and cash
meres are very delightful things to ev
cry woman of taste. Aman who spen
literally on such things for the ladie:
Of his house, once asked if shawls were
not more expensive the homelier they
are, and such is very convenient ant
sincere notion with many people. In
deed, l have known editors to write
profanely of cashmeres as 'tsoiled ant
faded relics handed down from on
dirty native chieftain to another
which our fine ladies priced through =: