Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-04-21
A BALL DRESS 100 YEARS AGO.
Col. Stones Description OF the Inau-
Suration Ball in New York.

| From Demorests' Monthly.
Few Jewels were worn III the Uni
ted States; but in other respects the
dresses were rich and beautiful, ac-
cording to the fashions of the day
We are not quite sure that we can
describe the full dress of a lady of
rank, at the period under considcra-
ton, so as to render it Ineligible.
But we will make the attempt.
One favorite> dress was pale celes-
tial blue satin gown, with while
satin petticoat. On the neck was
worn a large Italian gauze handker-
chief, with border stripes of satin.-
The headdress was pouf of gauze
in the form of globe, the creneaus
or head.piece of which was composed
of white satin, having a double wing,
in large plaits and trimmed with a
wreath Of artificial roses, falling
from the left at the top, to the right
at the bottom, in front and the re-
verse behind. The HAIR was dressed
all over in detached curls, four OF
which, in two ranks, fell on each side
of the neck, and were relieved be.
hind by floating chignon.
Another beautiful dress was a
pierot of gray Indian taffeta, with
dark stripes Of the same color, hav-
ing two collars, the one yellow and
the other white; both trimmed with
a blue silk fringe, and reverse trim
med III the same manner. Under
the pierot, which was a loose over
garment fashioned something like a
blouse, they wore a yellow corset or
bodice, with large cross stripes of
blue. Some of the ladies with this
dress wore hats PEspagnnole, of
white satin, with q band of the same
material placed on the crown like the
wreath Of flowers on the headdress
above mentioned.
This hat, which, with a plume, was
a very popular article of dress, was
relieved on the left side by two
handsome cockades, one of which
was at the top and the other at the
bottom. On the neck was worn a
very large plain gauze handkerchief,
the ends of which were tied under
the bodice after the manner repre-
sented in Trumbull's and Stewards
portraits of Lady Washington
Round the bosom of the pierot frill
of gauze Ia Henry ". was attach
ed, cut in points at the edges after
the manner Of herrisons. The her
risons were very full ruffles, standing
out like hedgehogs' bristles. They
were nearly the sole trimming used
for the pierots, caracos "a loose gar
ment worn over the skirt and petit
coat of fashionable danes, made
either of ribbons or Italian gauze.-
With dress they wore large gauze
handkerchiefs upon their necks, with
four satin stri pes around the border,
two Of which were narrow and the
others broad. The hcaddress was a
plain gauze cap, after the form of the
elders and ancients of nunnery. The
shoes were celestial blue, with rose
colored rosettes.
Such are descriptions of some of
the principal costumes, and although
varied in divers important particulars
by the several ladies, according to
their respective tastes and fancies,
yet, as with the peculiar fashions of
all other times, there was a general
correspondence of the outlines, tout
ensemble with the same.
A beau's outfit for his wedding
was light-colored cloth coat with
pearl buttons, breeches of the same
cloth, and black satin vest-ditto
swansdown, buff, striped; ditto mole
skin, checker figured; ditto satin fig
ured; under-vest faced with red cash
mere; two ditto, flannel; one pair of
figures drawers; one ditto cotton;-
one pair Of black patent silk hose,
one ditto white; one striped ditto;
one dozen white silk hose; three
pairs of cotton; four peirs of gauze
ditto; one towel, six shirts, twelve
neckerchiefs and six pocket-handker-
chiefs, one of them a bandanna; a
chintz dressing gown, pair of silk
gloves and pair of kids.