Evening star., 1878-01-01
NEW I0RE FASHIONS.
The HoIidays-Hew We spend Them.
How We Entertain aud Are Enter
taiBed-Baiis and BaiI roitettcs-
New York Receptions.
[TRoN OR OWN CORRESPONDENT ]

NEW YORK. December ~ lS7-.
The etiquette in regard to New Years rrcep
/ tiOn> has changed somewhat during the past
I quarter Of 4 century; and though the evidence
fails Ia Justify the assumption that there is
/ any general desire 10 relinquiSh his old and
honored custom. Yet il has certainly changed
IFS form and mode Of Observance. The free
dom with which large parties of unknown per
/ sons formerly Went from house 20 house i
/ now not tolerated. Gentlemen rarely associate
( together in greater numbers than two OF three.
; an! very many viii only call at the houses pf
! Then personal friends or upon ladies' from
! Whom they have received cards. These cards
| are sent cut within a few dayS or a week of tho
hlSj oi January, and consist simply Of the Wis
/ nlng card of the sender, with lSt of January
/ significantly written or printed upon IT, They
/ ale useful not only aS indicating the intention
/ of the lady 10 receive her gentlemen friends
/ on that day. hut n furnishing The present Al
/ dress and ob,iating he necessity on the par.
I ol gentlemen Ot making lists aud hunting uD
/ unknown addresses ia The directory The
I elaborate table. formerly considered nece>>a-
~ - now an evidence OF bad taste. and The
/ rcfreShmen offered consists more of some
/ simple c3tahe or dTinkable offered tur hu>pi
I ialiNS sake than regular attempt "a supply
[ possible meal. The pre'iincsS of the liable Il
I more IN object than the >olidity of I'll ViauI-.
I which are oi such a character a>to supply
I isLl c"i!aiiah L" Tie gathering II young folks
/ with which The evening frequently terminates
. ] he 'oleiic> have been - free 4ueutly discussed
/ mat II i not necessary to remark upon them
I especially Whatever j. suitable ToT 4 small
entertainment abroad is proper tor the New
Years reception ~ home.
The effort Is and should hc 10 give A home
like and ic>tal character 20 the occasion. and
I iillS J. easily Effected HoW-I-daNS through thr
tasteful fashion of decorating pictures, VIII
u"N>. &c.. WIN MrHathS OF autumn leaves and
! iTaIl> 81 fern. or Florida graSSeS-eNen amou-
I persons Of modest income. who cannot afford
/ expensive .IdTdmicrS, or indoor gardens.
The moment New Years calls are made
! very formal. on more ceremOniOuS than j. nee
/ t>>alH !" preserve character or resp 'ctabih-
I ty-that moment they lose their Significance.
and had better be dropped altogether. For
! this reason the services of servants on this oc-
/ caSlon ought IL be dispensed with aS much dS
possible. and ladies themselves make their
+ welcome dyuby valuable by themselves dis
/ penSBg gracious and kind y Hospitality The
I lifting dIe>S. ], viii hc understood, should not
! interfere with jiIi>. II should therefore he
I somewhat less ccremOnioUS than on ncca SionS
/ when ladies themselves are guests and have
no, duties 10 perform. Il need moi. however
, be i-NN becoming or less effective in the ,lcspf
/ Their visitors on lhis account.
FAIL TOIIETTES.
/ u ! rather yrIiuus that while in Europe "a
| growing respect - felt f0r American taste.
/ American style, American art, and American
sense. what j. called the best society Iu this
country is forming Itself more and more upon
| European models. and adopting more and
| more the Jh,tC ami worn UBt modes. aud rerp-
mohlas which Only require tine and oppOua-
! nifty 20 cast of.
J'he very iowneck.d dresses. which the real
Ji-gdnce and distinction Of American ladies
1 abroad Who would not adopt il had began To
/ dScrediJ u being adopted without reservation
/ 10y American ladies al home. and IN manner
I - publi- aS To make any semi lance ot modt>lv
! seem preteHSe. II Is possible such distinctions
might be drawn ~ would Justify not over
nice sense of proprlety m exposing al the
I charms of 4 beautiful neck and arms IN a
/ private circle made mp Of intimate friends. or
It least acqUaintances: but how young and
middle aged women can sail up ana down dHu
! around public arena. such as a grand bali
room, the tal gets FOR hundreds Oi bold eyes.
three inches Of silk aud an inch of lace she
gHt.a lkn4- -af-
Ol . of the mysteries which perhaps a dash 0f
: Puritan or Quaker ancestry diSqUaliTies one
from finding ont. Al any rate the fact remains
that lie ma iOritN ot hal dresses are cut with
! very little waist and 10 sleeves and even when
/ the sense of fitness 80 far prevails a 10 leave
/ The HOddice high. square or heart shaped. the
arms are >tlli .cil bare tO the top OF the Shoul-
der. or are only covered by the most trans
parent lace.
There are two fashionable methods Of cut
ting low boddice. one ol which describe
! deep square. the other a still deeper point, par
ticu'arly At the back. where IL not unfrequent-
| IN nearly touches the line of the waist. and. l.
| only saved from absolute mmodeSty bV the
| the thin folds of tulle, or standing rufre of
lace. which 20 very little way towards con
! cealment. In the very best society where
| young ladies are taught 10 dress properly bah
dresses are almost universally made with
| demitTainS and of white. CT some thin mate
iial over silk dIaped closely 10 the outline of
! the form. This affords much more freedom in
/ dancing, and saves the ridiculous ncOngruitV
between an immensely full, and long train,
!
thin materials, but this is not strictly correct
| The designs for evening dresses in Thin mate
ridiS This season, place silk and satin in cOmbi-
nation. instead oI underneath the muslin. the
| tUile or the crepe. Alternate puiiingS. for
example, Only slightly gathered, and drawn
! quite straight, are of silk, ami muslin or satin
| and Lace insertion, With lace ruiIicS and ribbon
! q Trimmings.
y great deal Of snowy embroidery upon thin
gauZe or lace il used aS trimming in coniunr
tiOn with silk or satin, the embroidery some
times forming fiOunceS. sometimes a heading
Ia handsome fringe. A great deal of bead
| work = also expended upon evening dresses.
! generally mtermiNed with shaded silk. or SILK
and chenille fringe. Very pretty dresses con
slSt oi plain silk, white or tinted, combined
| with "a damaSSee exactly matched i'm the shade
/ oi color. Rich lringeS are the principal trim
| mlngS OF these dresses. and they are not unfre-
IUeltlN outlined with wreaths OF shaded
leaves, or small roses lnteTmlngled with brown
ana silver foliage. Small flowers, or iTingeS OF
grasses are used 10 the exclusion OF boquets
for which the restricted dress affords no on
portuniiy. The most startling contrasts are
permitted II not made glaring by quantities
For example, al recent ball an elegant COS
tune consisted Of pale amber satin and bro
cade, without other color excepting crimson
roses IN the lair and the crimson silk hose.
worn With the Louis XIV shoes. There is a
great deal oI contrast Of color in all large as
SclnbileS. but Ii iS almost invariably mistake.
The most distinguished combination dresses
are combinations OF two fabrics, and not OF
TWO cOlorS. As, for example. silk aud satin.
six and damasSee, satin and br0cade. velvet
and brOcade, or velvet and satin. The eNcep-
tloii 10 iill> III com DlnatlOnS OF
blue and straw w-colored silk with white French
muslin, and yalenciennes, white tulle or white
tarieton. In this case the delieacy of the two
fabrics and the fact that the outside is worn
over thin silk of the contrasting color saves il
from crudeness and inelegance
Some Of the most effective toilettes consist
OF Princesse dress OF silk or satin, in some de-
cided color. crimson garnet, brown or pale
gold, trimmed with rich figured fabric i'm the
same shade the bodice open or square both
back and ll0nt, the shoulders high and the
arms covered below the elbow with white fig-
ured lace, finished with ruffies. which are re-
peated IN narrower width at the neck. The
dress il usually trimmed crOssYise upon the
front, and always plated into a square. or
tan-sbaped train at the back. Numerous
platings OF muslin have almost superseded the
employment OF train-shaped skirts which soil
10 easily, are necessarily exposed. and to
ladies' Who go out much become therefore a
very troublesome and expensive item. No
heavy jewelry is ever worn with ball or even
ing toilettes Pearls, diamonds or artistic
ornaments which harmonic with the costume
L.. H.. IL L.. u 4