The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-07-29
A Sensible Fashion Coming into
Vogue.

The New York correspondent Of thu
louisville Courier JoUruai writes:
An important and salutary change is tax
ing place In the preparation OF brides trous
eaux, and one that will have a deeper anC
more lasting effect than might be anticipated
from any matter that belong, to the ward
robes. 1t has been the custom heretofore
IN this country for parents to supply the
daughter trouSeau on her marriage with.
out any reference to her future condition in
life, but simply In accordance with her own
wishes, the vanity of her mother or the pre-.
vious extent and nature of her belongings.
The presents were made in the same way,
not In accordance with the future means and
position of the married couple, but to suit
the style and belongings of the brides
parents, SO that 1t Is not at all
to see two people living on a very narrow
income, yet actually burdened with fine
clothes and ornamented jimcracks for which
they have neither space nor opportunity
for their display. The fnery is laid away
or worn, when something less elaborate and
costly would be much more suitable; the
gorgeous pieces of silver or plated ware find
their way to the duplicate" shop, where
they are exchanged, possibly for something
that is wanted or sold for half price.
All this is the height of folly and very
different from the custom in the best fami-
lies in England. There, no matter what the
wealth Of the parties, the brides outfit is
graded by the means of her husband, and
the necessities of her position as a wife. If
he is higher in the social scale, every effort
is made to provide that which is suitable
Tor a more exalted rank but if, as is ire
quently the case here, he is a young man
without means, and with his place to make
In the world, the money that would have
been spent on an expensive outfit is put in
to useful household articles or wisely invest
ed for the girls benefit.
This method has been strictly followed in
several we'll known families recently, where
the daughters have married young men of
good position, but limited income, which
must OF necessity govern the style of their
living. The trousseaux in these cases were
very moderate, and consisted of useful and
practical rather than rich and ornamental
articles, such garments, in fact, as could be
replaced when necessary without depicting
too fast and too far the husband purse.
The u~nappropriated funds In one instance
furnish all the linen and the china for the
new household, and in another bought a
United States tour per cent. bond, the in
terest of which will at least enable the wife
to buy her husband Christmas presents
without drawing upon him for the funds.
Many a poor bride has had costly trained
dresses laid away in her trunks, costly
knick-knacks scattered or packed for which
she had no space, who had not a dollar she
could call her W to give, or to spend, or
to keep. 1t IS well to provide girls with
a good outfit 1t is sometimes the only one
they ever have in their lives. But let it be
suited to their wants IN the future as well
as the present. The wreck of lives might
be saved by this sort Of care, for it fur
nlshes a lesson as we'll as a provision and
what can be expected of young girls who
have been laugh by precept and example to
everything to vanity and dis
play?
Piles of underclothing are as unnecessary
IS a very large number Of dresses, for the
.ormer are easily supplied and renewed. and
he latter go out of fashion and have to be
almost before they have been l
worm. T..
A very fashionable, but also a very sepsi- l
DE girl, was asked recently in regard to her
which her young friends supposed =
would be worth seeing. II an not going to
lave any trousseau," she replied very cool !"
!; Not going to have any treusseau -
hey looked aghast. "No; why should I!
have enough clothes, and a black silk and 8
~ travelling dress, in which | shall be mar =
will be all | shall require; for Jack.
gu know, is poor, and we do not expect to =
0 into society very much" But WHY I
Of have it when you could just as we'll as
ot?, chorussed the girls. because | q
ould rather have the money" '.Oh
hat a mercenary girl, " laughed her friends;
1t they knew this was not so. She was
IMPLY capable of reflection and of carrying
purpose.