Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19

A dress that is peculiar as to be striking.
| either from its brilliancy of color or any other
| cause, should be adopted only by woman who
mas many changes Of raiment, and SO may wear
it only occasionally or the sight Of it becomes a.
oore. even IL at first 1t is interesting from its
novelty. The woman who has many dresses
can afford also to give 1t away or convert it to
some other use before it is worn, while the un-
obtrGsve dress easily lends itself to some differ
ent adjustment, which gives it an entirely new
aspect.
A woman who has but one best gown can
| "wear it with difference" like the rue Ophe-
| liza offers to her brother, so as to make it suita-
| bic to many occasions. especially if she have
| two waists. or ''bodies." as the English call
them. One skirt will easily outlast two waists.
and therefore this is a real saving. But sup
| pose that there be but one waist. or the dress
be made all in one piece (than which there is no
| prettier fashion,, and it should be worn one
| day high in the neck, with collar and cuffs, on
| another day with the neck turned in and a
lace or muslin fichu gracefully adjusted with
bows or flowers, and a bit of lace at the wrists.
| pair Of long gloves, and more elaborate
dressing Of the hair, it will be scarcely recOgni-
Fable. But the dress must be of a very general
character, like black silk, or some dark color, or
the pleasure of the new impression is lost.
The wise person with small capital never
buys any but good and lasting thing. Each
year she adds one or two really solid possessions
to her wardrobe, which, treated with care, last
her many years. Thus on a really small sum
| she may dress very beautifully Without a
| capital one is often obliged to buy what can
last but for few months; but there is choice
| even here.
There is certainly great economy in a wo-
mans adopting for occasions of ceremony one
| dress from which she never DIVORCES. 1t be-
| comes her Characteristic, and there is even
kind of style and beauty in the idea. The
| changing fashions in color and material pass
off n how hot s,,l,
| buy anything because it is new She is always
the same The dress in this case must have a
certain simplicity. 1t costs her little thought
and little time, and when the old edition, be-
coming worn, gives way to the new, the change
is not perceived, nor is it noticed when the new
in its turn becomes old.
Such dress as this must of course lie within
certain limits. Suppose it to be black velvet
it would last, with care, at least five or six
years. Suppose it to be a white cashmere-a
dress of small cost: it could, with care last two
seasons and then. cleaned last another season
or two; and then, dyed, be turned into a walk
ing dress to last two seasons more.
If a dress is put on with grace. it's owner alone
| is aware of its defects, and it is a kindness to
| the spectator if she will keep her own secret
In France and l believe also in Italy, they
have poetic fashion Of dedicating for GER
tain number OF years Give. ten, or twenty
years, according to the parents fancy young
girls to the Virgin. do not know in what way
they demonstrate this dedication except in the
color OF their dress, which is always, for all oc-
| caslons, summer or winter, blue or white, or
white and blue mixed. This affords more va
riety than at first thought it would seem to be
| capable of, for any shade of blue may be used.
There is great economy in deciding on
few becoming cOlOrs in their several shades. and
combining ones dress to these. Choosing col
| ors that harmonic with each other, like gray
black, purple, blue. yellow, white and never
buying any other colOrs, one may, in making
over garments. use one with another so That
| nothing is wasted.
| 1t is also important to know what point of
dress to emphasize. For instance. one may eX-
pend large sum on gown, and if the shoes
are shabby or ill made, the gloves worn. and
the bonnet lacks style, the gown is entirely
thrown away. But the gown may be no longer
new; it must now be carefully brushed and well
| put on, the collar and cuffs, or other neck and
wrist trimmings, must be in perfect order, the
| boots well made and well BACKED. even if not
new, the gloves faultlcss, and the bonnet neat
and stylish, The effect is of a well-dressed wO-
| man; no man. and very few women, perceive
that the dress is not a new one.-Mrs T. w
Deacing, an Ha,7e's Magazine for December.