Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-02
NEW YORK FASHIONS.
IRON orr Olrn Co'-respordenf.l
NEW YoRK MARCH, n

the whole world can Oe brought TO their way
Of thinking or to act according to their way OF
doing. Yet. 1t Is the mistake otherwise senst
Bile people are always making. ana the especial
plunder OF ali 'reformers.' Tne world never
is reformed. II grows after a fashion. bu,
people are not content with that, or e
assist In growth by natural methods. They
always want to dig Dip bodily the thing tha,
exists and replace IL by something else, care
less OF the fact that they may be digging I'D the
germs OF larger and better thing than ever
lne one which they offer as q substitute
Jhousands or good men and good women
nave wasted power that was valuable In the
tuoIt 10 make all the world travel in theIT
direction. and have even believed it was doing
so, because their horizon was bounded By their
limitations or sight, until some rude clrcuIn-
stance has awakened them with a shock to the
| truth that tie world is the same Old world that
existed centuries ago; that &c Is actuated by
! the same desires, moved by the same feelings
| stirred 10 excitement by the same passions -
foolish or wise Or brave or nObie-uGdcr the
| same impulses and characterized py as wide a
! diversity OF opinion, sentiment faculty and de-
gree, as ever before IN its history, the shadings
only having been multiplied by the multiplicity
or l.. dividuals.
Has this philosophy little to 90 with fashion,
1et IL ha- sonnet hlIs. aGtrStUOd IL would teach
dreSS TGiorn1erS ala WOMEN who have only 0ae
Idea 10 regard to lt, the futity o. endeayortn. :.
10 make al other women creep through their
! kn9t-nOic; aau II would teacn them also 10
discriminate also IN their charges ana Conden-
nation, 10 make them less sweeping, ana pos.
I Sicly induce them 10 see that good may Dc done
| by WO. King In different way and from Il
broader, more universal standpoint Ia n they
have been able 10 see for themselves. There
was lime, and 1t is within the memGry Of some
who are still living, and therefore 50 recent
as to exercise al appprecii5le effccG upon
the dress morality or the present time Tlen
the poverty OF means aud resources, the 40
sence OF machinery, and The necessity or put
Ing everything available to It's most direct and
practical use, Curtalled In every way the de.
mandS and requirements, not only In dress.
but La living OF every description. Bdt thai
tine IS past, and. pleasantly rs We rec Ill It
We would not any Of US wish it back; We are
all thankful Tor tie additional light, Color
warmth anu beauty which has been let IN
upon our lives, and ii disadvantages cOmG WitIf
THESE actual benefits, they are 10 be accepted
ara deaf with wisely, not used 10 destroy
all There Is or good. our growth for the next
mtg years VIII not be backward toward the
,lDceT-bOx ana spinning wheel, the bag-shapel
gown and the h0n6-Spun, but toward q
higher degree OF refinement, superficial
possibly, but the necessary OutgroGtn o.
advancing civilization, and towards q con-
stantly increasing luxury which the value OF
skilled labor Will place within the reach OF
large number This Is Inevitable. II Is not o.
crime, and 10 one IL especially Responsible Tor
it-least or all women VINO are carried along py
the stream and have no power to change It's
current What can be done is TO SO moraliZa
The influences and agencies that work upon Tue
minds OF the public al large, and women Ia
particular, as TO prevent this growth IN luxury
rom doing any more harm Juan cannot pos
Sibly DC helped, and keep the qualification OF
self and taste, strictly suOordinaIed 20 higher
locals, nooier objects, aud more imperative
duties. We may still DC glad, however that
some can enjoy the Beautiful things or this life.
that sons wish to crafty taste In one way AMI
some Ia another, for the variety breaks up
WeariSome mop0to0y and multiplied demands
furnish employment 10 thousands OF souls
which must otherwise, perhaps perish IN needy
bodies.
THREE EBls or DRESS.
There are three eraS OF dress In the life OF the
average woman. which the majority pass
through. There Is the era OF fouth, when ali
that at can design or skill produce within the
Individual horN9n) is spread out to view. and
the girl wants 1t oil. she would like to wear all
the pretty colors all the gay sturS, all the gilt
teiihS JeWelry she sees, at once and Is 10 better
SATISFIED by the purchase Of one thing than she
was before, Tor she wants the next pretty thing
she sees Us badly as she wanted the first. This
Is TIE era OF ribbons, dollar jeWelry and plated
cnalnS; or yellow Spotted lace; of much cheap
trimming; OF fantastic designs and head gear;
or BEADS and bangles and bells and pend ants
It Is me era OF surprises, OF new 'ktnks" which
originate no one knows how and disappear no
one knows wher but which while they last
distinguish the happy pOs5eSs0r as one OF the
initiated, as one who has crossed the thraSh-
hold and become more or less acQuaiDt I'd with
the exclusive mysteries.
When the woman Of ordinary intelligence has
arrived al tRe era or middle age her taS5 eS ave
changed. her illusions have many OF them dis
appeared. Things that she once sighed for have
now become rubbish which litter 10 tables
shelves and bureau drawers, AMI cost more for
DreaRage tran they are worth. She wants re yer
tbinGs tnan formerly. bit CT more permanent
Cbaiacter- &c liz hands 2lnc 1,U.ic5, dark
Tlch c0i0Ts ard real lace, EOr she mas learned
tfat chances for acquisition may not ll5G
Always aid that Y Is h"ter 10 have one ing
OF permanent aud acSnow lgcd value than a
dozen IcpreSCu; LIZ only the caprice OF the
moment S'!a h21 al50 discovered the cost md
cdle dnd bIIdtA aud n.istry without any com
penSati0u OF many small POSSESSIONS, and the
luxury or doing without what Is slIDor6u lus
AID what Gle mas really 40 taste for, but which
We nay have The habit Ct getting oecau sc 0 her
won el get the same.
The third era sEtcrad3 raturaiiy u17n The
other two. and is TAG era OF peacefuiness aud
rest from all The worries and anyieties on the
subject OF dress. There Is nothing more nittfTJI
than to Pee al elderly woman Stln carving
about with her the Whins, the Oddities me
changes. the fantasies OF what We cal fashion
on the other hand there Is nothing sgeetcr or
more restful than TO ind woman who has
passed through her seasons OF gaiety and pleas.
ure settled down TO calm enjoyment OF what
she has found best 10 her life and most suitable
In her dress, her habits, and her belongings TO
the last serene ysar5 or her existence Son 1ity,
honesty, plailItS5, purify: these are the essen.
tiais OF her dress. and how lovingly we look
back upon the simple cap, the spotle5s kerch ef
the smooth gray or black silk the thrifty apron
the well saved shawl. the SSnnet which is or
was her Only source OF anxiety for millinery
SStIIiS NOJnifls Dut me ana lanc1 100 Haunting
10 Ter EYES, which have grown inv ard, and now
demand for herself only the meat" and that
which VIII give the least trouble. These araS SUI
coed each other through all the changes In
fashion, and Will continue TO do So for the eter-
nal laws are always IL force. It Is only Their
manifestations which are modified by tine aud
circumstances, and We should save good deal
Of wear and tear, OF pulling down aud building
Up, IL we had more faith In them.
INDIVIDUAL IDEAS IN DRESS.
Not loIg ago an entertainment was given In
New York, at which some dozen or more young
ladies, the daughters OF some OF the ladies pre-
sent, and ne same number OF young gentle
men, supplied the attendance in order to get
rid OF the presence OF servants and add pic
turesQue element 10 the occasion. or course IT,
was Lot desirable TO wear conventional cos
TUNES, partly because these would Do out or
character. partly because regulation party
dress Is delicate and expensive and might pos
sibly suffer IL the fuihllmenI OF an UNUSUAL
once which was TO be no Stnecure Con5u!ta-
ZION was held upon the subject Uniformity
70 Tar as the young lai!es were concerned, was
ueslrao!e; but there was no dress which could
DC 0eclced upon OF which all were In posses
Sion. and few wished 10 incur the outlay OF q
, LEY anu iahGl,ui costume which might have
httle opportunity OF being worn afterward
bright Idea was struck, however, in the "Char-
ity costume OK TaSoTite ouricS1ue opera It.
consisted or short, perfectly plain and
straight grey gown, q white cotton apror
pleated upon the sides, and made with a NH
and white cotton cap. The whole cost of
material Tor this OUTFIT was elghty.seven and "a
half $50 cents, and the additional articles
required were grey hose aud black stocSine,
In ET "a 111