The Portland daily press., 1881-01-04
THE PRESS.
Shams in Dress.
The Present Furore Among the Ladies'
The Finery Market.

The tendency OF the age is toward shams.
Cheap articles that look like something which
they are not are more and more in demand.
The markets arc full Of limitations, and the
deluded victims are many. Women complain
that their dresses don't fit their cloaks get out
Of shape, their shoes don't wear and their
gloves are WEAKNESS to the flesh. Upon their
arrival home in all the shine of ''spick-span
uewness" they are pronounced perfect, and
the bills are paid with a tolerably good grace,
because they feel that for once at least they
have their moneys worth. They congratulate
themselves on having dress for $50 that looks
inst as well as their neigtbors. which cost
SEQ. A few days later they discover that the
goods ''sag" and get out Of shape, the dress
maker is blamed for poor work, and the vic
TINS bad luck" is sorely bewailed.
Just now the furore is satin de Lyon Man.
ufacturers know very well that if an elegant
material is put upon the market cheap grade
of the same goods must speedily follow, So,
when my lady sees one of the leaders OF fash
ion in an elegant satin de Lyon, she hastens to
the shops to find that very nice-looking quail
ty of this goods can be had for $50, almost as
handsome as the $500 grade in which her
more wealthy neighbor has appeared. She
buys il, and i. is made up with most disastrous
results. The goods is weighted with chemicals
aud dyestuffs and stiffened with gums, so that
il may be thick and firm. The first damp or
misty day dissolves certain amount of this
material, and the new dress loses its first
freshness. A little dust necesstates slight
brushing, and dark, rough-looking cloud APP
pears, which, like the blood spot in the Mac
beth family, will not tout"
A splash of mud leaves unsightly remin-
der, and in few weeks the garment is i'll a
condition of Generalization, and the owner
find herself at the end of few such expert
ences the possessor of lot of tswdry, make-be-
lieve tinery, not one article of which is useful
for reconstruction or repair. Her neighbours
dress, which is of the better material, has
been sprinkled by rains and splashed by the
feet of careless promenaders, exposed to damp
ness unlimited, and is still rich and elegant,
and every part available for an indefinite
amount of making over, if the owner wishes
it; and all because il is silk instead of chemi-
Gals.
The markets are full of fine, genuine, hon.
est fabrics, and could these penny-wise,
pound-foolish sisters of ours be induced to in
vest therein they would be the possessors of
handsome and reliable garments, and would
have less "bad luck" TO complain Of
Silks are he most exasperating OF all goods
for fine wear, and give the least satisfaction for
the money.
Woolen goods are just now in the ascendant,
and are strictly in order for dress occasions.
Drap d'Alma, fine French merino and some of
the choicer grades of cames hair are coming
into general demand for evening wear. They
drape more gracefully, fit better and give
much finer effect to good figure than their
shining and more obtrusive neighbors
Cheap cloakings are too loosely woven to be
durable, and will drag out of shape upon the
slightest provocation.
Cheap gloves are absolutely inexcusable and
an abomination in the sight of ladies of TASTE
The discrimination and tact used by the aver
age Frenchwoman in the selection of her boots
and gloves might we'll excite the emulation
and envy of her sisters on this side of the
water. think L might have very grievous
heart-burnings were my rival to confront me
arrayed in royal velvet, point lace and dia-
acrass my peaceful breast if she sailed proudly
by resplendent in cotton-backed velvet, imita-
ton laces and paste Jewels.