Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-12-13
Economy in Dress,


A dress that is so peculiar as to be
striking, either from its brilliancy o.
color or any other cause, should bt
adopted only by a woman who has many
changes of raiment, aud so may wear il
only occasionally, or the sight OF it be-
comes bore, even if at first it is inter
tcresting from its novelty. The woman
who has many dresses can afford also to
give it away or convert il into some
| other use before it is worn, while the
unobtrusive dress easily lends itself to
some different adjustment, which gives
it an entirely new aspect.
A woman who has but one best gown
can "wear it with difference" like the
| rue Ophelia offers to her brother, 40 as
to make it suitable to many occasions,
especially if she has two waists, or
"6odies," AS the English call them
One skirt viii easily outlast two waists,
and therefore this is real saving. But
slppose that there be but one waist, or
the dress be made all in one piece (than
| which there is 10 prettier fashion,, and
| il should be worn one day high in the
neck, with collar and cuffs, on another
day with the neck turned in, and a lace
of muslin hchu gracefully adjusted with
bows of flowers, and bit of lace at the
wrists, pair Of long gloves, and more
elaborate dressing Of the hair, it Will be
scarcely recognizable. But the dress
must be Of II very general character,
like black silk, or some dark color, or
the pleasure Of the new impression Is
lost
The wise person with a small capital
never buys any but II good and lasting
thing. Each year she adds one or two
really solid possession to her wardrobe,
which, treated with care, will last her
many wears. Thus on u really small
sum she may dress very beautifully
without capital one is obliged to buy
what can last but II few months; but
there Ia choice even here.
There il certainly II great economy in
a woman's adopting for occasions OF GER
cmony one dress from which she never
| diverges. II becomes her Characteristic,
and there Is even q Kind OF style and
beauty in the idea. The changing fash
| ions In color and material pass without
| affecting her. She IL never induced to
buy ANYTHING because II Is new. She Is
always the same. The dress in this ease
must have n certain simplicity. II costs
her little thought and little time, and
when the old edition, becoming worn,
gives way to the new, the change Is not
| percpiyrd, nor Is II noticed when the
new In ils turn beromes old
Such dress as this must If course lie
| within certain limits. Suppose II to be
black velvet: 1t would last with care,
at least five or six years. suppose II to
be waite cashmere--a dress Of small
cost: II could, with care, last two sea-
| sons: and then, cleaned, last another
season or two; and then, dyed, be turn
cd into u walking dress to last two sea-
SONS more.
If dress ia put on with grace, its
owner alone Is aware of It's defects, aud
| II IA Il Kindness to the spectator If she
viii keep her own secret
IN France, and believe also In ltalyh
they have poetic fashion of dodiculing
for certain number Of years ltlvc, ten,
or twenty ycrrs, according to the pa
rents mncy) young girls to the Virgin,
| do not know in what way they demon
stnte this dedication except In the color
of their dress, which II always, for all
occasions, summer or winter, blue or
white. or white aud blue mixed. This
affords more variety than At FIRST thought
II would seem 10 be- capable Of, for any
shade of blue may be used.
There Is great economy In deciding
on a few becoming colors In their sever
nj shades, aud combining ones dress to
these. Choosing colors that hNrmonizc
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 80
that nothing is wasted.
II Ia also Important TO know what
point Of dress 10 emphasize. For in-
stance, one may expcnd large sum on
"A gown, and II the shoes are shabby or
M made, the gloves worm ana the bon
net lacks style, the gown IL entirely
thrown away, But the gown may be- no
longer new; II must now be carefully
brushed and well put on, the collar and
cuffs, or other neck and wrist trimmings.
must he In perfect order the boots well
mnde aud well blnrkrd. even If not new,
the gloves fuullless. aud The bonnet neat
aud stylish. The effect Is of n we'll
dressed woman. no man, nnd very lew
women, perceive that the drcaa Is not q
new one .-Mns. Y. w. DrwlNd, In Har.
pers .Hdgdamc 70 Dsccmbcr