Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-12
NEW LIGHTS UPON A DARK
SUBJECT.
Beautiful Toilets for Beautiful
WOmen-The SILK OF AmerIca-The
Cloak Problem and Providence
Bonnet,

4
WOmen-The SILK OF AmerIca-Tht
Cloak Problem and Providence
Bonnet,
New YoRK, December 5.-The dress Of womer
will be likely to have new light thrown upou Il
through electricity. Theatres discourage elec
trio lights because it discloses shams and pre-
fences. coarse painting and bad color. It viii
do the same In our houses, and compel us tc
be true, and it viii educate us to refinement
OF which we do not now dream. The electric
light in ball rooms has been found to be trans
| forming. The sheen of rich satins in pale
| blue, pink and tinted white becomes silvery iu
its lustre, and the glitter OF fine pearl and
white jet embroidery radiance ITSELF Some
complain that the volume of white light pro.
duces ghastliness, but this will be remedied
when the electric light is fully understood, by
placing it at a distance and transmitting il
through tinted or eolored glass. Already we see
it broken up into cluster in our great squares,
aud set high so that from distance or to a
near-sighted individual it looks like a diamond
| lamp suspended in neither air without visible
agency-and the effect within the radius of a
mile is to diffuse clear, soft light Ike that of
a brighter, more tangible moon. When these
lights are transmitted through properly toned
and tinted glasses, and are suspended by al
| most invisible means from the ceilings of ball
rooms, a new light will indeed be cast upon all
the objects that inhabit them. We shall then
discover the hideous effects of gas-its yellow
glare and smoky exhalations We shall walk
and live in this light end this will disclose to
us how much we have done that was unworthy,
and suffered that even was unnecessary, be-
cause OF the darkness, which may perhaps
known light.
The supreme merits of the scientific develop
ment of the day is that they benefit us ALL
that they add to the value OF human life to the
comforts of human existence to the beauty
and sweetness of the air that we breathe and
the space that surrounds us. They will also
cnaange a or at @ least modify many Of the habits
son. if for no other, women should keep them
selves we'll informed upon all subjects that re-
late to the improvement of the conditions
which exert formative influence upon our
daily lives and measurably upon conduct and
character.
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN AND BEAUTIFUL TOILETS.
This is an age of beauty. or rather of a f1cti-
tious semblance of it, and is for this reason
is an age Of temptation and peril Form,
color. glitter are beauty. and this beauty wins
the applause and rules the hour. Fair women
ride in state while coed women weep in sack
cloth and ashes. Modesty is declared TO be
mere absence OF charm, of power to attract,
and fashion justification for any enormity. At
the opening balls and entertainments Of the
present season. more low necked dresses have
been worn, and more shameless exposure of
person made, than has been known for many
years previous. 1t seems as though the absurd
and irrational customs which tradi ion has
kept up abroad, but which are probably going
away before modern intelligence and enlighten-
ment, were to be revived and obtain a new
lease of life here in communities that ought to
haved freed themselves permanently from
them.
Women in society seem to have divided
themselves into three batalioLs-one showing
more or less of what is considered the aesthetic
element; another conservative, and with what
are called ''old fashioned" preiudices: third
animated lay figures upon which the utmost
art of the dreSSmaker is displayed-art that
sometimes turns out wonderful copybook
specimens Of grace and loveliness; sometimes
merely overlays them with stuff and segments
of designs that have no relation to each other
The aesthetic element much as it may be ridi-
culed. is at least decent-it bears steady wit
ness to the grace Of the long line, to the beauty
of simple folds and drapery, to the requisite
sense of softness in fabric, and to the distinc
tion of an enlarged and enriched sleeve It has
rehabilitated the ancient full and puffed sleeves,
and has condemned the cut-up styles. which
are pitched and ruffied and tied back until all
beauty of fabric is lost and form becomes
caricature. Doubtless the Bstheticism which
paradeS big sun flowers, which expresses itself
In tangled hair, bilious complexion and craze
for dirty reds and stagpant green's, is open to
caricature; but these are fungi, not true aes
thetic growths for aesthetic simply means the
thought, the refinement, the culture of dress,
and expresses in the attire of thousands of
women who have never heard the name OF
"Esthet"
A lady wore recently at an evening enter
tainment a dress of dark green velvet. made
with sleeves full to the elbow, but terminating
in close. deep cum, covered with antique lace.
The skirt was long and plain with triple
plat in the back and double Iuche of satin and
velvet round the bottom, but otherwise un-
trimmed. The basque was deep, and formed
a rounding point in front, and what is known
as the lotus leaf" shape in the back. II had
no trimming whatever except buttons. But
large collar of antique lace was worn with it,
an amber necklace of fine Opaque and carefully
graded beads, and an amber comb. The collar
was drawn in fold from the high tops Of the
sleeves and fastened with small cameo pins
This toilet was perfectly simple, yet singularly
effective. It differentiated itself from others
and everyone said: How sc hetic'-which
was great compliment to the athletic idea
for it was the most harmonious and least com
plcated dress present.
On the same occasion young girl wore a
costume OF pale pink s. tin merveiIleux. The
front OF the skirt was mass of white Jet The
panniered boddite was trimmed with white
Jetted lace the sleeves being composed of it
entirely. The bodice was high at the back
but filled In with gathered lace in the 'front.'
which was tvery low and square. A cluster
OF water lilies covered the space at the side Of
the drapery at the back. This dress was a
mixture OF ideas, none of which were carried
out. 1t was glltteHng, snowy. and might have
been beautiful had it been content to be one
thing or another. Seeing the water lilies peo-
Pile again said how aesthetic" but there was
nothing aesthetic about it except the water
lilies, and they were out Of placs 1t was con-
ventional design which should have excluded
the richly beaded and embroidered tablier and
used silk and beaded lace az a TRIMMING in
stead as more suitable for short dress. The
IL 4 a
been very well for a rich trained and elabo-
rated ball dress, but were more than short
dress of satin merveilleux, which is not an ex-
tensive fabric, though very soft and pretty,
demanded.
A dress which was very rich. and at the same
time distinguished by good taste was combi-
nation Of amber satin and amber -and-go bro
cade on small llfower-what is known as peri
winkle"-pattern. The brocade formed the
plated train, the jacket bodice and the bands
which divided the gathered front into scant
pufangs. The bands were further enriched
with an embroidery of amber beads, which
were so worked in with gold thread about the
howeretS that composed the pattern of the
brocade that they became a part of It, The
sleeves were arranged with two puffs of satin.
one at the top. the other over the elbows. di.
vided by wide embroidered bands of the bro
cade, and terminating in deep cuff turned up
with old point lace. A shell jabot Of the same
lace finished the neck
These conbinatioos of satin and brocade with
beaded trimmings are more popularly worn
than any other. Moire sometimes takes the
place of brocade. and sometimes it is used for
the train oDly-Jhe bodice being of velvet or
gold cloth, and beaded passementerie being
used for bands or other mounting. Black toi- |
let's are very distinguished when the combina-
tions are enriched by fine Jet trimmings and |
real lace for the interior as well as the xterior
finish, and it may be said with truth that the |
best and most needful reception and evening |
dresses for ladies who are no longer in their |
first youth, are black and white or colored |
combinations or two or more rich fabrics with |
no more contrasting color than the beautiful |
effects in the beaded trimmings offer One of |
the effective in color of the season is dark |
green and red. Put crimson berries against |
holly and see the effect.) This viii suggest |
OF what the tasteful union in fabric or decora !
ton Is capable. But broad splashes OF red
upon dark green are not beautiful. while FIlbv
intermixed with the bronze and bright and |
dark shades of the passementerie upon a |
handsome dark green toilet is charming:
winter walking dress displayed at a recent \
art opening was good without being the least
conspicuous, and Illustrated the red and green
idea. II consisted Of long coat of grey cloth |
trimmed with frogs, and opening o few inches |
in front over dark green velvet skirt finished |
with narrow plated 1ounce. The hat was a |
large grey felt with fluffy border, faced and |
trimmed with oark green velvet and orna- |
mented with robin whose red breast was in |
nigh contrast to the grey and green Of the |
costume.
Indian green, sort of bronze shade, Is the |
art" green, and is used for indoor dresses |
ideas. They are made as robe which is |
shaped closely to the figure, but without |
lining, crossed seml-diagonally; cut away from |
the plated front of the skirt Just below the |
knee, into somewhat long but narrow train.
and bordered with broche stun in Indian /
cashmere .colors OF yish art embroidery. A |
heavy cord forIas the girdls
El4e cream, sapphire blue, primrose pinl-