Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04
FASHION AND SOCIETY.
Recent Weddings and Hall Toilets

From Our Own Correspondent
NEW YORK, February 2.
There is nothing new to say just now in re-
gard to fashion. Once the story has been told
the rest is endless repetition or endless contra
dlctiOn. it matters not which; no one looks for
sense or any other virtue in fashions. When
receptions and entertainments of one kind or
another take place at the rate of twenty or
thirty every day, from two to six of which some
iadies feel bound to attend. almost any one
will be able to conclude that even the most fash
ionable women do not have new dress for
every occasion. and that the majority i'm fact,
are obliged to resort to many ingenious devices
to preserve the distinction and dignity of their
general appearance. Still the whri goes on
however. and still the bright, fair faces appear
above the waving lines of satin and lace. the
glitter of gems and fragrance of exquisite
flowers. 1t is wonderful art this of dressing.
anu there are women who seem to be miStreSSes
OF it; but it is safe to say they could not write
about it or teach it, and this proficiency is the
result OF their genius in cOntriying ways and
means, not OF knowledge of the art of doing
without.
About this time. that is. a few weeks before
Lent, private interests, even those of society
give way to considerations for the public good
There are dozens OF charities in New York each
one of which depends largely upon it's annual
oaii OF some other form of entertainment for its
support. The most of these are crowded into
the lew weeks OF February, and as they all en-
list the services of number of society ladies in
engineering the affair, disposing of tickets and
the Ike large number are more or less inter-
eSted and occupied TO the detriment of private
business. These balls are the only public balls
1t is pardonahe to attend. and they require a
vast number of committee meetings of meet
ings of ''drectresses' of consultation and lively
discussion before the points settled to every
bodys satisfaction The patrOpesses do not
"dress;" they wear their old Clothes on these
occasions; but the announcement OF their names
brings in the outside public that does dress. that
mas perhaps no other opportunity of airing its
new costumes and that likes to consider itself
interested in the same object as Mrs. Wander
Dit or Mrs. A. T. Stewart. Circumspect laugh-
teTs who have had some experience and who
know their own value in the matrimonial market
are sometimes permitted to 90 to these balls:
out tne younger cement does not come from
hgn secretly, but from lower element. from
the Nell-tO-do trading and professional class
who have net the entree of houses where private
balls are given. who would not allow their girls
TO be seen at any ordinary public ball. but who
yield to the mixed halo of fashion and charity
which surrounds balls OF this class.
1t Is always remarkable what vast number
OF black-coated yOnng Ren there are at these
balls who form dense Seini-circe about the
dancers, but who are not entitled to the privi-
ieSe OF claiming any young lady as partner
These young men are known as the light
brigade" They do not buy their tickets to
Dails OF any place of amusement, though they
are usually represented in force. They do not
invite young women to accompany them to
these places, for carriage hire and bouquet
would absorb their weeks salary. but they
hang OF to the fellows who do take the pretty
girls, and they are tolerated by HiamniaS because
they are always pleasant and accommodating
lrreproachable in the matter of neckties and
..p,o
ing" men. however. and if girls do not know it
they soon become aware Of the fact. 1t is anus
ing TO hear them talk of impossibiIity of a
Ieiio" marrying nowadays. and providing a
WE with the requisite Injuries in the matter of
hVinS and dressing, because their meagre in
comes are often eked out. and their own per
sOnal wants supplied by some mother or sister
who teaches or does drcssnaking: and when
they finally do marry late i'm life il is some woman
wnO can contribute her full share to the iOint
resources The young man of the period is not
an Ideal being. He is fully aware of his own
value and has no idea of giving away the small
est atom of himself without full COMPENSATION.
He does not love blindly. 1t is question
Whetner he is Capable OF love at all-even with
himself. He would marry if he could find some
one whom every body else wanted who wanted
only him. and who possessed money enough
position enough. and beauty (Of kind that
suited his taste) sufficient to pay him for the
sacrifice.
DALI hooM SfLENDoR.
In describing ball room dress it is usual To
pile on the adjectives without reference to truth
and 1t Is customary to speak of toilets as con-
stantly increasing the aggregate of magnificence.
OF the dressing of a recent ball which was much
OF it so plain and ordinary that it became SUBJ
tect OF remark with many of the guests an
imaginative reporter remarked that there were
fortunes in ears, bank capital on necks. mines
on fingers diamonds by the bushel precious
stones by the peck. gold and silver by the ton
scattered over miles of silk. acres OF satin and
deserts OF velvet" Descriptions of actual toilets
do not pretend to be exact, nor do ladies' wish
that they should he. They have no objection to
having their imitation Mire Court and Aurillac
their Breton. and French blonde. turned into
Aiencon or Duchesse point, Vaenciennes and
spanish silk lace by stroke OF a pencil. II am
gong TO give that woman new dress" says
good natured reporter (wOman) .:She has
worn that old Nile green to my certain knowl-
edge Tor three years, and have trimmed it and
retrimmed it myself Gin print) a half dozen times
am going to put her in lavender satin. and see
how she will look" And the next CAV Mrs
-. VINO probably wanted a rev dress, but
had not been able to get one. is astonished to
find herself recorded in an elegant new costume
OF lavender satin. with point lace trimming and
lovely garniture Of pink roses
But this is an exceptional case. Good nature
and the desire to be equal to the occasion does
paint the objects. whatever they are In the
brightest ceiors 1t ia expected of them, and
they do it. Nor could they very well do other
wise They cannot say that this laty's dress
was made Of cottOn-backed satin. and that of
another was trimmed with imitation lace They
cannot say that one WAS dazzling in beads that
cost a dollar pound. and another in diamonds
Only coated with the precious dust It is the
vie system which is at fault. which does not
admit of discrimination. but stimulates and en-
ce,irages the wholesale and generalizinr de-
scripti0ns, assertions and statements which It is
Impossible should be true. Doubtless to inex-
perienced eyes the developments Of the last few
Years IN the line Of color, In the application of
color and design to crystal bead trimmings. in
lhe manufacture of fine yet cheap limitations of
ren fabrics especially satins. yelvefs and laces.
ana the Chemical discoveries which have given
US almost perfect limitations Of real gems the
DRESSING OF the day may seem to he more luxu-
rions THAN ever before. But this Is certainly not
the case TO the extent that Is supposed. On the
contrary. much Of the dress Of women ia now
very piain even on what are considered full
dress occasions. A few years ago women. old
and young. wore long trains, with an immense
Quantity OF b1rdensOme drapery, and often one
fabric oversaying another. Now the long trains
aIe In the minority, are. not essential; over
skirts have almost disappeared. and the newest
ana prettiest dresses are made with skirts that
or laos