Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-11
EXPENSIVE DRESSING.

EXPENSIVE DRESSING.
| Some Of tho Triumphs OF the Modiste,s
Art.
| WHAT THE LAVISH EXPENDITURE OF MONEY AND
GOOD TASTE HAS ACCOMPLISHED In A FEW
NOTABLE INSTANCES.
From the New York Morning Journal.
| Expensive dressing In New York has reached
a height only equalled by Paris and perhaps
London. Many wealthy women strive to dress
as extensively as possible. and every article OF
their apparel. from the bonnet Of duchesse lace,
white ostrich tips and pearls, to the satin shoe,
is purchased with the conviction that no costlier
article can be had for money
Mrs. A. 7. Stewart in her palmy days had
every dress, shoe and bonnet Of the best and
most expensive. One dress made in her hus-
bands store cost.it is said, $5 600, and is among
the most expensive costumes ever worn in this
country. The dress was made Of golden Per-
| sian brOcade and contained thirty yards each
costing $50. 1t was lined throughout with gold
| colored satin, and about the long court train
was ruf11e Of royal guipure lace thirteen inches
deep, 1t being the only piece OF that design in
existence. This lace was valued at 81, 900, and
the two f1ounces Of old round point lace which
! l,UU
buttons fastening the dress were Of solid gold,
| with ruby In the center. At the reception in
| Saratoga to which Mrs. Stewart wore this mag
| nifcent costume she had special detective to
follow her about and protect the elegant dia-
mond necklaces, pendants and bracelets which
| she wore.
| The most costly pair of shoes ever made in
this country were made for young lady some
years ago to wear to fancy dress ball
given by Mr.. August Belmont. Those who
attended the ball will recollect them. as they
were the cynosure of all eyes, The girl who
wore them had most beautiful arched foot.
| IheE were made of yellow Spanish velvet with
high Louis XIV. heels and laced up the side.
! The eyelets for the golden cord to pass through
were trimmed with solid gold, and to the side of
each was set precious stone, first ruby, then
| a sapphire, then an emerald then an opal, and
| over again In the same order. The top Of the
shoe was finished In the same fashion, and in
front were sixteen tiny golden chains caught
| two aunts and grandmother all gave up their
jewels and had them taken out of the settings
| for the within Of this beauty, who married we'll
long since.
! STOCKINGS.
| In stockings the most costly are of silk. A
pair purchased of Arnold & Constable to wear
at the Vanderbilt ball, are the most expensive
we have heard or They were Of dark blue
Lyons silk, as fine as spiders web, and were
embroidered In the front in design Of wild
roses, the embroidery being done in pink, vel
| low ana green Roman cut beads. The front was
| padded to simulate. an arched instep and the
Six chung to the foot as tightly as glove to the
hand.
WORTH DRESSES.
At one Of the balls last winter, Miss Leila W.
whitney, who is very pretty girl wore Worth
| dress as expensive as any ever sent to this
country. 1t is said to have cost $4,000. 1t was
| composed of cream white brocaded velvet made
| with train two yards long, the bottom of
| which was bordered by four rows of Roman
| SEED pearls, each one as large about a gold
| dollar. and below this was q quilting OF real
| duchesse lace, bOrdered by heading of white
! chenille. The front was one mass of pearl en-
| broidery In large clusters Of grapes with the
| leaves and vines. The bodice was cut square
| and nnished by high Medici ruff. which was
| boIdered by pearls. The sleeves of duchesse
lace were covered with pearls in the design of
! the lace, and her Louis XVI slippers were Dor
dered by row of pearls, the front showing a
cluster OF grapes. each grape being represented
| by pearl. string of the same Jewels twisted in
| the hair and a large fan Of white ostrich tips
| Completed this most elegant toilet.
| Al the same ball another lady wore one of the
most elegant opera wraps that has been seen, at
least 1or years. 1t was made of Opalescent
Il.
the lining alone costing 81 coo The merveil-
| leux was embroidered in Persian passementerie
beads in design of tropical birds their brilliant
! pumage being brought out In bold relief against
| the changing hues Of the satin. Each bead In
the embroidery cost ten cents. and there were
$3.50 used in the garment. The clasps were
two III number, and were made Of precious
stones SET in silver there being emeralds, pearls,
sapphires, turquoise. and rubies used The
lady who owned this magnificent wrap OBJ
tanned it,. she said, from her father and two
brothers. for keeping an important secret.
AT Mrs Aspinwatfs wedding the bridesmaids
dresses were both unique and very expensive,
each dress costing. it is said, 81 500. They were
| made OF shrimp-pink Ottoman silk the piece
being especially manufactured for the purpose,
and no other like 1t ever to he made by the firm
the dresses were trimmed with crushed rasp-
berry velvet and finest duchesse lace. The prtn-
cess hornets OF the velvet were trimmed with
the Ottoman silk. and from the edge of the front
dangled row of raspberries made of small ru-
Dies, ID rubes being in each berry.
FOR GLOVES AND BoNNETs
also eXtrayagant prices can pc paid. Mrs Will
liam h''anderbilt recently had bonnet made
by Prince that cost $50. 1t was of dark blue
velvet. faced with gold-colored velvet and satin.
and was trimmed with three exquisite
ostrich piumes, shading from blue to gold, each
plume being valued at $50 The long ribbons
,iing under the chin, were Of dark blue yelours,
,,ife" won eoio-Coioieu lelFet Mrs. Jay Gould,
Mrs. Faran Stevens and Mrs John Jay also wear
very costly bonnets. One of white satin, round
point lace, with a row of pearls about the brim.
made for Mrs. Stevens cost S125.
In gloves those costing the most money are
either real lace nitts long mousquetaire Lady
Vaudeville, when Miss Yznaga, wore at a we'd
ding in this city pair of white undressed kid
gloves reaching to the elbow and embroidered
In design of forget-me-nots with tiny tur-
quoises. They were bordered by point applique
lace, caught 10y cluster of pearls. These gloves
were valued ut $500.
Female HallucinatfOns.
The British Medical Journal. after observing
that recent circumstances have directed atten-