Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-02

could not earn a living if women were
trained to accuracy, and to know a good
thing when they see it, are responsible for
much Of the minor misery of the world,
and, fortunately for themselves, never
can know all the irritation, discomfort
and nervous anxiety they cause. 1t is only
Of late years that even intelligent women
begin to realize how much sweet temper,
charm of manner in society, freedom from
embarrassment and the divine sense Of
harmony, which belong to some women,
depend upon the gentle influence of a
well-cut and well-made gown free from
the too much or too little, which seems IN
short to belong to its wearer-to have
grown upon her. There is no question as
to the great improvement which has taken
place of late years, and it is all owing to
the fact that women who think at all are
beginning to think out the question OF
dress for themselves and apply to 1t the
common sense they are accustomed 10
bring to bear on other things.
THE MOTHER HUBBARD DRESS.
Several correspondents have written
asking an opinion on the Mother Hubbard
gown and the reason for the disfayor with
which it has been treated. The general
sentiment on the part of these ladies is in
| its favor, and one remarks that it Is
f'modest, convenient and sanitary" and
| she hopes never to be without one or more
| for indoor wear. This sentiment is cor
daily indorsed. The objection made to
the Mother Hubbard and the storm of
| criticism it has excited in some places,
| and on the part of some persons who
| know nothing and usually care less about
dress, has been caused by the ignorance
\ and folly of some young women, who take
| a simple loose gown, only suitable for the
| house, make it up in thin, perhaps trans
| parent, material, and parade 1t in the
1 This dnnp last in
| town and city streets, and one could
! but respect the feeling that prompted in
| dignant fathers to make public protest
! against it.
The dress demanded for the street
nowadays is close, dark, unobtrusive.
Even in warm weather a soft color or
! shade of color is chOsen-nothing striking
or that can be blown about by the wind.
Belted in and made of close material, the
| Mother Hubbard would not be objection
| able for the street on the score of in
| delicacy, but the general sense requires a
neat-ftted garment which has not so
much the appearance of dtShdbiLle and
| infOrmality, and there is no reason why
| the general sense of fitness and decOTum
should be outraged in this way more than
in other things. There is nothing abso-
lutely wrong in carrying an apple and
| munching it in the street, but no lady
would think of doing it.
1t ought to be understood that because
design obtains certain vogue, 1t is not
evidence that it is adapted to all purposes
and all occasions, or that the one new
dress of the season must he made up by it.
! Women of taste strictly adapt the style of
their dress to it's purpose, and mark the
differences as distinctly as possible. The
! house dress, the walking dress, the full
! evening dress, the dinner dress, the the
atre dress, each one possesses character
/ of its own. and is instantly recognized by
! the il late as if it were labeled.
A new element has entered recently in
! to the dress of our large cities which must
| be taken into account. A new class of
| structures have sprung up, of enormous
| size and height, which contain hundreds
| of apartments, each one as rOomy as q
small house, and many of them lifted
above the noise and turmult of city
streets into the upper air over the heads
and over the roofs of ordinary mOrtals.
Here thousands dwell who formerly lived
| in close rooms or lived in boarding
houses. Not "pOOr'' people, by any
means, but artists, cashiers, professional
| men and women, and those who earn a
| living by the new decorative arts. This
mode of living reduces the number of
| women who used to have to walk IN the
streets for their breath of fresh air for the
| little change in the mOnotOny of their
daily lives; and being all the time in
sight in the street or at the boarding
house table, their dingy suit OF wooden or
well-worn silk became as familiar as car
tracks.
But now, as before remarked, many of
these women have been taken out of this
dead level, are inhabitants of an alto
gether new world, and no longer need the
excitement of the streets and sidewalks
have, in fact, an absolute distaste for
them. Air they get of the purest; views,
of the most picturesque, not being obliged
or wishing to leave their own immediate
surroundings, it has naturally suggested
itself to make their dress harmonic with
their freshness and beauty. What Is
called the 'hOusemaids' " dress takes on
a new attraction when the tucked skirt
and belted waist is made in soft smoke
grey or blue grey wool, and enriched with
little hand embroidery executed by the
clever fingers of the wearer. Even the
Mother Hubbard dress is not out of place
in these eyries, and it is quitesin order for
a specially pretty and sanitary dress to
be invented for the lady residents of these
modern dwellings in the air.
GARNETs FROM BOHEMIA.
Garnets have not heretofore held very
high rank as Jewelry except in the eyes
of those who own exceptionally fine speci-
mems, or ladies to whom their rich half
hidden color is especially becoming. But
they have certainly of late acquired new
interest. Their possibilities are beginning
to be better understood, and their pecu-
MARY value has been greatly enhanced
simply by new and artistic treatment.
The old style of setting garnets robbed
them of half their beauty. The stones
were cut on one side only, and set with
solid background, which rendered them
durable but ineffective. The new styles
show the stones cut on both sides and set
clear, so that the refractory power is
doubled, while the contrasts effected by
| the use of stones of different sizes, the
alterations of grains of gold with grains
of garnet, in the execution of fine work,
and on the ''etfects'' produced by surface
and twO-sided cuttings placed in artistic
| juXtapositiOn are as novel as they are
striking. The new patterns, too, which
have followed the traditions for so long
time, are modern, and in excellent taste.
| The bands for the throat, formed Of several
rows of garnets Of the same size, cut on
both sides and mounted clear without
visible setting, are extremely beautiful,
and can be readily taken apart and made
to serve as bracelets.
Bracelets in single rows are preferred
by some, however, while for others there
are broad bands, which combine the lat
est ideas, and are costly and elaborate
pieces Of workmanship. The pins show
many of the lovely leaf, flower and other
designs which have been adopted of late
in fancy jewelry, but many think the
simpler straight and rectangular forms
better suited to the somewhat limited and
severe field which garnets occupy. 1t
must be admitted, however, that cut and
set according to modern ideas garDets
form very handsome and desirable addi-
ton to brunette's jewel box.
OTHER JEwELRY.
The effort to revive broad band brace
let's and snowy styles of jewelry has
failed, if, indeed, it may be said to have
ever begun. 1t is not possible at this Pc
riod to reintrOduce the essentially
vulgar, especially in ornament.
There is a strong feeling, especially
among men, to discountenance the
snowy, the loud, the large, and the OBJ
trusiYe. 1t is evidence Of bad breeding,
of inferior associations, and as they buy
nearly all the jewelry that is worn by
women, there is little danger of the cd
time manacles and cable chains return
ing. Moreover, jewelry is not now worn
on the street by any woman, young or old,
who knows how to dress. Even
the lace and the lace pin
have disappeared from the throat,
collar stud being the only ornament
visible, and this is put to a very good use,