Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-27
QUILTING PARTY.
LADIES' BRIC.A.BRAC on YARi.
Gus TOPICS.
Trousers for Ladies-Dresses Short
at the Top-Antique Feminine
Waist-Home HintS-Etc.

The increased popularity of horseback
riding among people Of all classes in
Washington. says the Washington CORE
spondent of the Baltimore american, en-
phasizes a fact that seems rather surprising
to some readers-that great many Wash
ington ladies wear trousers and il has been
mischievously remarked in certain quar-
tiers that the novel experience Of wearing
pants has gone great way toward Undue
ing some rather timid ladies to undertake
the task Of learning to ride. The best rid
ing habits here, as elsewhere, are made by
tailors who make this line of business a
specially, and who have in some of their
mysterious back parlors wooden horse,
on which the ladies sit while their cloth
skirts are drapped to hang well over the
tight-fitting pants. "Of course" said one
of these tailors recently, " OF course
ladies' wear pants with their riding
habits. They wear them under their rid
ing skirts This has been the custom for
some time. They wear their skirts shorter
than formerly, just SO as to touch the
ground when they stand. Then they wear
pants underneath, nothing else-no skirts.
Washington is very like Paris. The ladies
have good taste. | could name lots of
iadies-I don't know how many-who
come in and have their measures taken,
just as graciouslv as men would, and they
are much easier TO fit and pleaSanter TO
serve than men. And the trying on of
garments? We have parlors and maids in
attendance. They retire to a parlor and
put on the garment, which is basted to-
gether, and when they get it on | am sent
for and go in and fit it, taking it in here,
marking it for alteration and letting it out
there. When | have finished l retire, and
the lady again changes her garment. This
is the custom altogether i'll Paris, and is
very rapidly becoming so here" The
average Washington price OF ladys rid
ing habit is about 500.
Low-NECK DRESSES.
The costume of woman, from hygienic
point of view, is much discussed at present,
and the Yexed question of tight-lacing and
of skirts too numerous and heavy for the
forms which sustain them, is considered
with patient thoughtfulaess by medical
people and female reformers. However, all
this great expenditure of time and attention
will doubtless result, as it has hitherto
done, in no possible change in dress save
that prescribed by fashion. The evils of
lacing are in general exaggerated and it is
by no means impossible that if men wore a
species of corset they would enjoy an i'm
munity from the effect Of violent colds and
many disorders from which they now sut-
fer. The ancient beau, of an age more fop-
pish than our own. was not unfamiliar
with the art Of lacing and there is no rec
ord of his being injured by it.
The exposure to cold in wearing l0w-neck
dresses is certainly one which affects the
health of women more Immediately than
the wearing of cOrsets, and the thin-soled
slippers and high heels of the day are also
causes Of cold and consequent dis
turbance of the system The advan-
tage of wooden under-vests over silk
is certainly not 10 be denied but to
an irritable skin the former is almost as in
tolerabie as the hair shirt of penitent,
and as such selfintiicted scourgcs are not
de iigeur for the moment the silk vest is
perhaps the most popular Hour.
ITALIAN GROWING VASES.
An extremely pretty novel is the
Italian growing vases. Although they are
a new invention, they have received gener-
al patronage and approval for their simple
yet beautiful effect. The vase must be
soaked under water for at least twelve
hours, then as soon as taken out of the
water, and while it is still wet, cover il
with the seed (which is supplied with the
vase) by sprinIlling it on. taking care not
to leave any part uncovered then at once
fill it with water, and every morning refill
it if the water be decreasing In few
days the vase will be covered with beau
tiful foliage. This is very effective, making
handsome ornament. These porous pots
are said to be healthy in a room, as the
herbs growing on them absorb damp and
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