St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-12

don't know but must confess amt a rea
fashionable, after all, or if | am [ must be
only little one for penny, because
don t feel always proud OF my sex among
the haut ton. 1t is said of some things
that "a little goes good way" but that
isn't exactly true of lad ,es' dresses.
AMONG THE EXCEPTIONALLY ELEGANT
GOWNS
for reception and opera wear this winter
are those of black, ruby, garnet, Bishops
purple. violet and dark green velvet made
with Josephine bodice, pointed front and
back. and opening in a rounding or v
shape to show portion of the neck only.
Applied to this cuiraSs corsage are full
breadthS of velvet. which hang in rich I'M
draped folds. The sleeves just reach the
elbow, and are cut in points and are faced
with rich contrasting color in satin. The
velvet breadths part widely in front to show
a petticOat, either of the richest lace fiOunc-
ing (of one deep or two medium widths
only, or of Watteau-blOcaded satin. show
ing brilliant flower clusters of grounds of
pale tea rose, fawn color, ecru. cream or
ciel blue. If of lace. the draping upon the
edge of the half-open cOrsage is of lace TO
correspond. If the petticOat is of the
brocade, there is a superb garniture
about the edge of the cOrSage and
the V-opening of cashmere breadths
whose vari-cOlOrS redrOduce those
which compose the flowers on the
satin petticoat. Evening dresses for girls
are imported IN dancing length" which
is really long for short dress, as it touches
the floor without lying ON it. COmbina-
tons of lace with silks, or else with two
kinds of silk. are used in these dresses. and
on. bn 70 md or.a hi fa
with yellow. pale blue with pink, and also
pale blue with black. Nearly all the bod
ices upon evening gowns have either open
fronts over delicate white lace wa -tcOats
or plastronS with reverS beyond. made to
simulate a vest. Young ladies have the
evening cOrSages to silk and satin toilets
cut to button very snugly down the back,
the front opened in heart or easement
shape, over Russian guimpe of pearled
net, crepe lisSe laid in soft folds, or en-
broideried India muslin shirred at the
throat and again at the lower edge, which
meets the cOrSage.
MPECUNIOUS WOMEN.
are sometimes known to make dress serve
both for visiting and evening occasions, as
follows: When used for visiting the under
skirt is of plated salnOn-cOlOred falle. the
ming between two panels of ruby velvet
which meet on the upper part. Between
the panels and back drapery. which is also
OF velvet, are fiat ruby faille pIaits. These
serve to assist in transforming the dress
into an evening toilet. The ruby velvet,
panel is lined with a salmon colored faille.
so that when it is taken back under the
plaits it forms wide saimon-colored revers.
This arrangement, which merges the whole
front of the SalmOn-colored skirt, produces
the desired effect of light evening dress.
The low waist is perfectly plain.
The high-neck waist is of ruby velvet. with
a pulled vest of salmon Grape de chine.
Heliotrope iii two shades will make 4
charming dress of this kind. Demi-trained
dresses for young ladies, especially married
young ladies, to wear in the draWing-room
in the afternoon or evening, are made to lie
twelve inches on the floor, and have four
breadthS in this small flowing train, which
is entirely untrilnmed, and is made bOuffant
by turning over the tops of the breadths in
short pointed wings; or else letting them
drop in burnOOSe folds Two other breadthS
OF the silk of the train are Joined. on the
right side, and drawn across the front as an
apron 10 a fuRhel-shaped triple pla ting on
the left nj p. which diSclOSeS plain velvet
breadth down the left like an overskirt, or
else there is shirred panel of velvet Of
color.
THE ANNUAL HUE AND CRY
has begun (doeS it ever cease?) about the
of wOmen's dress. The men are
moved to their clamor by
desire which they are not frank enough to
confess, to see women as little dressed as
possible; for they invariably direct their
comments at the purely ornamental
features of apparel, finding now the hat too
high and now the tournure too extended.
Judging from the popularity of the ballet.
it seems quite possible that men would
criticiSe us in wearning nothing at all. The
worst of it all is that they mask their
shallow baseness under cloak of pre-
tended science, alleging continually
that the human form divine was never
for any such "gewgaws" as the
mOdiSteS Of to-day beStOw upon it. With
text books on anatomy and materia
medica in hand they have advocated the
abolition of the corset have decaimed
against the b gh-heeled shoe, have con
demned the hairdreSseI's finest efforts, and
have even dared to invade the sacred privacy
of the under-garmentS. and given US The
uni-suited shmaloon. The
only reason the pseudO-scientists have
made any effect with their Outcries is that
the women have been willing to accept as
fact whatever the men might as
sert. No one has heretofore risen to inves-
tigate the case fundamentally. But with
view to determining how much the men
know of what they talk so much about,
have Steeled myself to a study of the ques-
tons involved upon truly scientific basis.
l did not diSrobe manik!n nor experiment
with an artists model; l went deeper than
that. to the very foundation of the primeval
clothing, flesh Itself. and investigated the
skeleton. My studies, it may be presumed,
were not the most delightful, but
the results were the most satisfactory.
WITH THE ossEoUs FRAMEWORK
of a woman before me | sought in magma
ton to construct the living, tO-be-clothed
creature. 1t was very evident that the
bones were constructed for just sucu dresses
as the modern woman wears. 1t would
seem as if nature had in view the best ap-
proved styles of the nineteenth century
when she devised the female skeleton. If
such were not the case. then nature has
made a continual revelation of her designs
to her chosen prophets. the modistes.
There before me were the slight shoulders
made evidently to be free from weight-to
be barred modeStly for beauteous effect.
There also was the curve i'll the lower
vertebrae. irresistibly suggestive of its log
ical and beautiful development, the present
tOurnure And. viewing the elementary
structure in profile, it was at Once evident
that Slight pitch attained by wearing a
high-heeled shoe was just the thing needed
to enhance the graceful effect of the curves
of the body. And as for the wisdom and
of the corSet-well. one would
only need to look at skeleton once l
should think to see that nature omitted to