Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-11
WHAT DRESS COSTS.
OUR YOUNG LADIES COME HIGH, BUT THEY MUST HAVE PRETTY THINGS.

A Nice Little Debutante Gives Some Dc
 tails Dresses That Cost $500 Must
 Have New Rig for Each Ball-Tea
 Gowns. Slippers. Etc.
 ''Pa. want $eOO for my Patriarch's ball dress"
 "Thunderl my dear Didn't you get a new one for the Assembly ball! Do you want a new gown every week? When your mother was girl she wore white muslin frock to every ball of the season."
 "Yes, papa dear, but you know Shake speare says, Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,' and it's my first season, and you wouldn't have me look like fright"
 "Oh, yes, that is very pretty, but doesn't the same gentleman remark somewhere that Our purses should be proud, our garments poor.'"
 "But he didn't live in New York, papa. and go to Delmonico balls" And then poor papa, being nothing but a meek American million aire, grumbled and fumed little, and finally put two crisp greenbacks into little rosebud hand, and, with a kiss as light as thistle down and after calling him "you darling old dear," she ran away.
 An unwilling but interested listener to the interesting conversation, l began to won- der what it cost to dress young lady of fashion. At the rate of s2OO week it would be over S1O.OOO yelb', and as my income was only half that and my lady love a person of fashion l pondered. asked a young mar ried man at the club how much his wife spent a year on her clothes. I know put the question meekly, but he howled at me to Ego to thunder with my impertinence," and so l went-or, rather, 1 went to visit an aged female relative. She told ma that clothes had gotten beyond her, and said all she knew was that her granddaughter could 'dance a $500 ball dress to ribbons ill a night" Then became frightened, and so consulted nice little debutante who volun- teered to post me on clothes.
 "Of course there is no limit to the amount you can spend on clothes," she began If you want to go to Worth and Pingat, or, in fact, to any of the fashionable Paris dress makers, you will be obliged to pay pretty reasonable price. 1 have a very nice ward robe this year, and it cost papa just S, 900. When We came home from Europe brought just two Paris dresses, because, don't you know, If you can't say, Some of my things are imported you are really nobody. One was perfect love of ball dress, you know 1 wore it the other night, that pale yellow tulle. all embroidered in silver, with the big yellow sash and satin bodice. It looked very simple, but it cost me $500, and then papa had lots of duty to pay on it. It was made from special design and the design de- stroyed, so that it could not be duplicated
 "Then brought over a carriage dress. l haven't worn it yet-rm waiting until the other girls wear theirs, then shall come out Ill mlDe. It was quite 8 cheap gown; only cost $l5O. It is in four shades of fawn and of silk and velvet. made in one of those long directoire redingotes that are so much worn, vC1fh cAShN # oy.rr,, IA f- Princess Somebody, l believe, but she would not pay her last bill, so they sold it to me for half price. You need not say anything about that, though"
 He, @ she paused for a moment and asked her It her dresses were as costly as those of the Misses de Batteur up the avenue. Il should hope so! Why, those girls em- ploy 5 dressmaker, and do all the plain sewing themselves. and their father dresses the whole five of them on $3OOO yearl I do not think am at all extravagant, but could not dress on 5000 year."
 Then we came back to the subject of her clothes and what they cost.
 Some sweet little dancing gowns. one for each of the Delmonico balls, only cost mo $lOO each. l have specially mics one for the Patriarchs to-morrow-a white silk crepe ieise. with an accordion plaited skirt all tucked with white satin ribbon, and a iar- diniere of lilies of the valley down one side and about the waist of the brocade, and an | empire sash of cloth of silver Ghormley made that
 "Then there is one for the New Years ball, of light red Brussels net. all caught up with tiny black humming birds, and one for the last assembly, of rose pink gauge, made la Grecque-awfully sweet gownl have just seven Of them. l need fresh one for each ball, you know, and then I wear each one four or five times at small dances and tho opera and dinners With my imported dress. that makes only eight ball dresses not at all extravagant, do you thinkp
 After assuring her that would not do such thing, we proceeded.
 Well, you see, needed two new street costumes, so 1 went down to Redfern, and he turned mo out two beauties for $15O each, both with hats and jackets to match. One Is that dark green and black cloth gown that fits like glove I wore it yesterday, you remember-big buttons down the front and long, straight flaps to the polonaise Directoire, you know. Everything is. direc- toire and empire this year. I have a plain cloth jacket with that and little velvet toque, with a princes feather ill it. This blue cloth, touched up with the silver braid. Is the other dress. I wear it with a long boa" But when I asked about the coat to go with 1t was informed that none was required, because the gown was lined all through with chamois skin, and was as warm as sealskin without the bulk of the lat ter. So do not imagine when you see one of your feminine friends walking about with out jacket, and the thermometer down to zero, that she is silently freezing. She isn't. If she hasn't a channels lining to her dress she has one of cotton batting; but this latter only in case she is very thin, when 1t serves a twofold purpose of giving her warmth and rounding out her angles.
 My tea gowns were marvelously cheap. You know that green and pink brocade, all bordered with humming birds wings, so bizarre1" continued my tutor. "Well, I only paid $S2 for that. A perfect bargain call 1t. Then have that morning dress of pink and white flannel made Marguerite fashion. and the one of pearl gray cashmere. They cost me $S0 each. I had them made at home should like two moro tea gowns I hear one of the Van Vantry girls has seven, but cannot afford it this year, shoes and stockings cost so much, you know" It was quite shocking to hear that hall slippers of satin were $12 pair, and you could pay moro for them if you wished. Svunn chn loc