Idaho semi-weekly world., 1893-12-05
NEW YORK WOMEN AND THEIR DRESS.

4
Arc Generally FictisienA
There are many things in which Ne'
York is superior to any other city on III
American continent, although the stat
ment NAV be questioned and tiil {
particulars asked for. But all agre
that Gotham leads In fashions for me
and women. The styles for women
apparel still come from gay Paris. Full
q year must elapse after a garment bs
comes the rage In Paris for the newes
preations to mako their appearance !
New York, and quito as much time
seouired for London to follow Paris, al
though the great cities are only a fe,
hours apart. 1t often happens, too, tina
New York women are quicker to follow
tho Partisan styles than their Englisl
sisters, so that it would seem as thougl
the fashion plates cross the ocean twic
to reach the tight little island.
Once New York women begin to pop
ularize hat or gown or parasol or any
other article of dress until it becomes
the iage, it takes quite six months for th'
new design to reach San Francisco. |
takes double that time for the women O.
Boston, Philadelphia or Washington t.
fall into line after the New York women
while three months more are required
for st. Louis and New Orleans women
to make up their minds to be in the gay
procession. The women of some Of the
smaller cities follow year and hall
after New York, or two years and a hall
after the Partisan beauties.
1t is much the same with mems cloth
ing. London is, as it has always been.
the center of fashion for mems garments.
and it takes fully year for new designs
to become popular in New York.
The question of how much money New
York society women spend annually fer
dresses and whether they wear costly
gowns more than once induced me to
ask the best known man dressmaker in
this city and London what he had to say
on the subject. He told me some inter
esting facts.
1.-THE richest people, as a rule" he
said, "are more economical in dress than
those in moderate circumstances The
Princess of Wales is so imbued with the
spirit Of economy that she actually has
her gowns made over for her children.
"Generally four drawing rooms oc-
cur annually. and the princess always
has new dress for each occasion. She
pays her own bills and does not wait
for the heir apparent to be- dunned.
Often she wears the same dress half
dozen times, but not at notable royal
functions. Her dresses, all told, cost
over 10000 year, possibly $4,000.
This does not include lace trimmed
dresses.
"Queen Victoria is the most econom-
ical Of the royal family, and from year
to year has her gowns cut in the same
style. Lady Dudley is splendid second
to the queen.
"ln New York the most expensively
dressed women are not the very richest.
When Edith Kingdom was an actress she
cared less for expenses than now. Then
she would order dress and never ask
the price, but now as Mrs. Gould she al
ways asks the price, and often remarks
that because she is Mrs. Gould she does
not wish to pay any more for a dress
than the regular price. Ada Rehan is
more liberal and seems to care less for
than many ladies whose hus-
bands are rated as worth millions. Mrs.
Astor Is not extravagant at all in dress.
Mrs. Coleman Drayton and many others
could mention are not prodigal in the
natter OF dresses. The average society
woman of wealth never spends over
1000 year in dresses, for the yery
eason that they wear each dress MANY
ines.
ball dresses are the cheapest, and
Though usually the most frail. they
re often worn four times. The tulle is
hanged fur each ball, but the skirt re-
nalns tho ssme. Reception dresses cost
aore than ball dresses, and are used |
many times by simply changing some
art OF the trimming Even wedding
resses were occasionally used again for
rand occasions. All the big prices re-
uted as paid for dresses are largely fic-
tlous and never deceive knowing ones
ne handsomest velvet dress that could
devised could not cost over $3.50, and
cloth dress is worth only $3.50 at the
lghest price. Old laces or something
zpensive in trimming might make a
ress cost great deal more, but on the
mole $loo or $500 would go long ways
'Ward getting the finest kind of ma
'sial al for dresses, A woman who spends
.o'ooo year on dresses alone is more
Deral than many royal dames."
! closed the conversation by asking
mi what finally became of the fine
'esses OF the rich. He said that had
ways puzzled him. His guess was
lat they were either sold or given to {
'or relations. Coates in New
ork Mail and Express.
Wonderful Corn. Z
A. ). Mercer, living near Burden
Ill., mas some corn which is the rarest
ct grown, The match ,ror ..,, |