Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-08
FASHIONS FOR LENT.
Bene Rather Original Observations On
The Subject.
FEslIsIxE
one Great Omissfon-styies for Mem
where the sister was Mistaken-
a Familiar MISUNDERSTANDING
Tor . Psrty-Briefs.
ocorrespondence Of the DIspasch.)

Correspondence Of the Dlspatch)
ALTON. VA, March e.-There are
rertain feminine Ephraims who are
coined to penitential Idols" and
there Is nothing. apparently. better
20 do than TO let them alone. Some
sfraes. however, the lead these wise
ones take opens a revelation not pro-
xided for in the scriptural injunction.
have been reading In a New York paper
n yoluminous description OF costumes
FOR Lent. Demi-toilettes for the "buds''
nrs bewitchingiy set forth. and modes
<ar widows In Lent particularly divert
unon. ard / wondered II peoples sins
varied 40 greatly as to their conditions
in life that it needed dinerent haD'i-
ments OF woe 70 express them.
Dens misereatur! Be mercifui TO me-
= simmer: i take to mean just as much
mercy for the woman in blue SERGE OF
brown cloth, or green. or gray as 1or
Che little bud" who has opened the
,stals OF her happy heart TO the gayeues
~ life this past winter. But the wioows'
noes there linger. in this civilized age
. trace of Hindoo Sutteeism? Inc
,v,dovs are set apart for unutterapie
depths OF penance.
Irrespectiye Of the length OF time since
their bereavement, being widows, fashion
DEGREES that they shall be unremittihgy
Jealous in all church duties. as IL the
Meeting yanities OF this world were iol
them thrice as tempting. Special care
also must be given to their Lental roDes'
Ar In the dense bues of first mourning,
a
their black cloved hands. Are these last
spectral reminders OF the late funeral
~ are they gentle aids TO some WIDOW
dsr,ure loyeiiness? Which Is III IN
neither case is the soul Of piety touched
upon. - e--
leaves. II is the female Ephralms VIM
set the fashions. But these modern cou-
furiers have of late been sadly remiss.
turn the leaves of my fashion-sheet IN
vain for the mention Of any style IN
which divorced women may suitably per-
form their devotions. Being. as 1t were.
neither FISH nor fowl. maid, wife, nor
widow. IL does seem that II pecuIia.
fsolation-not to say oesolation-caieu
for a distinct exGusiveness In the mat
ter of dress, divorced women might claim
the front page of a fashion-journaL They
want something quite attractive. you
know. but subdued; with little ofr-coior.
IN regret, and lots OF hope-for the
next time: a kind OF color combination
~ AT the extremely interesting period
hetween the one and the other one. You
will have to put your wits to work. Eph-
rain. and give us another modei IN
s.idols'' before your catalogue Is COM
plete'
Apropos Of this subject, did 1t ever
occur to a woman how much less Is said
about the styles for men, and yet
how changeable they are each season!
IT must be the traditional "still waters.
for. individually. the fancy OF the ave-
rage man-certainly the young man
runs az much after fashions changes
as any devotee of the other sex.
Really, it takes a woman with a man at
4ach6ent and a couple of brothers to
understand the true inwardness of the
masculine toilet.
heard a sweet sister remark but
the other day, in looking over the spring
fashion-plates for ladies.
'why cannot we be sensible, like the
men: they never bother about their
clothes"
She was in dead-earnest. but evidently
had never seen a big brother with
a suit of clothes fresh from the tailors.
The faintest wrinkle across the shoul-
ders is a "misfit," and every woman In
the house has to pass Judgment upon
the pantaloons!
.sAre they too short?" asks VIII; cor
a trifie too long: and don't you think them
a little flush in the rear; or bit TOO
springy at the bottom?"
Never bother about clothes. indeed!
MORE PARTICULAR.
Bless your innocent spinster heart.
sister. he is more finicky and fussy about
his clothes than you are! Nor are the
young scions Of our best families to-day
one whit behind the powdered, wigged.
and beruff1ed gentry Of our great-grand-
fathers. In fact, though less is said
about st. q man Is quite as particular,
n not as vain. as a woman. In all the
FMS and outs and ups and downs OF this
variable world, ] recall with nervous
twfnges certain scenes In country
house when the sons Of the family
dressed for q party. The demands Tor
vsMother," or MARY; the utteranceS not
sweet, but strong. against some delin-
uuent tailor: the twistings given an In
nocent necktie, and the fearful denun-
Citations of some far-away laundress,
mingled with calls for hot water. the
blacking-brush, and sisters" cologne
bottle!-the changes In hats. ties. shoes.
gloves. vests, from high-cut to low
cut: from Acknowledged trousers to
skin-tight ditto; from bob-tailed coats TO
nlsters; from short fobs to chains. snd
from shirt-studs Of white to gold, or
none at all--wou1d startle an unrehect-
ing person OF the feminine persuasion II
she but knew the half Of 1t. Some one
asked me the other day who was the
so.t dressed man In town, and ] whis-
nered a little slang to myself, mot
II / know itr' Because one man might
dress equally as we'll as another. and yet
mis- individuality give to some one else
. different impression
don't know why II Is, but mans
personal attire conveys more accurate
notion Of the wearer's quality than does
that OF a woman similarly as well dress
I'd. Most men who are addressed
ara 10 through sheer laziness; they win
not take the trouble 10 be otherwise; or
because there Is no woman coddling them
IKE biz babies from the tying OF a
cravat 70 the finding OF the elusive col
iar-button. II a man has not taste. he
can compensate for that by copying the
attire of those who are recognized as
rrell-dressed men. Women, for obvious
{ reasons, cannot do this so readily.
Al any rate, clothes. within reason.
are the most judicious possible invest
rnent for money. The consciousness OF
being well attired. ia always source OF
happiness -Surpassing the consolation OF
religion, some one says.
That, however. brings us back to COS
TUNES for Lent" and like that stretch
Of fashions folly. Is both weak and
wicked: To be weil-dressed produces a
beneficial effect of moral nature upon
s. cha traivtdf,al subf<efively.. mans bet