The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-10-15
MISSPENT LABOR.
OVERRIDING 1t in OrnamentinE Under.
garments.

There are few things more deplorab.e
than the amount of money and time
wasted in the effort TO over-ornament
gowns, undergarments and clothing of
whatever kind or for whatever purpose.
If this folly were committed by women
of wealth we might have the consola-
!ioA of remembering that it furnished
hany needy persons with work, and
while we night deprecate the taste we
tould approve the result. However, this
Is not the case, as most casual eXamin-
ntion of the ready-made goods of the
shops will convince the most skeptical.
For, as a rule, the more costly the goods
the simpler and palmer the cut, and the
less elaborate the ornament. Women of
wealth and refinement have long ago
discarded elaborate underwear with
elaborate street gowns. Even their
evening gowns are frequently charac-
terized by simplicity of cut and ma
terial which would hardly satisfy
country girl, who often scorns the sim
plicity of the lilies, and aims to array
herself in purple and fine linen on the
most paltry occasions. Too frequently
she takes as the models of fashion and
elegance che showily dressed "maids in
waiting" behind the counters of fash
ionab,e city stores. She would scorn If
she is good sensible girl, as she usual
ly is in other matters, to copy her dress
from the female members of theatrical
troupe. She would recognize there what
she failed to recognize in the dress of
the shop girl-the incongruity between
her own domestic life and the costumes
intended to attract the plaudits of the
crowd.
The refined women of elegant tastes
are not much in evidence in the city
streets and elsewhere whence the coun-
try visitor is likely to copy the styles
which shall be the envy of the remote
hamlet in which she lives. She is
young and fair, and it is natural she
should desire to be daintily clothed and
should love picturesque effects. She
should remember, however, that the
striking styles of dress she sees on the
city streets and in the stores as rule
are hardly less theatrical than those she
sees on the stage itself. 1t has become
part of the business of the American
| tradesman to surround his store with
theatrical glamour of lofty frescoed
ceilings, hardwood carving, rich carpets
and hanging. The shop-girl is com
PEELED by her business to array herself,
however simple her tastes may be, in
snowy manner to suit the ensemble of
the shop. There are many refined
women in the snowy crowds of the city
streets, but they are SO simply dressed
in these public places that they pass
without notice from the lookeron.
The trend of fashion is steadily
toward simplicity in dress. Elegance in
dress depends more upon the artistic
tasteful grouping Of harmonious colors,
| the perfect fit and the fine material
than upon the elaborate make. Nothing
is more deplorabe than the hours
spent, often long after midnight, by
wearied mothers stitching elaborate
tucks and puffs in baby garments which
should be made as plain as simple
llerchief. All children's slips and in
| fants' gowns are made as simple as
! possible, so they can be made in album
dance and he frequently changed.
All under-garmerts are cut in the
simplest sacque and slip shapes. A
mere edgeicf narrow lace is considered
sufficient trimming for nightgowns,
eersetreeyers and chemises. Dresses
remain severely plain, The entire effort
of fashion now seems 10 trend toward
an elegant simplicity. A few elaborate
dresses are shown in fashion plates in
magazines and papers, but these are
usually published merely to meet
deMapd for such styles and not because
they represent themost popular refined
fashions. There neNef Was greater
mistake than to imagine that TACK of
taste In color or cut could be covered
by elaboration Of ornament, yet it is n
mistake often made.-N. Y. Tribune.
NOVELTIES JUST PATENTED.