Year: 1877

If there was ever a time in the annal,
of female attire when modesty was en-.
tirely dsregarded, that time is when a
belle of the period dresses for an even.
ing entertainment or an actress for a
swell" part the waist is cut square
in the neck, back and front, and very
low, especially behind, the opening Of
the dress extending almost down to the
waist. There are no sleeves, only a


boulder strap, which makes a woman


,Uk al arms, neck and bust terrible


Nnause Of bare flesh, which is sofiened
on'y by a neckIace, or a black velvet
ribbon with allcket attached. The waist
is cut basql2 shape, hut plain aud tight
to the figure, ans romeS down TO the hip
bone there the sknl begins bus there Ii
not fold, nor should there be even .
wrinkle in front or at the Sides at yht
back breadth one or two immense Box
plaits are set in to give the requisite
putting and the sweep of the train. The
looping or puff, owing to the extreme
length of the body-tor it terminates at
the end Of the backbone-must of neces.
sity be very low down.


Most of the dresses are without over.
skirt, sash, founce or trimming of any
kind. Some of the skirts have a full
hounce about a foot deep at the bottom
of the dress, inside of which is tackled a
fine white muslin hounce, trimmed with


lace to represent petticoat, and this is
said to be positively all the undercloth-
ing that On actress or a dame DE S0cjete
wears in full dress, Such a dress as this,
of handsome, thick cream colored silk is
worn by Miss Katherine Rogers as the
princess in 1.-The Danichefs." 1t Ger
tainly looks statuesque when She is
standing up, but it is laughable to see
her sit down. Her tie-back and scanti-
ness Of material restrain free movement,
and so she eases herself down gingerly {;
She can not sit down quickly and freely,
but insinuatcs herself into a seat, always
with her face to the audience,


Fortunately she plays part the chief
characteristic of which is dignity, which
is supposed to consist in slowness Of ac-
tion and holding the head well up one
trembles to think what would happen if
some of the strings should snap or some
one should step on the skirt tearing it
away from the body. In such an event,
if report be true, Eve herself would be
rivaled in simplicity and paucity of ap-
parel-because underclothing, for an
ultra fashionable lady, is obsolete. All
the actresses dress the same, and it re-
veals, alas in many cases, less beauty Of
form than our sex is generally credited
with. it shows the bad effect of tight
lacing, which is not so observable in
ample drapery which effect is princi.
pally very small waist at the expense
of good deal Of corporation. 1t also
exposes queer limbs in some instances;
big knees, that stick out, or knock in,
and fearful feet, that find no concealing
folds, and hips--dear dear What a
strange assortment of these-some too
broad, some too narrow, some too high,
and some non c|. In short, the statu-
esque style requires the form of a young
Venus all others it tries sadly. No
bustles are worn'-.they have gone out
entirely, and if any overskirt or drapery
is worn it must be draped low down,
only little above the hem of the dress.
But as the Lenten season has now set in,
it is not necessary TO discuss ball or even
ing dresses; rather should the fashion
writer treat of sackcloth and ashes.


Even for street wear the statuesque is
effected the waists are cut into several
seams, which is becoming to a stout
form, and there are fat ladies in ex-
istence, the present lath,hke fashion to
the contrary notwithstanding