Show the dress of the period if there was ever a time in the annals of female attire when modesty was entirely disregarded t hat that time is when a belle of the period dresses for an evening entertainment or an actress for a swell part the waist ig 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 shoulder strap which makes a woman look all arms neck and bust a terrible expanse of bare flesh which is softened only by a necklace eor or a black velvet ribbon with a locket attached the walet is s cut baue shape but plain aud and tight ight to the figu figure reaud and comes down the hipbone there the skirt begins but ut there is not a fold nor should there be even a wrinkle in front or at the sides at the back breadth one or two immense box plaits are bet set in to give the requisite puffing liz riz and the swee sweep of f the train the looping or p puff pw owing to the extreme length of the body for it terminates at the end of the backbone must of necessity be very low down most of the dresses are without oven kirt or trimming of any kind some of the skirts have a full flounce about a foot deep at the bottom of the dress of which is tacked a fine white muslin flounce trimmed with lace to r present represent e a petticoat and this is aa said sald i d t to 0 be positively all the underclothing that an atress actress or a dame de do wears in full fall dress such a dressar dress as this of handsome thick cream colored silk is worn by miss bliss katherine rogers as the princess in the Danic heffs it certainly looks statuesque when she is standing up but it is laughable to see her r sit down her tieback tie back and scantiness s of material restrain free movement and so she eases herself down gingerly she can not sit down quickly and and freely but insinuates herself into a seat always with her face to the audience fortunately she plays a part the chief characteristic of which is dignity which is supposed to consist in slow blow slowness ness nets of action and holding the head well up one trembles to think what would happen if some of the strings should snap or bome some one should step on the skirt tear fear tearing it away from the body in such an event if report be true eve herself would be rivaled in simplicity and paucity of apparel because under ultra fashionable lady is obsolete all the actresses dresa the same and it rev reveals vais vals alas alao inma inmany inmany uy cases less beauty of form than our sex is generally credited with it shows the bad effects of tight lacing which is not so observable in ample drapery which effect is principally a very small waist at tho expense of a good deal of corporation JI it t also exposes queer limbs in 14 slome flome instances instance big kneesy knees that stick out or knock in and afla fearful feet that find no concealing folds and hips bips dear dear what a strange assortment of these some tod too b broad road some too narrow some too high and some non es est t in hort short the statuesque style requires the form of a young venus all others it tries sadly no bustles bustled are aie worn they have gone out entirely 1 I r e and if any overskirt or drapery p e ry Ys is worn it must mustoe be draped low down dowd only a little above the hem of the dress dresa but as the lenten season has now set in it is not necessary to discuss ball or evening dresses rather should the fashion writer treat of sackcloth and ashes even for street wear the statuesque is afflec affected ted the waists are cut into several seams which is becoming to a stout f form and there are fat ladies in exis existence teace the present lath like fashion to the contrary notwithstanding alice logon in san francisco call |