Page:Fancy dresses described, or, What to wear at fancy balls (1887).djvu/21

 country by a German lady, Mrs. Teresa Cornelys, at the end of the last century, when they were held at Carlisle House, Soho. Lady Waldegrave, Lady Pembroke, and the Duchess of Hamilton were among the beauties. But then, as now, the fashions of the day asserted their sway in the costumes of old times. Fashionable materials are used, however inappropriate; when crinoline was the mode, even the peasants' dresses were slightly distended; during the reign of the jersey, elastic silk served for the bodices of Gipsies, Folly, and many others; and material tinted with aniline dyes are used for historical raiment of very early periods. A march round which sometimes takes the form of a Polonaise shows off the dresses.

There is much in a name,—A Coquette, a Lady of the Past Century, Petite Sole à la Normandie, the Bounding Ball of Babylon, His Picture in Chalk, a Duchess of the Next Century, &c., have attracted attention to very mediocre costumes ere this.

Any popular play or opera will be pretty sure to originate the most fashionable costumes of each season, or possibly some pretty picture. Miss Greenaway's charming sketches suggest many of the quaintest dresses at children's fancy balls; and costumes of the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, are much worn, possibly owing to the attention now turned to what is known as artistic dressing. The styles of the sixteenth century,—flowing skirts, low square bodices, and puffed sleeves richly broidered, owe their resuscitation to the same cause.

It behoves those who really desire to look well to study what is individually becoming to themselves, and then to bring to bear some little care in the carrying out of the dresses they select, if they wish their costumes to be really a success. There are few occasions when a woman has a better opportunity of showing her charms to advantage than at a Fancy Ball.

ARDERN HOLT.