Ball dress

“ In ball-dress the fair sex are more implacable than in morning dress." Hardly had she seen him when she came to meet him, like an agitated heaven, with her fixed stars of brilliants and her pearl-planets, and in this splendor begged of him the forgiveness of her freak. ”

“ Moreover fashion was a sleepy, slow-moving dame, only rising to bestir herself once in a decade—and not, as is her present habit, setting a new step every year, and making her followers miserable if they fall behind in the march. A ball dress was a veritable 'creation,' made with infinite pains and pride, every stitch carefully put in, the embroideries a triumph of patience and skill (and eyesight) , as indeed was all the needlework of those leisurely days, before machine-made imitations undermined its value. ”

“ For ball dresses, light and diaphanous materials are worn; silk dresses are not suitable for dancing. Black and scarlet, black and violet, or white, are worn in mourning; but ladies in deep mourning should not go to balls at all. They must not dance, and their dark dresses look out of place in a gay assembly.
At dinner parties, unless of a small, friendly kind, only the fullest dress is appropriate. ”

“ A light ball dress and exquisite arrangement of the hair, too often make the wearer dare the inclemency of the coldest night, by [26] wearing a light shawl or hood, to prevent crushing delicate lace or flowers. Make it a fixed rule to have the head, feet, and chest well protected when going to a party, even at the risk of a crushed flower or a stray curl. Many a fair head has been laid in a coffin, a victim to consumption, from rashly venturing out of a heated ball room, flushed and excited, with only a light protection against keen night air. ”

“ If you are going especially for a ball, but not given by your hostess, needless to say, you take a ball dress and an evening wrap. In the autumn or winter, a fur coat will do double service for coat and wrap.
Do not take a big trunk full of all the things you don't need. Don't take sports clothes for all occasions if you are not a sportswoman. But if you do ride, or play tennis or golf, or skate or swim, be sure to take your own clothes and don't borrow other people's. ”

“ For small social companies, a dark silk in winter, and a pretty lawn, barege, or white muslin in summer, are the most appropriate. A light head-dress of ribbon or velvet, or a plain cap, are the most suitable with this dress. For a larger party, low-necked, short-sleeved silk, light colored, or any of the thin goods made expressly for evening wear, with kid gloves, either of a color to match the dress or of white; black lace mittens are admissible, and flowers in the hair. A ball dress should be made of either very dressy silk, or light, thin material made over silk. ”

“ Full-dress balls succeeded the fancy balls, and in the hight of the season at Saratoga the ball-room presented a magnificent sight. The wealthiest persons in the country were there congregated, each trying to outvie the other in magnificence and costliness of apparel. The jewels that sparkled amid fine laces and rich silks were only outshone by the beauty of those they adorned. The proud lady of fashion was there, who, having outlived all her better feelings, was only happy, only really existed amid such scenes ”

“ Informal dinner dresses are worn in the boxes at the opera on ordinary nights, such as when no especially great star is to sing, and when one is not going on to a ball afterward, but a ball dress is never inappropriate, especially without head-dress. ”

“ She whom nature has endowed with a comely figure, adopts the 'decolado,' or low-necked, short-sleeved fashion, while her less favoured sisters prefer to conceal their charms behind spotted lace or tulle. In short, the frequenters of such a ball as that to which I refer are licensed to dress as becomingly as they please, and only on rare occasions, such as a ball at the theatre, at the governor's house, or at the mansion of some equally distinguished person, are the strict rules of French etiquette observed. ”

“ You can see the result pictured, and note the contrast of the sleek knave of diamonds, whose dress should be expressed in red and blue and white and yellow, with black silk stockings. In deciding upon a costume for a fancy-dress ball, the first thought of the reveller should be to secure the becoming and the suitable, and to be successful the choice should be mainly influenced by his or her personality. ”

“ We present seasonable illustrations of fashionable costumes for dinner parties, balls, and the opera. The first figure in the above engraving represents an elegant
Ball Dress.—Hair in short bandeaux, tied behind à la Grecque, with a wreath of bluebells; the flowers are small and arranged on a cord along the forehead; they increase in size and form tufts at the sides. The cord is continued behind and a second cord of flowers passes over the head, and blends with the flowers at the sides. ”

“ Well, about our dresses. You need a ball dress, so do I; for we shall have balls this winter, and if the children are well, we will go. I think, too, that you had better get a gray cloth pelisse, with a fur trimming. ”

“ Fancy Dress Balls ought to be held every Saturday night. Well, I rolled up, quite pleased with myself in my black velvet, as Hamlet, and who should I see before my astonished eyes but Mother Crickford-Crocker not in Fancy Dress, as I thought,—and she the very one who says that any man who goes to a Fancy Dress Ball in ordinary dress is a lazy hound, and any woman who does so is an unoriginal slut. ”

“ The ball had created an enormous stir. I had invited nearly all the artists in Paris; those I had forgotten wrote to remind me of their existence. Many society women had done the same, but they asked to be allowed to come masked: it was an impertinence towards other women and I left it to the responsibility of those who had offered it. It was a fancy dress ball, but not a masked one ”

“ The dress of the Fille du Tambour-Major in the first act is white skirt, with lace-edged flounce; tunic and bodice of grey cashmere with black ribbon; velvet braces; square linen collar coming well down to the bust back and front; a black velvet bow on the head. All the girls in the convent school are similarly attired, with a puritanical quietness which in fancy ball-rooms always has so marked and good an effect among the gay dresses. ”

“ Dress was the one unfailing talisman and charm used for keeping all things in their places. Everybody was dressed for a Fancy Ball that was never to leave off. From the Palace of the Tuileries, through Monseigneur and the whole Court, through the Chambers, the Tribunals of Justice, and all society (except the scarecrows) , the Fancy Ball descended to the Common Executioner: who, in pursuance of the charm, was required to officiate “frizzled, powdered, in a gold-laced coat, pumps, and white silk stockings.” ”

“ The remainder of the guests may be permitted to use their own taste in the selection of costumes. A full dress rehearsal of these especially arranged quadrilles should be held beforehand to ascertain the most satisfactory method of grouping the characters in each set.
Invitations to an entertainment of this nature are issued like those for ordinary balls, adding “Bal-masque” or “Fancy Dress Ball,” down in the left hand corner. When the entertainment is to be very elaborate these words are given an entire line, extending through the center of the invitation. ”

“ She sat waiting on a chair in her ball dress, without strength to go to bed, overwhelmed, without any fire, without a thought. ”

“ POLISH PEASANT at a Fancy Ball is very unlike the veritable peasant; the correct dress would be a striped woollen skirt; a scarlet bodice laced in front, and trimmed with yellow, over a high white chemisette, with long sleeves; and for a bride, a cap with as many ends of ribbon of all colours and widths as can be procured, replaced on less gala occasions by a cotton handkerchief folded first cornerwise, then the double-edge folded back twice, about 3 inches broad, and tied behind ”

“ The ball-dresses are the garments which try a girl more than anything, the tulle skirts and pretty flounces, which cost so much, getting so soon spoiled and messed; and I think the stock of the first season’s dresses must be helped considerably by the parents, else will the poor girl feel herself worse dressed than anyone else; and that is a small misery that should never be allowed if in any measure it can be avoided. The years from eighteen to twenty-one are undoubtedly the most joyous of any a woman ever has. ”

“ White kid gloves, full trimmed, a fine lace trimmed handkerchief, and a fan, are indispensable. Be very careful, when dressing for a ball, that the hair is firmly fastened, and the coiffure properly adjusted. Nothing is more annoying than to have the hair loosen or the head-dress fall off in a crowded ball room. ”

“ ARMENIAN WOMAN. In the country they wear shoes with toes turning upwards, full silk trousers, white under-dress, open at neck, made of thin muslin; a silk scarf round waist; full white sleeves; velvet embroidered sleeveless coat, opening wide in front; round cap of velvet; hair in plaits, and a yachmush out of doors. For a fancy ball, handsome silver clasps are added to the belt; a silk brocaded jacket and tunic often replace the over-dress. Long gauze veil and plenty of ornaments admissible. ”

“ So inconvenient were crinolines at a ball, that in order to create the same effect young ladies would wear as many as fourteen starched petticoats! In these they were driven to their ball "standing up in their carriages." Silk dresses were very much the fashion of this period, "Every lady felt that a silk dress was necessary to her self-respect" In it she attended church on Sunday, paid her afternoon calls, or sat at home to receive her visitors. It was an age of shawls too—shawls with large patterns, shawls with light grounds and gay flowers. ”

“ CRICKET is also a very good game for girls, and the same remarks as to dress apply to this as to lawn-tennis. It is necessary, however, that girls who play cricket should have a protective pad to be worn over their bosoms, in order to prevent any harm which might possibly arise from a chance blow from a cricket-ball. ”

“ Coin de feu of dark green velvet, fitting tight, and buttoning to the throat. It has a small square collar, something like that of a riding habit, and a full frill of narrow lace standing up. The sleeves are of the pagoda form; the trimming is a very rich silk guimpe, of quite a novel design. Under-sleeves of cambric or lace, with two scalloped falls, and fulled at the wrist.
Fig. 2.—Ball Costume.
Figure 2 exhibits an elegant Ball Costume. A low dress of white crape, worn over a jupe of white satin; the body plain ”

“ Of course, no one bothers to dress specially just for a little informal game on their own side lawn. However, there is a certain type of costume that one has grown to expect in the tournaments at the country clubs.
The accepted costume is all that could be desired for comfort—a short, two-piece or plaited silk or woolen skirt and a plain tailored blouse of batiste, handkerchief linen or crepe de chine with comfortable V neck. I might add that the popular woolen sports skirt is striped.
Tennis is a hatless game. The hair ought to be dressed in a close simple manner. ”

“ To make a foot-ball player, finish the blouse without necktie or belt; make the shoulders wide and the hair rather short, like a college boy's rough head. So much for the boy. Paste a letter cut out of colored paper on the front of the blouse to make it look like a college sweater, and gather the trousers in a little at the knees. You can tuck an egg-shaped ball made of brown raw wool under one arm for a realistic touch, if you choose. ”

“ Golf clothes seem to be in a state of evolution. At some of the smart links, women are wearing tweed suits with knickers. It must be remembered that this is the extreme, not the generally accepted custom. And it’s a fact that a woman in knickerbockers is very conspicuous.
A costume that is very smart at the present time for golf consists of a tailored blouse, a sleeveless wool jersey dress and a box-coat to match. The regulation wool jersey, tweed or homespun suit which has an amply wide skirt and a belted box coat is also worn with tailored waists. ”

“ To be able to converse in a tone approaching to equality with powerful officials; to emancipate oneself from restrictions trifling, yet galling, in matters of dress and demeanour; to share in some measure in the vague sense of power vested in the representatives of the great European States—must be the climax of ambition to a member of a despised nationality in a land where neither intelligence nor wealth nor good reputation give a man security or social recognition. ”

“ Every one who has been to a fancy ball recalls the charming coiffure which surmounts this costume—the thick wavy black tresses, parted in the middle of the brow, taken down either side of the face loosely, then suddenly raised from the nape of the neck high at the back of the head, coiled round there and fixed under a tiny band of white lace, and a large bow or sash of black ribbon. Few head-dresses are at once so irresistible and so dignified, and none could be better suited to the regular features, ample beauty, and melting eyes of the daughters of Provence. ”

“ As in every other case where hospitality is extended to you by invitation, you must send your answer as soon as possible, accepting or declining the civility.
In preparing a costume for a ball, choose something very light. Heavy, dark silks are out of place in a ball room, and black should be worn in no material but lace. For a married lady, rich silk of some light color, trimmed with flowers, lace, or tulle; white silk plain, or lace over satin, make an exquisite toilette. ”