fashion and us

Can there be in the world a more sorrowful spectacle than last year's dress? Sometimes the brilliant colors are gone, and it looks dull and ugly; entirely unfit, we think, at the first glance, for even ordinary wear; but we had calculated that it should answer for this season, and second thoughts lead us to decide how we can best make it look as good, if not better, than new. We will first examine the skirt of our dress and see what it needs. Did we say "what it needs"? At first glance it looks as if everything was needed, but by systematizing the needs, we will find that our task is not as herculean as a first glance leads us to imagine. The edge of the skirt is frayed, worn and faded, and having no goods of the same kind, we must use something else to freshen it up; cut off the defaced part and finish around the edge; then put a narrow ruffle of contrasting color around so that it falls under the dress proper. If the drapery is scant or oldfashioned, use some of the same material to mix in with it, or, better still, put plaited panels down the sides of it , and drape the skirt more bouffante than it was; this will make the dress look entirely different from last season. If the material can be turned (having the same surface on both sides) it will repay to carefully rip up and make over with the different material as we have suggested.