February 1864

PETERSON'S MAGAZINE
Vol. XLV PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY 1864 No.2.

EDITORIAL CHIT-CHAT. GLOVES. -- These now indispensable articles of the toilet were not generally deemed necessary in England until the days of Queen Anne, although their origin is of sufficient antiquity for Xenophon to mention them as a proof of the effeminacy of the Persians. We have Cicero's authority for saying their use was long customary with the Romans. In the middle ages, gloves were used only by the aristocracy of England, and highly ornamented. Even when general in Queen Anne's time, they were so highly esteemed as to form a customary New-Year's gift.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STAYS.-- A great change has taken place, of late years, in the style of ladies' toilet, especially in Paris; it is no longer thought necessary to have straight and tight-fitting bodies. More ease, and, consequently, more grace and real elegance, have taken the place of the stiff and unnatural fashions of our grandmothers. This change is seen most of all in the new kind of STAYS now adopted. The long, ungainly corset, as unbending as a coat of armor, and filled with whalebone and steel, oppressing the chest and keeping the body in close and painful imprisonment, has now been discarded, much to the benefit of the health and comfort of ladies of all ages; and in its place a small corset has been chosen, which, while very improving to the figure, does not cause the least pain or uneasiness. The best parrern of these new corsets is called ceinture regence, and was invented, a few years ago, in Paris, by Madame dos Vertus, who has taken a patent for her invention, and keeps it at a very high price; but several very good imitations of the same have been made since, and no French lady would now think of wearing the old instrument of torture, as it is now called. We cannot but recommend American ladies to follow their example. The ceinture regence is very low, both in front and at the back, reaching no higher than under the arms, and does not come down over the hips, but only a very little below the waist. It is laced behind so as to be tightened at will, but open in front, and fastened by clasps. There are scarcely any bones in these stays, but those that are there are well placed; and, though extremely flexible, the least compressing or making it deviate from its natural shape. French ladies have long been accused, and not always without reason, of tight lacing; but now they must be exonerated from the charge, since they have found out the mistake of squeezing-in their waist, and thus not only really spoiling their figure, by depriving it of all ease and grace, but also injuring their health and bringing about the most fatal consequences. Let us hope that where the warnings of science and common sense failed, the true appreciation of real beauty and gracefulness will prove more successful, and that fashion will long maintain this more natural and sensible style of dress.
FOR FLANNEL OR ANY OTHER PETTICOATS which are worn underneath cages or crinolines of any description, those which are woven with thick fleecy wool, in imitation of knitting, will be very popular, and already, for boating and riding, they are very generally worn, as they are light, soft, and warm, and cling to the limbs. They are woven in broad stripes, which are narrowed as they approach the waist. We have seen them in a variety of colors, scarlet and white, mauve and white, and black and white; and can commend them to such of our readers as are of a chilly nature, and still disapprove of heavy garments. It is our intention to give shortly, in our Work-Table, a pattern of one of these comfortable under-petticoats, so that any lady so inclined may be enabled to knit one from the directions which will accompany the illustration. Colored flannel petticoats will be worn, in preference to white ones, by many ladies who reside in town, and who, through inclination or duty, are accustomed to out-door walking exercise. These will be scolloped out round the edge with wool of the same color as the flannel, and a small sprig or a floweret, worked in satin stitch, above the festoon. Flannel dressing-gowns are likewise embroidered in this style; they are festooned with wool of the same color as the flannel of which they are composed, or with black.
GREAT POPULARITY. -- The increase in our edition , this year, is such, that we shall probably have, for 1864, as many subscribers as all the other ladies' magazines combined. This fact shows that the public realize "Peterson" to be "the cheapest and best of its kind." MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. To Keep the Hands Soft. -- Mix honey, almond meal, and olive oil into a paste, use after washing with soap. Castile soap is best for use; it will cure a scratch, or cut, and prevents any spot.
Wash for the Hair. -- The best wash we know for cleansing and softening the hair is an egg beaten up, and rubbed well into the hair, and afterward washed out with several washes of warm water.
To Restore the Color of black Kid Boots. -- Take a small quantity of good black ink, mix it with the white of an egg, and apply it to the boots with a soft sponge.
To Clean Black Veils. -- Pass them through a warm liquor of bullock's gall and water; rinse in cold water; then take a small piece of glue, pour boiling water on it, and pass the veil through it; clap it, and frame to dry. Instead of framing, it may be fastened with drawing-pins closely fixed upon a very clean paste, or drawing-board. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS My Days and Night on the Battle-Field. By "Carleton." 1 vol., 16mo. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. -- This is the story of the war, written especially for boys, by one present at most of the battles. The narrative is quick, earnest, and attactive. Many diagrams of sieges and battles, as well as engravings of various scenes, illustrate the book.

Peculiar. A Tale of the Great Transition. By Epes Sargent. 1 vol., 12mo. New York: Carleton. -- The occupation of New Orleans brought to light various shocking anomalies, more or less connected with the institution of slavery, which had long been surmised as existing, but which then, for the first time, received official verification. Out of these incidents, Mr. Sargent has worked up the fiction before us. President Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, George Saunders, Senator Wigfall, and others, figure as actors in the story, which is executed with considerable skill, and will, on this account, not less than on account of the subject, command a very general perusal.

OUR NEW COOK-BOOK Every receipt in this cook-book has been tested by a practical housekeeper.
Beef Cake. -- Choose lean and very tender beef; if a pound, put six ounces of beef suet, minced finely and seasoned with cloves, mace, and salt, in find powder, putting the largest proportion of salt and least of mace, adding half the quantity of the latter of cayenne; cut into thin slices a pound of bacon, and lay them all round the inside, but not at the bottom, of a baking-dish; then put in the meat, pressing it closely down, and cover it with the remaining slices of bacon, laying a plate over it face downward, and upon it something heavy to keep it from shifting. If there be three pounds of beef, remove the bacon and serve with a little rich gravy. These cakes may be made of mutton, veal, or venison.
Venison.-- Venison will hang, with advantage, a considerable time; it should be wiped daily with a soft cloth, so that no moisture may be allowed to rest on the surface; and if you have not a wire safe, dust it over with powdered ginger, to provent the flies from lighting on it.

FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY GENERAL REMARKS. -- In the make of bodices there is as yet nothing new; high to the throat and close-fitting, with either a double or single point in front, and a pointed basque at the back, is the usual style. The basque assumes a variety of forms; sometimes it is in three pieces, a la postillon, the center being longer than the two sides; sometimes it is square and box-plaited in the center, the plait being fastened down with two buttons. Others are swallow-tailed; if there is a simple point at the back, it is long and rounded. Instead of simply cording round the throat, a crossway band, about three-quarters of an inch in width, is now also sewn round the top; this will enable the bodice to set higher round the throat, and the collar to fit more closely. If for a self-colored taffetas dress, trimmed with a contrasting color, this band should be the same shade as the trimming; it answers then the purpose of a neck ribbon under a lace collar.
FOR DINNER OR EVENING DRESSES, low bodies are very generally worn with a cape or fichu in black and white lace or guipure. For young ladies, silk dresses are often made with a low body, and a small, square-shaped cape of the same material to wear over it; the body is then high, and if wished to be worn low, the silk cape is replaced by a tulle fichu, so that the dress is equally appropriate for walking or evening attire.
BRETELLES are much worn, and they are in many cases very becoming, for they give width to the shoulders and an appearance of slimness to the waist.
FLOUNCES are almost entirely gone oout of fashion, excepting for ball dresses. Self-colored materials are trimmed with strips of bright plaid velvet or plush arranged in a great variety of ways--in plain bands round the skirt, or else coming about fifteen inches up each width, and there finished off by two or three gimp buttons, or arranged in vandykes, diamonds, or other fanciful patterns; the same arrangement is repeated on the body and sleeves. On figured materials of several colors, the trimming, whether velvet, or plush, or silk braid, is of the color of the pattern. The rich chenille fringe, with small gimp balls, is also very fashionable.
THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT STYLES OF SKIRTS FOR EVENING WEAR. -- The first is train-shaped at the back, with an apron in front; the second is a tunic, or double skirt, which is open at the side. When the skirt is ornamented with puffings, they are carried as far as the waist upon the breadth over which the tunic opens. Frequently the tunic is looped up with a right angle at each side, and, in such cases, it is trimmed with the inevitable plaid, which has a better effect at candle-light, and upon white, than would be at first imagined.
NARROW BOX-PLEATED FLOUNCES, formed with a bright-colored ribbon, or with the same material as the dress, bound with ribbon, are very suitable for trimming the skirts of young girls' dresses. Bodices to be made full, with bretelles crossing in front, and finishing off at the back as sashes. Small puffed sleeves.
SATIN is again very popular for dresses.
IN PLAIDS, those which are composed of only blue and green, are preferred for ladies; though children wear the gayest which can be purchased. A great point to be remembered, in the adoption of plaids, is, never to wear two different ones in the same toilet.
SLEEVES are decidedly very narrow this winter, just large enough to pass the hand through at the wrist, and trimmed round the bottom and up the seam. They are sometimes a little open at the bottom; in that case, for morning dresses, they are cut square and slit open a little way inside the arm. For more elegant toilets, they are a little wider, rounded at the bottom, opened as far as the elbow, outside the arm, and richly trimmed. A lacing in braid or velvet, or puffings, are often used as ornaments.
THE NEWEST LINEN COLLARS AND CUFFS, for morning wear, are now all trimmed round the edge with either narrow Valenciennes or guipure; these edgings are only slightly fulled on. The sailor-shaped collars, and the deep-pointed cuffs, still continue to be the popular forms. Many of these collars and cuffs are embroidered in satin-stitch, in a neat design--dots, flowerets, tiny leaves, and the like. The additions of embroidery and lace to the hard linen collars will be found very satisfactory, rendering them more becoming to the skin.
BONNETS by no means follow the outline of the face, but are simply lower in front than those which have been so perseveringly worn during the last two years. The sides of the bonnet are very narrow, being almost close to the cheeks; so little space is left that there is only sufficient for one quilling of blonde at each side, or, if a colored crepe cap is adopted, for one narrow row of box-plaiting. In some instances the front is made very wide at the top, so as to allow a superabundance of trimming in the inside; but the more oval form appears to be generally proferred.
HEAD-DRESSES OF PLAID VELVET SILK are greatly in vogue for young ladies; they are worn with two straps round the head in front, and a bow at the left side; one of the straps only is carried to the back; in this there is elastic, so that the head-dress can be pulled forward or backwards at will. Narrow self-colored ribbon velvet is also made up into head-dresses; these are placed flat round the head, tied underneath the left ear, and are finished off at the top of the left side with a rosette.
COMBS are in great variety. The handsomest which we have seen was of green velvet studded with diamonds in the center; the comb resembled in shape the capital letter "T." These buckle-combs are daily becoming more fashionable; those ladies who do not already possess one, can easily imitate them by cutting the form indicated in cardboard, covering it over with velvet, and embroidering it with either pearls, or with steel beads. The very narrowest comb or teeth which it is possible to procure should be purchased for this purpose, and this should be fastened to the center of the velvet and cardboard. CHILDREN'S FASHIONS GENERAL REMARKS. -- The dresses of little girls are made much after the fashion of their mammas'. A frock for a little girl six years old was in fawn-colored merino; the skirt was trimmed with a bright plaid plush border, which came up as far as the waist on each side of the two widths at the side. The body, which was low and cut square, was trimmed round with a narrower band of plush, and two strips of the same came up the front of the bodice in the shape of braces. This frock was worn with a white nainsook chemisette and sleeves. The same arrangement can be made for a plaid frock in black velvet; a circular cape or paletot of the same material, and with trimming to match, fashionable for children's dresses. Little girls' frocks are made in the same style as those for children of larger growth, the small jacket with the long basque being worn by both; likewise the short Greek jacket with the Swiss band.
HATS are made in black velvet, bound with a strip of plaid velvet cut the cross way; in front a tuft of three feathers, one green, one blue, and one black. Also black and gray felt hats, with one large black curled feather placed over the crown, and a small tuft of red feathers in front. The crown of these hats is high; the brim is either straight and narrow, or a little wider, and turned up on one side.
FROCKS AND CAPES, for yound children, are more than ever arranged for braiding, no ornament having been found as yet so suitable for the purpose; the novelty of these trimmings consist in that, instead of the braiding being sewn on plain, it is fastened by cross-stitches in silk of a contrasting color; chenille is sometimes used instead of braid, and sewn on in the same manner.

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