The bride robe for 1906/07 in its exquisite beauty is such an enviable creation that a woman is tempted to forget the "ideal" she is looking for and solemnly pledge her vows at Hymen's altar.
The bride of the new year has the unique distinction of introducing a number of original ideas and of setting the pace with regard to the favored fabrics, their cut and design, which to a large extent predominate throughout the winter as the accepted mode. Then the Easter bride comes along with her novelties particularly suited to spring time.
Here are some general facts that will doubtless answer queries of the bride to be.
A Few Words To The Bride To Be.
The trains of the bridal gowns are moderate in length and round. The length of the skirt for a formal wedding is 72 inches; for the quiet weddings it varies according to the taste of the bride. When married in the going-away costume, the skirt should trail several inches on the floor as a reception gown, or at least "break" for several inches.
The skirts for the bridesmaids and maid of honor scarcely more than touch the floor, and some are even dancing length, for which purpose they are afterwards used. For the matron of honor, the mother of the bride or groom, the floor length is most often seen, that is lying on the floor for five inches and just touching in front. A skirt that sweeps the floor in front is most difficult to handle with any grace.
There is a great variety of designs for the bridal robe, but for women who can wear them those mostly favored are the semi-Empire effects and the Princess. The semi-Empire is usually a carefully-fitted Princess having a Watteau plait in the back, springing either from between the shoulders or starting a few inches above the waist. The gowns not fitted snugly around are, nevertheless, closely confined to the figure in the front and at the sides, and in back there is frequently a suspicion of the short-waited Empire. This effect is simulated by the actual fitting and by the raising of the girdle or scarf ends which spring from the center of the corsage and extends under the arms, terminating in the center of the back.
gowns for the bridesmaids and maid of honor are fashioned over these picturesque lines which go well with the fanciful headgear, sweeping Gainsboroughs or saucy Nepolean toques.
Draped surplice effects with the daintiest of chemisettes are especially graceful and produce lines generally becoming. Bretelles simulating a surplus effect of the bridal fabric, worn over a bodice of lace, is a pleasing edition of this style. Both high and round necks prevail for all wedding gowns. When girdles are worn they are well fitted, rather wide, and curve out over the figure in a graceful sweep, but few are pointed.
Bridal Fabrics and Garnitures
The favored materials for bridal gowns are Duchess satin, softer and more clinging than formerly, chiffon, chiffon cloth, liberty satin, satin meteor, messaline, peau de creape, crepe de chene, lace mounted over chiffon and silk.
For the bridesmaids and maid of honor all the soft silks, with messaline and meteor in shadow, check and plaids or self color, chiffon cloth, peau de crepe, silk muslin or mull fancy nets and pompadour chiffons in their most delectable and subtle colorings are most often employed.
Hand embroidery is shown to particular advantage on chiffon gowns. Silver tissue, lace and embroideries are among the elaborate garnitures. Under a lace robe was recently worn a slip of silver tissue with roses of same decorating the skirt and bodice. Lace is always to be depended upon, and the brides of the season are favoring various meshes, point laces, Duchess, Brussels, point de Venise, d'Alencon, Brussels, Princess and Limerick.
Many are the proverbs connecting themselves with marriages; below are just a few old ones...
"Woman has made man wise — and wary"
"A blind man's wife needs no painting"
"Who has a fair wife needs more than two eyes. "
"A fair woman and a torn gown will always find some nail in the way."
"The more women look in the glass, the less they look to their houses. "
" The lazy wife has broken her elbow at the church door..."
"Women and hens through too much gadding are lost."
"The wife that expects to have a good name, is always at home, as if she were lame."
"He that lets his wife go to every feast and his horse drink at every water will have neither a good wife nor a good horse.''
"He that tells his wife news is but newly married;" for "she conceals what she knows not."
"One tongue is enough for a woman."
"There is no mischief in the world done, but a woman is always one."
Indeed, "women and dogs set men by the ears."
"A woman's mind and winter-wind often change," and yet, "swine, women, and bees cannot be turned. "
" Women, priests, and poultry never have enough; ''for a ship and a woman are ever repairing."
"Husbands are in Heaven whose wives chide not," while "he who marries a widow will often have a dead
man's head thrown into his dish."
"Other people, especially the unmarried, can tell you just how to make domestic life a success..."
"Bachelors, wives' maids, and children are always well taught;" but frequently one of these wiseacres falls in love, ties a knot with his tongue that he can't untie with his teeth, and finds in truth that 'wedlock is a padlock.'"
"In spite, however, of the ancient saying that "honest men marry soon, wise men not at all" and that you
should "commend a wedded life, but keep yourself a bachelor," the world continues to try the trick over and over again. After all, what would we do without wives — especially we married men!"
"Wives must be had, Be they good or bad."
Perhaps it is true that "age and wedlock bring a man to his night-cap;" but the average fellow agrees
with Martin Luther that "He who loves not woman, wine and song, He is a fool his whole life long."
"Marriage has kept the world sane; it brings contentment; it creates order; it inspires personal progress."
"A little' house welt filled,
A little land well tilled,
And a little wife well willed"
"What greater joy than this? For, as Solomon declares, "houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers;
Located on Government Hill, the World's Fair Pavilion sits on the site of the world's fair Missouri Government that was meant to be permanent but burned only weeks before the closing of the fair. It opened in 1910 as a gift from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Committee and helped to fulfill their promise to restore the park after the 1904 World's Fair. Designed by English architect Henry Wright, the pavilion originally cost $35,000 to build.
In the early 2000s, the building underwent a $1.1 million restoration with the addition of new restrooms and a catering kitchen. The eastern archways of the building were removed (thereby opening the building to its original state), new lighting was installed, and the twin towers of the building were reconstructed.
The Jewel Box (also known as the St. Louis Floral Conservatory and the City of St. Louis Floral Display House) is a greenhouse located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. It now serves as a public horticultural facility and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
In 1913, Nelson Cunliff became Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for St. Louis City. Due to high levels of smoke and soot within the city, he began a survey to determine which plants could survive the conditions. He later asked John Moritz, who was in charge of the city's greenhouses, to set up a display greenhouse to showcase various plants which could survive. It is said that someone called the displays "like a jewel box", hence the name. In 1933, Bernard Dickmann became Mayor of St. Louis and decided to build a new facility. The building cost $125,000 and William C. E. Becker, then Chief Engineer of Bridges and Buildings for the city, was assigned to design the building. Construction began on December 12, 1935 and the facility opened on November 14, 1936.
