This full spectrum of relationships implies that fully-functioning and developed societies can form around these relationships, and that they are not dependent upon male relationships whatsoever. The strength of the females in the Color Purple culminates in such an organization of their community; and, we are led to believe, that this particular community possesses the capacity to satisfy the women's physical and spiritual needs far better than any male-dominated society could offer. Woolf does not make this same contention in "The New Dress." Although it could be argued, from her other works, that she might possibly agree with such an ultimate organization of female society, "The New Dress" seems to focus more upon the inadequacies of social communication in general, irrespective of gender. This is not to say that gender is not a concern in the story, merely that the overall organization of the society that Mabel finds herself in does not permit any fully intimate relationships with anyone. Whereas Celie is able to find God again through her relationship with Shug, Mabel, we are left to believe, finds satisfaction through her individual pursuit of literature and recognition of the little beauties...

Elementally, Mabel's female relationships are used by Woolf to illustrate Mabel's innate feelings of insignificance and lowliness. Though she communicates with other women, she suspects the falseness in their words, and suspects that the falseness in men's words is only greater and more heartless.
Naturally, Woolf only affords us Mabel's inner thoughts; so we are left to assume that no purely objective account of the party could ever be made. Everyone there must be fighting their own bouts with insecurity and self-consciousness -- the purpose of the party is to outwardly hide these things more effectively than others. In the Color Purple, however, the epistolary approach leaves the impression that multiple perspectives can possibly be fused in order to attain some form of the truth. Yet, all are centrally female perspectives; the male remains something of a dangerous and violent intruder.

Works Cited

Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1982.

Woolf, Virginia. "The New Dress." A Haunted House and Other Short Stories. eBooks, 2004. Available: http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/w/woolf/virginia/w91h/chap8.html.