front on the left side, and caught with a roseate of the same color as the dress; the body juste and à pointe, faced with velvet of the same color; the others trimmed en tablier with black lace and choux of satin; a pelerine cardinale, very large, entirely covers the arms; the pelerine being trimmed with a fringe, headed with a silk network, and fastened in the front with des Brandebourgs.
WALKING DRESSES.—The most fashionable style adopted for out-door costumes are les robes redingotes, made in pearl grey satin, faced with velours épinglé, edged with a plain lace, and down the centre of the skirt are placed bows en choux. A distinguished toilette, was a dress of satin grenat, trimmed en tablier, with a fancy silk cord trimming, disposed en brandebourgs. A row of olives are placed down the centre of the skirt, and another row decorates each side of the net-work; the corsage juste and high, with network and olives arranged like those on the jupe; the sleeves demi larges, and trimmed with two bouillonnées at the elbow, separated by a net-work trimming. For the material, silks are in a decided majority, though we do not mean to say that they are exclusively fashionable; the cachemire d'été and the popeline brochée mentioned in our last number, enjoy a certain vogue, and so do some of the new mousselines de laine and the bareges; but none of these materials enjoy anything like the vogue of silks. We shall present our fair readers then with a list of those most in request: foremost in it will be the different kinds of foulards; these for morning dress and the promenade are foulard Zelia, double-sided foulards, and also those printed, and broché. Plain poult de soie, gros d'été, and levantine. An immense variety of striped and shaded silks; others in lozenges, or in small patterns borrowed from those of the Turkish and Chinese silks.
BONNETS.—The most airy style in which bonnets can be made will be the most fashionable. Many are made of a delicate net-work of straw, ornamented with flowers. On this point, however, the taste of the owner may be consulted. We may cite among the most distingué of the bonnets of poult de soie glacé, those of straw color, ornamented with a bouquet of têtes de plume paille, placed on one side of the brim, the interior of which is ornamented, we may say lined, with a voilette of English point lace, which falls en écharpe on each side of the face, and is intermingled with small blue and yellow daisies. We must not forget the rice straw bonnets ornamented in the interior with tulle scarfs. This is a style of trimming admirably calculated to set off the complexion, as the color of the scarf is always adapted to it. Drawn bonnets, both of crape and poult de soie, have regained all their vogue. A particular description of the generality is unnecessary; but we must say un petit mot for those of pink crape, trimmed in the interior with several rows of tulle rûches, and on the exterior with a bouquet of pink marabout panache de blanc.
FLOWERS.—Flowers still maintain their supremacy, as indeed nothing can be more elegant. The most approved are wreaths of white and grey lilac, rose-buds, white heath blossoms, jonquils, Bengal roses, red camelias, gerbes of oats, the stalks gold, and the grain either beads or pearls; cactus and daturas of velvet, some exotics, and the most of the early flowers. The majority of the bonnets trimmed with them are also adorned with lace, and the flowers are generally partially concealed by the lace. We see a great many bonnets trimmed with tufts of heath blossoms, or honeysuckle, and point d' Angleterre.
SUN SCREENS.—These delightful accompaniments to a walk have been in use for more than a month.
A letter from London, says:—
I have noticed an infinite variety of bonnets. Those of rice straw are becoming decidedly popular, though the old style yet prevails. Light green and purple pou de soie are the materials mostly in use. They are trimmed with very small wreaths of flowers, and are without inside ornaments. They still continue to be made very small, but efforts are making to give a slight increase to their size. Out door costumes are somewhat novel, and all that I have seen are very pretty. For this description of dresses, plain goods are used in nearly every instance. Carriage and riding dresses are made of cloths, merinoes, velvets and cashmeretts, and promenade dresses consist of spencers with light fancy silk or satin skirts. These dresses are trimmed handsomely with small chene or bright fine gilt buttons—three rows on the corsage and one on each cuff. Some riding habits fit close around the neck, with a narrow collar, and have a single row of buttons down the centre; the top button and three or four of the lowest ones only are buttoned, leaving the corsage open about half its length to display the chemisette underneath. It is easy to observe that gilt buttons are becoming all the ton. All varieties are now blending into one—the plain gilt buttons with a flat bright surface having become the general favorites. The latter are certainly the neatest buttons that can be worn, and no one without seeing them on a dress can form an idea of the charming appearance they make. The ball dresses cannot be well described, for there are as many varieties as there are persons wearing them. The spencer does not appear to hold sway any longer in the ball room. Light colored satins are all the go; trimmings diversified; roses, knots and laces very popular. There are also many varieties of head dresses, but as every one follows her own taste in this matter, I need not attempt a description. In short the rice bonnets and plain gilt buttons are the only real novelties I have noticed. The former are yet not in general use, but the latter are seen glittering in all directions.
