THE
VOL. III.
LADY'S
WORLD .
PHILADELPHIA : JANUARY , 1843. No. 1.
FASHIONS FOR JANUARY.
As the season for balls and parties is now at hand we have chosen this month to present to our readers the most approved ball and evening dresses. The annexed engraving, in which these costumes appear, is the most elegant and costly fashion plate which has ever appeared, at least in the United States. The pictorial effect is exceedingly well managed, and the engraver has done all that his art permits, while the coloring is executed in a style of richness never before attempted. But one walking dress is represented in the plate, though full descriptions of carriage and promenade dresses are given below. In describing the figures we begin at the left hand of the picture.
Fig. 1.—A Ball Dress of satin, the jupe being made excessively long and full, ornamented down each side of the front with a splendid facing of blonde, disposed in the perfect form of the capital letter A.; at distances upon the blonde are placed small roses made in pink areophane; the corsage à pointe, cut square on the shoulders, and finished with a splendid stomacher berthe, attached in the front with small roses, reaching from the point of the waist to the top of the bust. The sleeves tight, and ornamented with a double sabot of blonde, caught up in the front of the arm with a single rose.
Fig. 2.—An Evening Dress in a style which is becoming quite popular, it having a singularly spirited air. The dress is of tarlatane muslin, the skirt in the tunic form. The corsage is low, fitting tight to the top of the bust, but gathered in plaits in the centre of the waist. Short tight sleeves. A narrow cashemire border forms the girdle, and ornaments the sleeves, and skirt. The head-dress is of white gauze, edged with a narrow fulled blonde, falling lower on one side than the other. Over the top of the head is worn a garland of small daisies; while the hair is exposed on the back, there being no crown to the head-dress. The daisies, at the side, are intermixed with blonde.
Fig. 3.—An Evening Dress somewhat in the same spirited style as the last, though less airy. The corsage of this dress bears some resemblance to that in figure 1. The other peculiarities of the costume are less striking.
Fig. 4.—A Ball Dress. The upper jupe is chiefly remarkable for the large bows and lace with which it is trimmed, giving the costume an unusually rich appearance. The corsage à pointe, and the sleeves short. A bunch of delicate roses may be worn in the bosom. The under jupe is white, whatever may be the color chosen for the other.
Fig. 5.—A Walking Dress, whose elegant air has induced us to admit it into our engraving. The material of the dress is plain white organdie, merely finished round the bottom with a broad hem; Crispin body of deep blue gros des Indes, the form round and deep at the back, the front sitting close to the figure, and forming a perfect stomacher body attached down the centre of the front with buttons; the collar, arm-holes, and cape edged round with a light gympe trimming and narrow fringe; a splendid blue cord and tassels depend from the stomacher, the end of the arm-holes ornamented with smaller cords and tassels. Bonnet of white slightly turned back at the edge, and rather shallow at the ears, the crown decorated with a splendid shaded ostrich feather, the inside ornamented with bouquets of wild roses shaded pink and mauve; long streamers of mauve colored striped ribbon. This costume is especially appropriate for the milder days of winter.
Pelisses, cardinal mantles, and cloaks are in vogue for out of doors. Several elegant varieties of each have been reported to us by our London and Paris correspondents, from which we make the following selections.
Pelisses.—For promenade velvet or satin is worn, trimmed with flowers and sable or ermine. For carriages the white cachemire, lined with plaided silk, pink or pale blue, are most fashionable. Fancy buttons of silk, mother of pearl, gold or silver, are much used for decorations. One of the most beautiful is composed of French blue cachemire, trimmed with sable; up the centre of the skirt and body is a light kind of trimming composed of silk cord, and attached with small buttons; tight high body and sleeves; pelerine collar; jockeys and manchettes of sable. With this dress might be wom
