270
FASHIONS
around the neck, which is slightly open on both sides. Armlets surrounded by plaitings of cloth. FIG. VI. - BONNET, from Mrs. Cripps, 312 Canal street, New York, of lilac silk, laid on the foundation plain, the left side ornamented with lace, arranged in fan shape intermingled with velvet. Pansies, with pendant balls tipped with steel, long green velvet leaves, transparent cape covered with a fall of broad white lace. Inside trimmings, a full, flat bow of purple velvet on the top of the head, with a cluster of purple pansies on the left side ; broad white strings. FIG. VII.- WHITE STRAW HAT, from Genin's, 513 Broadway, New York. Melon shape, a long white ostrich feather, black and white velvet fan bow on the front. A band of black velvet fastened down in front to the brim with a jet extends round to the back; black and white velvet fanshaped bows at the ears, with long streamers. FIG. VIII. ANOTHER NEW STYLE OF STRAW HAT, from Genin's, trimmed with groseille velvet, and a white hanging feather at the side headed with a jet, bows in fan fashion at the ears. FIG. IX.- RIDING HABIT OF DARK BROWN CLOTH.- The skirt should be of one yard and a quarter in length when hemmed. The body fits closely to the figure with square skirts behind. Coat sleeve fitting the arm loosely, but closed at the wrist with a velvet cuff. Small linen collar and neck-tie; brown Swedish gloves ; low-crowned hat and brown veil. FIG. X.- THE MARIANA OR POLONAISE DRESS OF GREEN SILK, with one rather wide ruffle at the bottom. The front is ornamented with ruches of silk, and another ruche which extends down the back to the waist, passes over the shoulders down the front on each side of the en-tablier trimming, and above the flounce. Pagoda sleeves open far up the arm, and trimmed to correspond with the skirt. White silk bonnet, ornamented with a green bird of Paradise. FIG. XI.- LUCIA DRESS OF FRENCH GRAY SILK.-There is a quilling of black silk extending from the shoulders down the sides of the front, and around the bottom of the dress. The front of the dress and sleeves are cut out in the shape seen in the engraving and bound with black silk. FIG. XII.- SWISS CAPE.- This elegant novelty is made of clear white muslin, laid in small box-plaits. The neck of the fichu is finished by a narrow ruche of tulle, between which runs a row of narrow black velvet. Up the front there is a row of buttons. A band of black velvet passes across the shoulders in the manner of bretelles, narrowing as it descends to the waist, both in front and at the back. In front a bow and ends of black velvet, and at the back of the waist a corresponding bow without ends. GENERAL REMARKS.-The costumes of the season are remarkable for their fullness. Dresses present a great variety oftrimming on the skirts. The bodies of those intended for dishabille are still made plain, buttoned, and generally round at the waist, with a buckled band. Those for more elegant toilet are pointed before and behind, with the top of the body cut rather low either in the heart-shape or straight across. But few very low bodies are now seen. For family parties, high bodies with short and very small sleeves are worn. LONG SLEEVES have no particular form, but are varied according to the taste or fancy of the wearer and maker. They are, however, wide or half-wide, rather than narrow, and end in a cuff in harmony with the rest of the trimming. Some are slit up in front, and trimmed all down the scam. Others are puffed and slashed ; while others again have puffs at top and end in a very wide velvet wristband. FLOUNCES are seldom put to the bottom of the skirt, and are placed together, or in rows with spaces between, according to the fancy of the wearer. Many are placed in twos or threes, and each set headed by a ruche or band of
FOR MARCH . color. They are seldom put straight round the skirt, but in vandykes or scollops. The flounces are not hemmed ; they are either bound or pinked. Many dresses are trimmed en tunique ; and it is expected that this style, being a becoming one, as it gives height and grace to the figure, will long remain in fashion. The bodies of dresses are made either round or with two points ; if the latter, the points in front open. DRESSES are now worn open in front, with revers, under which a lace chemisette is required. They are made so that they can be closed at pleasure. Our first figure in the fashion-plate is represented with a dress of this description. LIGHT OR DARK COLORED ALPACAS AND PLAIN FOULARDS are becoming very fashionable. Nankeen, gray, and brown are preferred. A chesnut-color, which we have seen in alpaca, and a violet-colored foulard were extremely beautiful. Braiding in narrow black braid is becoming very fashionable for these dresses. MORNING DRESSES are all made with the Zouave jacket, of the same material as the skirt : they are worn either with a chemisette of pleated muslin, or an embroidered cashmere waistcoat. One of the prettiest dresses which we have seen was for a young married lady, consisting of a muslin dress having four flounces, each trimmed with two narrow black velvets ; the body was open and had a row of black lace laid flat round the top, a similar row passing over the shoulders, and wide sleeves with the same lace round the wristbands. The long muslin sash was ornamented with two rows of narrow velvet and a row of lace. THE RUSSIAN, SWISS, AND MEDICI WAISTBANDS are worn more than ever. Some are plain, some stitched in colored silk, others embroidered with silk, braid, etc. The long sashes, tied at the side, and generally black, are also embroidered with a design to match the dress they accompany. These sashes, edged with a fluting or a row of lace, with braces and pocket trimmings to match, are in great vogue, and, especially when adopted to muslin chemisettes, are extremely pretty for very young ladies. A FICHU, suitable for a young lady, is composed of white blonde and black lace, round at the back and square in front; a little black and white ruche round the neck, divided by a narrow velvet, and a double trimming all round the fichu. The sleeves are puffed, and separated between the black and white; and the wristband trimmed with black and white, finished with a bow of ribbon. The ladies of Paris have introduced an easy and graceful mode of raising the skirt of the dress in out-door walking costume. A ceinture, usually of black velvet, is worn round the waist, and to it are attached loops of the same material. These loops are so long as to descend to a little more than midway down the dress, and through them the edge ofthe skirt is drawn so as to raise up the whole of the lower part of the skirt in festoons. By this means the edge of the dress is secured from contact with the ground. This ceinture has been named the Ceinture Louis Quinze. LACES of all kinds are very much used for trimming bonnets, shawls, mantles, dresses, etc.
CHILDREN'S FASHIONS . FIG. 1.- LITTLE GIRL'S DRESS OF SCARLET DELAINE, braided in black. FIG. II-BOY'S PALETOT OF GRAY CLOTH -This is loose I fitting and very stylish in effect. FIG. III.-CHILD'S CHEMISE.- The band is edged with embroidery as well as the sleeves, which are plaited. FIG. IV.- WALKING DRESS FOR LITTLE GIRL, with a ridingskirt basque and full sleeves. FIGS . V AND VI.-GARIBALDI DRESSES FOR BOY AND GIRL, printed in colors.
