LATEST PARISIAN FASHIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1805, 3 April 1888, Page 2

LATEST PARISIAN FASHIONS.

[from our own correspondent.] Paris, January 31. Some of tha spring novelties, especially In the way of wraps and bennets, have already made their appearance. la the first named line but little change from the shapes and styles of the winter ia to be algnallaed Tha short dressy mantelet of the dolman shape and surcharged with jet, and paasementerio, and fichu of black lace and wide reffba of the same, are still shown, only In black peau de sole or black faille instead of In c )lored vevets and plushes. Long pelisses raaohlng to

the feat, m dark Bhot eilk trimmed profaaely with black lace, are the handsomest 03 well as the moat novel of the now wraps. Black and gold fs a combination thai: iaeDtenalvaly m favor, thin censor?, both m material for the short mantelet) and m passementerie for their trimming.

The most novel Btyle m this last ia composed of larg9 flit oval beads of cat jet, mounted m a sotting of gold cord.

The newest material fo? the spring is shot Bilk In red and blaok, brocaded with narrow wavy lines m black satin.

Bl.ck Surah draeßea with the corsage trimmed with gold braid have made their appearapoe. A pretty cloth cootume for the coming spring is made with a plaited Bklrt and a Figaro jacket m marine blue, the latter opening over a veat m eoarlet bouole cloth fctriped with dark blue. The jtoket is edged all round~with silver boads as large as a pood-aiz9d psi». The skirt is

laid m wido flit folds, parting at intervals to show underneath them plain widths of soarlet boucle cloth.

As for tha new spring bonnoto they are simply the prettiest things that ever were Been m that line.

Tho graceful and becoming litte capote holds ita own against all rlvala, but ia no longer made with a Bharp-peated point.

For these dainty little bonuota all kinds of rich and tasteful materials aro employed, anch as black gauzo, covered with hand embroidery m delicate Bhadea of yellow or ' cream white, worked with white floa^ Bilk and gold thread, or plaited riffle of pale yellow gauss alternating with strips of 3 at passementerie. Flowers ara used for trimming theae bonnets, roses and wbite lilacs bolng the most m vogao. Hats are made m two extremes, either witn immensely wide brims and lot? crowns, or e'ge m the toque or Henry IV Bhapes, with narrowed iuroodup brims fitting closely round tin bead. B;>th theao styles aro shown m colored atrawa, block, cream white and beige being the favoiite hues for the large hats, aDd steel-grey and black fur the smaller ones. Ostrich tipa or flowers aro usad for trluamlng tho large hia'a, and folds of velvet, held In placo by fanciful gilt pins, ace seen on the small ones.

Bias are just at present the principal topic of convocation at 5 o'clock teaß. Society ladies aco now appearing at the Opara m low-necked and Bhort-aleevod dresses, with a boa thrown around ihe shoulders. At receptions it ia customary for the lady of tha house to s&y that ahe has a cold and put on a boa. The boa is oven Been at dinner parties. This rage for boa.H ia a revival of a fanhion Btartei by the Duchess de Berry, who hid a swanlikeneck like that of the Empiess Eugenic. It should be borne In mind that boas are not besoming to all ladies. Lot ua conclude by saying that the tendency to-day In Parlatan toilettes ia to dress more aimply m the day-time and more richly In the evening. At the grand dinner parties, decolletags is d& figumr. A year or Uo ago, ladies could! appear at dinner parties m gowns cat < quite high. But now shoulders must be bared to the lowest possible point. During the day, however, great simplicity 1b observed, as has already been Bald. Cloth la the favorite material just now for coatucueß. \

The Parialatt ladies have also Invented a new aud poetic fashion, that of ornamenting the muff and coraage with natural flowers, eaph day haying a special flower. Thus ope dny «ea r0'303 are thp favorite, tha next whlto lilacs, then ivy leaves imd so on.