PARISIAN FASHIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2120, 27 April 1889, Page 3

PARISIAN FASHIONS.

(From oue own Cobbespondent.) Round batß are getting lower and lower, aud the brim Is quite flat ; as to the toque, it his simply dwindled Into nothing. If this fashion continues, hats must become oheap, for really no modiste could have the conscience to put a heavy price oo a hat not larger that one's fist, which has often neither flowers, feathers, nor birds upon It. The Introduction of green for gowns has as I already told you brought a demand for emeralds. Jewellers find a sale for green stones In any design, ring, bracelet, pin, or earrings- Tbe greatest novelties In jewellery are still the diamond sprays, arranged In suoh a manner tbat they can be adapted to two or three different purposes. ' Rrooohes are extremely small, and the newest are the little loops, perfectly round, about the size of a large farthing, of diamonds and emeralds, or diamonds and rubles, some with the one kind of stone only. The fashion of white petticoats has entirely gone out. There are petticoats In blaok striped Jatln or mode', with horizontal stripes between; others with insertions of blaok, with colored ribbons running through. There aie jupons In shot silk, mervellleux, In nansook, and in muslin, all soft with lace disposed In flounces and Insertions. Perhaps the most worn are the pettlooats In tulle point d'eaprlt, and the froufrous of silk and elegant taffetas. Still the most practioal are the silk ones, to make them more dtesey and full they have flounoes or pleatings of lace oc silk, as a sort of ballayeuae, underneath. This fashion of petticoats enables one to utlli*e one's old dresses. Draperies are returning very gently A notable Instance is a '* country drees," to use an essentially French expression , lately seen at one of the leading bcu'evard theatres. The French make a nice and keen distinction between dresses for city wear, for country wear, and for seaside wear. To return : This country dress Is evidently considered as a model which is more than likely to be oopied for other kinds of costumes. It ia made of white muslin embroidered with little circles or " peas." There is a tablier. 11 bich is deeply embroidered at the bottom, and entre - deux |o_ Valenciennes lace are let in between the embroidering. It u lifted at the left aide, and forms a pouf , apparently kept in plaoe by ribbons and. long looped bows, mauve and green together. Another stage dress shows quite an Innovation in draping. It is made of grey slolltenne, with rloh embroidered passementeries in grey, gold, and steel. From under the pointed bodice in front there falls, apparently, a velvet petticoat on which tbe slcillenne tablier is draped : at all events, a deep pointed piece of velvet shows, and the tablier Is caught only to tbe sides — slung across, as It were, and so forming a drapery. The sides of the dress consist of panels, deeply embroidered at the waist and for some distance down, but qgtte plain at the bottom, as Indeed tbe whole skirt Is. Tbe bodice has a deep collar, pointed in front, of velvet, and rlohly embroidered revers. The shoulder passementeries are so thick and raised as to be almost epaulettes. Tabllers, draped In some fashion or otber, are almost certainly making a deolded appearance, although the news of lt Is not quite spread. Parle, February 27. 1889;