FASHIONS FOR MARCH.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 105, 11 May 1870, Page 2

FASHIONS FOR MARCH.

We find the costume dresses are more than ever in request. They are sometimes made too short ; the proper length should be just suffi. cient to escape the ground, so that in dry weather the dresses should not get soiled at the bottom. In wet weather these costumes require looping or drawing up in some way. Nearly all are composed of two skirts, or the double skirt is so imitated by a trimming. The latter is, perhaps, the most desirable for small figures, yet it scarcely produces the stylish effect of the draped or couffante upper skirt. This, however, may be managed in another way. Cut all the breadths of the skirt, excepting the front breadth, from eight to twelve inches longer than the required length of the skirt ; join the side seams to within rather more than a quarter of a yard of the waist; the back breadth requires an inch or two more. The remainder must be gathered and drawn up to the length needed. The other breadths between the back arid side are seen the whole Jength without gathering, and thus produces the puffings. The sash should also he made couffante, so as to finish off the back of the dress. The short paletot, opened up the back to the waist, and often also under the arms, is that most used for the costume. Instead of the paletot the casaque tunic is sometimes worn, forming a second skirt, looped up by bows of velvet. Also the casaqne, or body with casaques, the latter particularly adopted by young ladies. Many costumes arc made of two shades —such as bottle and myrtle green, dark, and light brown, violet and amethyst. It is said that a large open sleeve will be ■worn with these dresses in the spring, but at present the tight sleeve prevails. .Evening dresses are most frequently made with two skirts, the underskirt round, and trimmed apron fashion j the upper opened in front and trained. They are often of different materials and colours; for instance, a skirt of lilac taffetas under a train of velvet of a deeper shade, or of two shades of green, or of golden brown under a dart brown, &c., Lace, black oi- white, is almost always the trimming for these toilettes. Sometimes, besides trimming the body, a wide lace falls from the waist, forming a basque, or it may be placed in wide revers up the side of the train. The sleeves are half long, formed of one or more puffiings, and completed by a deep frill of lace. For balls, no dresses are more elegant than those mnde of tulle and crape ; the mingling of these materials produces a charming effect. The upper part of the skirt may be entirely covered ■ with puffings, and the lower part with flounces ; or the apron .only composed of tulle bouillous, separated by ruches of crape, and all the train of large bouillous surrounded with crape flounces. Bouquets and wreaths .of roses, pomegranate blossom, geraniums, &c., are also used to ornament these skirts. The crape of flounces may be edged or scalloped with satin ribbon or 'narrow marabout fringes, or ruches of pink taffetas are mixed with the bouillounes. These robes are usually worn with a satin petticoat. Silk skirts ; covered with flotmces alternately pink and white, maize and white, green and white, &c, are very pretty, especially if a tunic of black or white lace is worn over them. The bodies are quite square or round, having a lace or plaited tucker ; and a ruche, a frill, a puffing, or a lace is placed round the top, and covers the sleeve. Although round waists and sashes are still in favour, bodies with points are not less so. Basques in various styles are worn with ball-dresses —for instance, a satin body, with a gauze berthe, with scalloped basques falling over a gauze skirt, trimmed with rouleaux of satin.— European Mail, March 10.