PARIS FASHIONS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3100, 4 June 1881, Page 3

PARIS FASHIONS.

The fine woollen materials, so soft that they might .bo called wool muslins, are much patronised. They are made up over silk, which, however, remains invisible; but their dull surface is enlivened with satin trimmings, embroidery, and lace. The newest o£ these wool muslins is embroidered in tiny dots of silk. Nun's cloth now appears with its selvedge wrought in openwork designs, which come in for trimming. There are several new applications of embroidery this season, and many of the borderings produce a shaded effect, which is managed by allowing the dye to run or drip off gradually. In some of tho thicker woollen materials the novelty is tho introduction of gay perpendicular stripes down half of tho fabric, while the other half is a solid colour ; indeed, much is done by the manufacturer to facilitate the dressmaker in trimming costumes. These stripes and embroidered selvedges or borderings all go to the ornamentation of the costume. The colour of such materials is usually Quaker like, such as soft shades of drab and tan, while the stripes have a great deal of dark olive-green and some gilt threads introduced. The bege and creamy shades of last season have deepened in tone, and instead of " old-gold," I see " now-gold,'' and the dull yellows are now brightened to jonquil shades. Sicilienne is still much used by our dressmakers, especially in black and light colours ; tho lighter makes of this fabric called Bengalino and Victoria (whictt are all silk) will be worn as the summer advances. A beautiful Sicilienne dress has been made recently in the new blue, which looks as though it were powdered with silver. The skirt is bordered with a thick ruche, headed with an embroidery is bo fine

that it might be mistaken for Spanish lace. The basque bodice has a waistcoat embroidered like a flounce, For a less dressy toilette I have seen a Sicilienne polonaise of tho colour called Carmelite, or old silver; the skirt, of shot silk to match, was trimmed with four kiltings. Twilled silk, called Surah, is also in great favour for dresses : repped silks are nowrelegated to linings of bodices and foundations of skirts Satin Surah, a more closely woven fabric, and often known by the name of satin Merveilleux, is used for both dresses and mantles ; it resembles satin de Lyon, but is softer. The shaded and striped satins look well combined with cashmere, especially in the dark olive greens contrasted with various shades of gold. The printed satin foulards are made up in great variety, those with dark grounds covered with Japanese figures being immense favorites. When warmer days come, serge Surah is to be worn in light colors, and trimmed with batiste embroidery slightly worked with gold thread. The embroidery is used on many of the dresses recently made by Mdme Rodrigues iov fetes; it is not white, nor is it cream, but the shade known as terre cuite, the same that some laces take when they have lain by for a time.

I remark much that is new in black grenadines, which are always most useful dresses. Plain silk dresses are trimmed ■with black net frills, dotted and scolloped with white silk; others have steel trimmings, combined with a quantity of Spanish lace. Two kinds of grenadine are used in one dress —striped grenadine for the skirt, and broche grenadine for the bodice and trimmings; sometimes the waistcoat and tablier are satin, embroidered with steal beads and bugles. Bayadere stripes of steel on black net are very effective trimmings on black grenadine dresses. There is quite a rage for Spanish lace ; it is used for bonnets, mantles, and dresses. The bonnets are trimmed with a gay tuft of feathers—coral or flame color; and I infinitely prefer the Spanish to the steel lace, which is another popular favorite. Parasols have not beon as yet much in request 5 but there are many novelties in them. They are larger and not so flat as those of last summer, and are covered with satin Merveilleux, Surah, and broche* satin.

The Mercedes is novel as by an ingenious contrivance the outside covers tho projecting top of the stick, and forms a sort of canopy, ornamented with lace or beads to match the

trimming. White enamelled ribs showing outside the lining are a new feature ; so are borders of Bayadere satin on dark parsols, the gay stripes sometimes appearing round the centre of the parasol. Spanish lace is plentifully used on parasols ; black lace on red, black, and cream ones j and frills of white Spanish lace cover white satin parasols that are lined with pink-white silk. Gilt and silver brocades are also used for carriage parasols. Some of the ebonised sticks have china handles, and white satinwood, polished to look like ivory, is treated in a similar manner. Of course, there are shaded parasols, for shaded effects are everywhere. The three newest parasols I have yet seen are called Artiste, Robinson, and Ninon. The Artiste is in cretonne, studded with birds and decorated with a palette of oolors; tho Robinson has fifteen ribs, and is covered with flowers ; the Ninon is in Indian foulard, embroidered with gold or silver thread. —The Queen.