PARIS FASHIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 3460, 25 March 1874, Page 3

PARIS FASHIONS.

Paris, January 12 One of the commonest mistakes that ladies fall into is that connected with (be choice of colors, an ignorance of the first principles of taste. A French lady never errs in this respect, if she, as a wonder, lacks instinctive judgment, she consults her dressmaker, just as she would her doctor; she neither adopts colors nor cuts because they may be the rage, but because they are suitable to her. 'ibis is the true law of fashion, requiring a personal tact and attention of no small importance to be interpieted’. The hat, too, for example, ought ever to be suitable to the toilet; felt is in dispensible with a cloth or woollen costume but velvet and faille can alone be worn for full dress. For theatre's and visits, some very pretty bonnets are to be met with in crape or black tulle embroidered with jet ; these bonnets can also be worn in the demi season, when trimmed with colored feathers and bows of velvet or lace, bisected by a jet poignard, or secured by a buckle of the same substance, jet leaves and lace are also employed, but the hat thus trimmed, looking charming under the in fiuence of light, are heavy for many. The t-ame objection as to heaviness applies also to costumes Ornamented with jet; which, when employ ed in stripe-fashiou, imparts a slender air to ladies of full habits; hence, on ‘he contrary, jet trimmings become slender figures. Jet is so much like fur, at present a kind of passion, that collars of jet cover the front of corsages as far as to the waist. Collars in velvet, with jet embroidery, commonly called “ the do.’s collar,” are very attractive, and appropriate for girls. A very serviceable article of dress is t'is blaci. velvet dress, closely fitting to the figure, with fur or feather trimming; it can be worn indifferently with all robes, even those

for reception and dinner, which latter are frequently made up in rich faille, in half tints or dark shades. - The bavanna is a new material much in vogue ; it is trimmed with a complicated rich plait all round ; the overskirt is in tho same material. Many visiting toilettes are to he met with m olive-coloured poplin, with tunic cordage ; and electric bine snltajre, with plain training jape. is a favorite house robe, violet and reseda satin are in vqgpe for dinner dresses. As a word ip season, ladies whose figures are not tall should carefully avoid the. Gabrielle coll ere tte, which really only suits a long graceful neck ; those who have not the neck long, ought to leave it as free as possible; hence the advantage for them of the turned down collar and open corsages, the opposite for opposite figures. In the matter * f cojffure, blondes and brunes, should never dress the hair alike ; the former are charming with the hair crisped, wavy, and puffed, never oiled or pomaded, at most only powder j the brunes cannot have their hair too smooth or too glossy—large undulations and eng repentirs j anything approaching the staring or the’crisp recalls the negro. The hair is at present worn drawn well up from behind, and raised on the summit of the head, demands only a flower, a bow of ribbon, for a head dress, suited alike to a ball, a dipner* or a soiree.