LONDON FEMALE FASHIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 3469, 6 April 1874, Page 3

LONDON FEMALE FASHIONS.

With regard to dress, however, everybody appears in a kind of uniform just now, viz,, petticoats either of quilted satin or of a material the same as the rest of the costume, with kilt, plaited flounces, and a polonaise made with no basques, the body and skirt cut in one, large pockets at the side, and a profusion of oxidised buttons. Among the new nick-nacks are muffs which have a large bow or ribbon fastened with a 'buckle in the centre of the fur, so that when in use they are immediately in front of you. With regard to evening wear, I will describe two of the prettiest dresses I have seen lately—one was black and white, the other salmon-colored silk and dark claret velvet. The latter had a front breadth of the velvet, with a flounce of the same, headed by a crosscut band piped with pink ; above this a row of Point was arranged in a semi-circular form ; there were pockets at each side, ornamented with lace butterflies; the back of the dress was salmon-colored silk, the upper part made as a tunic, edged with point d’Alengon ; below it a crosswayplaited flounce, the heading lined with the velvet, which showed a good deal. The bodice consisted of a sleeveless jacket of the velvet, coming to the throat, with a tulle ruff; the sleeves were of the silk, trimmed with velvet. At many dinner parties this winter people have been wearing perfectly

full-dress toilettes, but coming high to the throat. The black-and-white dress was made long, of black tulle, no puffings j the tunic was edged with wide white tulle, headed by a puffing of the black tulle over white ribbon, and the back was divided from the front by perpendicular puffings of the same kind, with bows between ) and a series of such puffings were carried horizontally across the front of the tunic, a wide white silk sash was carelessly knotted at the back, and the bodice opened at the neck in a semicircular form, and was trimmed with folds of white tulle laid on outside. These semicircular boddices are superseding the square-cut and the heart-shaped ; the rounding is more becoming to the figure. Dressing well with small means is an easier art than it used to be, thanks to the annual sales which all the large linendrapers’ shops have, and where wonderful bargains are to be picked up. Indeed, quite a new system seems to have been introduced among our really best shops, viz!, that for one or perhaps two months in the year—January aud July—a portion of their. stock is brought out and sold at half the original cost, and a reduction made on everything, as long as the sale lasts, many items being charged again at the usual rate when it is over. “ Whiteley’s” is quite an institution ; it is. a shop, or rather series of shops, in We'stbourne-grove, where every article of dress, as well as some furniture

and stationery and ornamental nicknacks, are sold. Fine ladies, once upon a time, only went to cheap shopm en the sly, but everybody goes' and owns to going there, Some things just now are tp be had at absurdly low prices j the counters of the 10 or 12 shops are strewn with wares, and the crowd and the scramble are altogether ludicrous \ feathers and ruffs, silks, collars, cuffs, cotton dresses, made-up skirts, and the like, there they are—all piled up before you, and the number of shillings you are tempted to spend which you never dreamt of doing is wonderful. They have certain specialities. For example, you can buy almost any colored satin shoe to match any dress, and they contrive to cater for all the little wants in the matter of nick-nacks in dress at a cheap rate j but they charge you ll|d instead of Is. and add farthings on to everything, after thp manner of. cheap and there fe >e ©4-

countered whenever you go there. The last thing is a refreshment room—where you can have all kinds of good hot fare better than anywhere else in London—where ladies lunch, and at a fair price. Beer, wine, and spirits they do not sell.