DANCING DRESSES.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2248, 12 May 1881, Page 4

DANCING DRESSES.

[“ Queen.’'j Now that dances oro in full 6 wing in country houses, it is found that the short and white dancing dresses are quite taking the lead o£ others, especially for young and slim figures, and the really earnest devotees of the art. No doubt such costumes have proved themselves most suitable and economical, and can be made in different styles and materials. Madras and Indian muslin, trimmed with laces of various descriptions, always make up well, and silk, plush, and cashmere oro employed whore richer and warmer effects are desired. A short white dress requires very little and judiciously disposed trimming and drapery, and is always finished off round the skirt edero with a rich frill or ooquille of the material, lace, feather trimming, indispensable to the grace of a short dancing dress. The prettiest, tiniest feet appear to disadvantage from underneath a short toilette without this. Yery pretty granny muslins have been worn by fair debutantes lately. The white silk princess undordresacs, bodice and slip in one, were tightly gored to the figure, and edged with a ruche of pinked-out silk round the skirt. The nocks wore out in the shallow round, not exposing much of the shoulder. The overdress was of fine white Indian muslin had plain skirts, with a deep flounce of tho material, edged top and bottom with Valenciennes. Both edges wore drawn into thick ruches, and the middle of tho flounce puffed. The bodices were drawn like a baby’s bodice, with short puffed sleeves, and trimmings to match. Sometimes the muslin necks are high to the throat, and finished off by a thick lace ooquille. Sashes of rich silk, pinked out or trimmed with lace to match, are folded and tied round the waist with a butterfly bow at tho back ; butterfly bows on the sleeves and ahoes. Handkerchief dresses of white cream and other pale shades of muslin are also much worn. The under-dresses are silk or batiste, princeeso shape and sleeveless, and supply the place of petticoats and bodice. Tho overdresses aro generally made with a plain light skirt to tho knee, of muslin, with either a fine kilted one or puffed flounce, set on edge top and bottom, with lace ruehed or plaited; two inches of tho muslin are allowed to the lower ruohing with the lace. Tho drapery is arranged with square or three-cornered muslin handkerchiefs, edged with lace "to match. Smoll corners turning over larger ones aro a pretty way of arranging these. Made of tho Indian muslins, embroidered by 'the natives, this stylo looks particularly well. High or low or squarecut bolted bodices are most usual for such drosses. With a square-oat or high bodice a handkerchief, trimmed eti mite, composes tho neck trimming. Short or elbow sleeves, composed of two corners, look well. These handkerchief trimmings can cosily bo refreshed by ironing. Loops and silk scarves can bo twisted with tho drapery at tho back. Black muslin edged with white lace, and white muslin with black lace, have proved a groat success in some of_ these handkerchief dresses. The finer soft-falling laces ore the most suitable for trimming. Bale pink and blue, edged with cream or silvered lace, is a happy combination, as are also mauve and cream. Some of these white muslin dresses have appeared in Paris bofrilled up to the waist with tiny lace-edged plaitings, Beba bodices, and sashes. Others have floral fronts let into them, plastrons from neck to edge of skirt, nearly covered with small soft - stemmed flowers and leaves; snowdrops, primroses, violets, and daisies aro favorites. Others have plastrons of thickly ruohed laoo, edged at each side with wider lace ; tiny bows of

ribbon or bouquets nestle in these. For very young girls, and for slim, tall figures, who require a warmer dross, white cashmere and plush dresses are well worn, or the former with pluah trimmings. Fronts of quilted white or coloured silk are often let into such dresses and covered with a lattice work of pearls. A plain white plush dross, with a ooquille of alternate white and silver lace round the skirt, a white lace scarf worked with silver twisted cunningly round the shoulders and hips, was a dress to be remembered, with its wearer, a piquonto brunette. A pale pink plush dress, with very little ornament except a coquille of cream lace and primroses round the skirt, and a large bouquet of the came on one shoulder, was equally successful. These floral fronts and coquilles.with muffs to match, are gaining favor. Lacomuffs covered with small spring flowers, are dressy additions to simple dark dresses, and, together with a lacc and flower headdress or mantilla, much affeo'ol for opera, concert, &e._ White and mauve lilac, verbenas, jessamine, and hedge roses, hawthorn (pink and white), and other small flowers, are most generally used for this purpose, besides violets, snowdrops, crocuses, and primroses. White marabout trimmings are used for such, as well as dross trimmings mixed with flowers. Bands of this combine well with lace. Tulle skirts, with fine puffings and floral trimra.ngs, are much worn with coat bodices of velvet, brocade, plush, and beaded cuirasses. Dark myrtlegreen, with cloth of silver or gold cuirasses well out up on the hips, have a stylish effect ; but, as a rule, the bodice should be of a darker shade than the skirt. Palo lemon colour and brown, pale and dark royal blue, amethyst and deep violet, seal-brown and gold, pale coral and deepest crimson, cream and maroon, myrtle and sea-green, are all good combinations as also cinnamon and yellow pottery shades. Black dresses are masses of jet and laoo coquilles. Plastrons and beaded trimmings on white satin are much used for such toilettes in demi-mourning and draperies of white and black Spanish lace. Narrow cordons of tiny flowers defining the waist are often used to simulate a plastron of a dark toilette trimmed with lace. Where Spanish lace is employed, large single flowers are adopted, as bettor suiting that style of lace. Amongst les toilettes hardies of an EnglishFrench gathering, one of orange plush, draped scantily with black Spanish lace and tiny oranges and foliage, though startling, was not unbecoming to the petite brunette who wore it.