PARISIAN GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5209, 1 December 1877, Page 2 (Supplement)

PARISIAN GOSSIP.

The question of the day is, What is to replace the sheath style of dress, now iu its decline ? A few ladies of the French aristocracy have tried a Restoration dress, composed of a plain skirt, plain body pointed iu front, and plain sleeves. But though seme of tho greatest dlogantes have essayed this, the outsiders have cried against it. It has thus been doomed to die, although yet scarcely born. It is true that we are not yet in autumn, and that before October a novelty may surge from the depths of the unknown to astonish and to please the great world of fashion. For the moment our greatest artists have quite a little army of correspondents taking notes at the principal watering-places of Europe. When these notes are compared a happy result may ensue. Many of our readers will perhaps visit the Normandy coasts this year ; some may go to Dieppe, some to Trouville, some elsewhere ; but none will see the same dresses, or even the same style of dresses, at any of these places. Each has its own speciality. At Dieppe ladies dress almost the same as they would in Paris, and Paris summer fashions are “ finished ” there. Do not take your winter mode’s from Dieppe, then. At Boulogne it is tho English who give ideas to the French. Only, as you cannot know which English innovation may have the honor of pleasing our Paris faisturs, nor how the innovation may be renovated to suit Paris taste, yon cannot make your choice there. At Trouville you see au accumulation of so many new and eccentric fashions that you are too bewildered to select your own model.' Perhaps the very fashion which you may consider the least likely to take will be the one which will take the best. Last year every voice was loud against the Bretonne costume, yet it has continued until now. This year it is a “ shrimpoatcher" custorne which is the talk of Trouville. But who will as yet dare say, thereby, that next year we are all to he dressed as “ shrimpoatchers." In any case Trouville has now quite usurped the old fame of Longchampa. It is chiefly here that our dressmakers take what they .call their “ inspirations.” One thing appears certain—every kind of outergarment will be provided" with a Carriak, or Irish cape of tliree collars reaching to the shoulder-. They are evert worn as thesoie outer covering with Princess robes and polonaises. I may say that they are in universal favor with Parisian ladies. They take but little material, and are easily made. Moreover, they represent a covering without concealing the waist. They will be worn until heavy jackets become necessary. Valois collars and cuffs are also meeting with great favor. They are formed of a very high pleating of lace or muslin, mounted on an insertion, through which is passed a black velvet or colored ribbon. You place this round the neck and tie the ribbon in front. The cuffs are made in the same way. The ribbon is tied at the wrists, and the plaiting is turned overtire sleeve.

Childrens dresses are charming this hot weather—always white or colored percale for out-of-doors ; they can tumble about without fear or cheek. Borne are light striped, others dark striped ; sente drab, others dark blue ; but the latter draws the heat. Large Leghorn hats, which shade but do not flap upon the face, are tied on at the back under the brim with narrow ribbon, or preferably a thin muslin scarf, which protects tile neck from the sun. These percale dresses are embroidered iu Russian embroidery, and in white coarse cottou. This ornamentation is quickly done, and will wash well. Some of these seaside dresses for girls of twelve and fourteen have the front breadths of a different pattern of percale from the other portion ; for instance a striped cambric dress opens from the neck to tho front, and this open space is (riled with pleated cambric the color of the stripes, and is crossed in front with four bands of striped cambric fastened in the front This dress opens at the back, and is buttoned to below the waist ; at this termination there are bows and ends of the material of the dress.—M. de 8., in the Ladies' Treasury.