LADIES’ EXPRESS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 317, 20 October 1875, Page 2

LADIES’ EXPRESS.

Ths Editor will be glad to give insertion to any local contributions from his lady friends that may be considered interesting in the family circle, or to the sex generally.)

PARIS FASHIONS. (From the Young Ladies’ Journal for September.) One of the prettiest fashions of the season is that of the small fichu to wear over the dress-bodice, and to serve by way of mantle for out-of-door wear. This fichu is worn of black lace over dark-colored dresses, of white lace over dressy toilettea of a light colour, of colored erfipe de Chine matched either to the dress or to its trimmings, or, again, for young girls, of simple white muslin. This being considered sufficient as a mantle, is in great favour with ladies for thehot weather. The black Chantilly lace pointed shawl, which we have already described as being suitable to wear in so many different ways, is also put on after a new fashion. It forms a sort of apron with a bib. Instead of placing the point at the back, it is placed in front, upon the bodice, and falling over the skirt in the shape of a pointed apron. It is fastened at the waist by a sash raised over either shoulder with a bow of ribbon, after which it comes down again to the waist, where it is crossed, and the ends left to hang loose. There also is placed the large bow of the sash, composed of a i series of drooping loops, finished by two ends. Some of our lady readers write to ask which is the most fashionable colour this year. Formerly, it is true, each season witnessed the appearance of some one colour, which was generally adopted as the colour a la mode. But things are changed, and this no longer happens nowadays. In winter, black prevails in the proportion of eighty black dresses in one hundred, In summer, neutral tints, such as ecru, gray, beige, replace in summer toilettes the sombre hue of winter ones. But then, besides these tints, one wears whatever one may happen to prefer, provided, indeed, one does not select colours of too bright a hue —for soft, light, almost effaced colours, if not very dark ones, are still the favourites. Crdme colour—that is, a yellowish white, such as that of rich Devonshire cream—enjoys uncommon favour since the spring ; but still, it can scarcely be adopted exclusively and is mostly seen in accessories of the toilette, such as flowers for bonnet trimmings, ribbons, cravats, gloves, sunshades, fichus, scarves, and even tunics to wear over skirts of a more decided tint.