LONDON FASHIONS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 919, 19 February 1881, Page 2

LONDON FASHIONS.

(From The Queen). Feather fans are made of small flat feathers, say of a grey tone, on which are a border and centre design in green metallic feathers. Sometimes the latter takes the form of a monogram, sometimes of a small bird. The most fashionable fans have tortoiseshell frames and ribs of metallic green or of seafowl feathers. After the feather fans none are more used than large red plush ones with gold sticks. Other dressy nick-nacks are cuffs and collars made of black or blue ribbed silk, trimmed with half-inch wide gold braid these are sold in sets, and much enliven dark dresses.

There are many weddings going on just now, and there are two points to chronicle in brides’ toilettes. The skirts of the dresses seldom have any orange blossoms, and the tulle veils, far more comnie il faut than lace, are as often as not worn at the sides and back, and not over the face, secured by diamond-pins. There is a change in fashions of hairdressing, and so natural that they defy detection, every face being specially studied. Skilful arrangements are made for concealing bald crowns ; for, instead of covering them thickly with hair, and so destroying any hope of the head recovering itself, by an ingenious contrivance the foundation to which the hair is attached is placed above and below the bald patch, a thin layer of hair only being drawn over it. This foundation is not of woven hair, but of the finest gauze, into which the hair is knotted, each one separately. The weight is merely nominal. H.R.H. the Princess of Wales and other ladies of fashion have of late adopted undulated hair, instead of tiny curls, to fall over the forehead and small fringes of this class, the most natural looking things possible. Small curled toupets, just to lay on the front, when the hair is dressed, without the wearer having to cut the front are arranged on anew principle. Only quite young girls are now content with the curled fringe and a coil at the back ; those past girlhood adopt small flat curls, oi’ marteaux, over the top of among Messrs. Clarke’s novelties, the head, and a curled postiche without any fouadation at all, is made to meet this want. It is a double row of flat curls attached to strips of narrow ribbon, and intended to come from the fringe to the coil; nothing could be lighter or more real ; if preferred, the coil may be done nr.d "he end of this be A AT

neck. These several headdresses are so arranged that, with a little care, they require to be blit seldom dressed, and keep in order far a long time, for they are made of naturally curling hair. It is well to know that the using of irons, which is apt to lighten the color and spoil the hair, may be greatly obviated by placing such headdresses occasionally before the fire and in the open.

Quite a new style of coat has a double cape, each bound with cord and turned back with buttons in front, showing a velvet .revere. The buttons used are large silver ones, which appear all down the front in a double row, for the bodice is double-breasted. It describes three tight skirts, each edged with cord, the lower buttoning off low. Long frock coats, doublebreasted, are the most fashionable outdoor garments for country wear. Jersey bodices for evenings are being superseded by seamed bodices, cut in elastic silk, and fastened with very small buttons down the front; this ensures a perfect fit. Dressy caps for the evening are made with cream lace and a red plush crown. These are attached to the hair by large-headed pins. The large square collars are much worn for both morning and evening wear. They are either of muslin or cambric, trimmed with lace. Some are made from fancy-bordered handkerchiefs. Half of the handkerchief forms the square collar, shaped to the neck, and half is arranged as a pretty knot for the front. Evening lace handkerchiefs, as well as fancy silk ones, are now arranged as bows or knots, and worn in front of the dress. Very delicate gold lace is used on silk and plush ties ; if broad, it is put on plain, but if narrow, sewn on alternately with cream or black lace of the same width.

Some of the newest t’es for the neck are composed of a strip of colored gauze, bordered on each side with satin. They are very wide, and are tied in a large bow under the chin. The satin and gauze are usually of the same color, but navy-blue and red is a favorite mixture just now. Some of the new boots are buttoned very far back at the sides, behind the ankle bone. They are supposed to be more becoming to the foot, but are more quaint than pretty. The slippers are very elaborate, and some have a row of beads all round the edge. In black, they are jet; in white, pearls.

When a girl concludes to put up her hair and make herself look sweet, the best policy is to let her have her own way. She can’t be drawn away from her mirror by any of the ordinary things of this life. A fire will sometimes do it, but it has been shown that even a fire may fail to excite some girls. The other night a New lork lodging-house took fire, and at a most uncomfortable hour—when most girls probably have their back hair down. One of the young ladies heard that the place was burning down, but she didn t feel like making her appearance before the crowd which had gathered in the street looking like a perfect fright. She shut the door leading into the hall to keep out the flames, and went to her mirror to fix her hair. Anybody who has waited for a girl to fix her hair knows that it takes time, and a great deal of it. The girl wasn’t any quicker than the average, and she was very particular about having her hair done up exactly as it should be. lhe fire had cut off her chances of escape by the stairs, and her lover after appealing to her for some time’ finally lost his patience and got away without her. A fireman got up to the room on a ladder, and she made him sit on the edge of the window and wait until she had arranged her hairpins and ribbons for a right sort of public appearance; then she threw herself into his arms—it was so romantic—and slid down the ladder with him looking just sweet. The whole thing was a tremendous success ■ but when the careful young girl was safely landed od the pavement she found that she had forgotten her stockings. Lawn tennis has now completely croquet, in England. The

latter game is, indeed, never heard of, except when it is mentioned as a thing of the past, like Queen Anne or the Crimean War. I dare say, in time, lawn tennis will be quite the thing in California. It is a far prettier, more active and scientific game than croquet, does not require half the room, arid, though but four can play at it at a time, the chance it gives young ladies for the display of their figures in agile postures, set off by stunning toilettes, makes it immensely popular with the fair sex. The proper style of lawn tennis costume for ladies is a white flannel skirt quite short, surmounted by a tight-fitting white “ Jersey.” Some female devotees of the game go so far as to wear white canvas shoes, spiked like the men’s, and of a size more consistent with comfort and the ability to |move about quickly, than neatness and beauty of outline. The fact is, Englishwomen, strange as it may seem, don’t “ travel ” on their feet. They go more on figures ; and while it is undoubted that they are wise not to make much of what nature has already made a great deal of, they can brag of their figures. It must be acknowledged that English women are renowned for good figures the world over, and perhaps the most perfect female figure in England to-day is that possessed by the famous Mrs. Langtry. The “ Jersey,” first introduced by her, and now all the fashion for ladies, was intended to display this natural advantage to perfection, and, for that reason, it has always seemed ridiculous that any one should wear this fascinating garment, as is generally done, over corsets. When Mrs Langtry puts hers on, it goes over nothing but nature ; that is to say, if a four-inch narrow band of whaleboned silk, to keep in shape the slender roundness of her waist above the hips, can be called anything. Over that. — and that alone —is the fine silk-knitted Jersey drawn, fitting her figure like a Jouvin glove.