LONDON FASHIONS AND LONDON SHOPS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1187, 28 October 1882, Page 8 (Supplement)

LONDON FASHIONS AND LONDON SHOPS.

The newest and best worn costumes at Hurlingham and Ranelagh of late have been composed of black lace over some brightcoloured satin, such as brilliant terra-cotta, deep rose, red, &c. The front of the skirt is covered with piece lace, usually French; the back is satin, in fine killings; the pointed bodice is covered in lace, and finished at the edge with a row of large jet beads, otherwise the lace is not beaded. Among the most successful dresses at Hurlingham, may be noted one of dark olive-green velvet, with small bonnet to match, trimmed with pale blue for-get-me-nots, tinged with green, the strings being gauze, to'match the flowers. Another costume was light grey cashmere and moirS combined, trimmed with beaded passementerie ; grey bonnet and parasol. A dark blue cashmere dress, with paniers and sash, cuffs, and collar of blue satin, spotted with red, each dot as large as a shilling, was also pretty; the blue bonnet ornamented with red poppies. The universally worn short skirts, are mostly edged with huge ruches. Some young ladies wear a shoulder cape to match their Costume, and the newest are those that fasten on the right shoulder instead of in the centre : but mantles are not in favour this season. ’ So many waists have shrunk to twenty or twenty-two inches, and the fit of bodices is so perfect, that as a rule it is considered a pity to conceal what has been attained by—shall we say, trouble or labour? Some few of the basket, or osier bonnets, have made their appearance in London. It is to be regretted that they have crossed the Channel, for they are not pretty. They are mostly trimmed with such fruits as currants, strawberries, cherries, and even plums and apricots. In far better taste are the small black, or dark satin straw bonnets, the brim covered with white hawthorn, clematis, cherry blossom, &c. The dark red straws, are trimmed with arbutus, pink eglantine, dwarfed roses, &c., and they are worn with a dark red net veil, spotted with chenille—which veils are very popular, as they often are to be seen on other bonnets, besides red straws. Fanciful pins, are plentifully used in millinery this season, the gilt-headed and jet-headed ones perhaps taking the lead. Cream dresses are much worn. Nun’s cloth, trimmed with deep lace, broche nun’s cloth, spotted Spanish and Swiss tambour muslins, brocaded erfipe, and crinkled crSpe, aj-e the favourite materials. They are made with flounces, paniers, and full bodices, and also with two very deep gathered flounces, the upper one meeting the pointed bodice, which is sometimes edged with lace to match the skirt. For full-dress costumes, the fourreau, or plain skirt, is made of broche silk, usually of pink roses, on a cream ground, with either a full ruche round the edge, or frills of lace let into the silk at intervals, and the bodice and panier drapery of soft nun’s cloth draped high on the hips, and much trimmed with lace. A few half-mourning costumes have appeared in this style, with neutral-tin-ted flowers on a white ground, with black or grey nun’s cloth, draped over. The silk India muslin is an exquisite material, and can be had now, in all delicate shades. It is mixed with satin and lace. Poppy-red India muslin, and also nun’s cloth costumes, are very smart-looking. They are worn with large black hats, turned up at one side, with a black feather, and tuft of poppies. On the skirts, some have a narrow piped edging of the same coloured satin, about half an inch wide, to correspond with the broad satin sashes so fashionable, and with the bodice trimming. Blue and red are popular, and many shot silks are worn, with wide sashes of the colours, each end and loop reversed to show a different colour. Brown and gold are still worn, and also pale pink, with “ ficelle” lace or embroidery, on linen ; white with lemon colour, and gold mixed with cream. In the latter, a combination of gold-coloured brocade and cream cashmere is particularly pretty. At recent bazaars, and afternoon receptions, many young ladies have worn white Surah dresses, simply made; a white muslin, elaborately trimmed with lace, and broad coloured sashes tied round the waist; shoulder capes of gathered lace. The quaint open-worked bonnets, in imitation of twisted green rush baskets, are novel. They have a wreath of moss, and a tuft of flowers a little to one side. Many young ladies add a real spray of stephanotis or roses. Short dresses continue to be universally worn on full-dress morning occasions, and in the evening the skirts are so short in front that the shoes are seen to the best advantage, and the demand for pretty shoes is always on the increase. Messrs. Phipps and Barker, Cadogan House, Sloane-street, have made chaussures a study. Among their bridal shoes some are embroidered in pearls, and trimmed with Brussels, Honiton, or any other lace to match the dress; some embroidered in silk, and trimmed with orange blossom, and an inexpensive kind on white satin has a pearl buckle and tulle bows, matching the veiL All these are becoming and durable, and so are the black satin, kid, and bronze shoes, embroidered by Parisian workers, and quite original both in design and colouring, the best having a happy mixture of coloured beads, as well as silk embroidery. Since the tan-coloured gloves have been worn, there has been a demand for tan-coloured shoes of undressed leather, and the firm have a specialty for those embroidered in a darker shade of silk. The same firm have also introduced some new watertight Highland boots, to button or lace, the latter being a better support to the foot in walking. They fit closely, keep their shape, last well, and are exceedingly light for this class of boot. Now is the season when fete dresses and garden party dresses are in great demand. One of the handsomest toilettes of the kind we have seen was an electric-blue satin and moir6, trimmed with rich beading of the same shade, mixed with opal. A pink satin with rich trimmings of twine lace illustrates a

kind of dress now the height of the fashion. It was of the lightest tone, with an invisible kilt-plaitirig at the edge, then, almost hiding it, a couple of lace-edged draperies, fend'then paniers, but the Whole so indescribably blended and falling bne over the other that it is difficult to describe; the bodice was pointed and plentifully trimmed with lace. The same soft satin and style of making had been applied to cream, electric blue, navy blue, pink cottons, as well as zephyrs, which are trimmed with ficelle and other lace, of which it is scarcely possible to have sufficient in a dress now. Butcher-blue zephyr and a brick pinky red, almost the tone of the fraise ecrasS, are being much.used. These have full-banded bodices and high collars, and the two straight draperies on the skirt have wide lace insertion let in, and borderings of lace; the upper tunic forming a scarf round the waist, caught up with a ribbon sash, cardinal satin, on butcher-blue, for example. The figured cottons that closely resemble silk, are also much worn, and printed silk and cotton, muslin, and washing silk—all these with large scattered patterns upon them. On the richer make of fete dresses, such as Duchesse satin and brocade, a large amount of bead embroidery is expended. Some of the newest paniers are gathered on the skirt in points, back and front, the pointed bodice meeting them, and they stand out as though padded. On evening dresses the flounces used are of huge size, and are often put on the left-hand side at the edge of ithe bodice basque. The rage for flowers is so great now that a fashionable fan takes the form of a huge POPPY. and to the stem is a knot of ribbon bows.

Mme. Melanie, of St. George’s-place, Hyde Park Corner, has made a becoming and yet simple bonnet, and is finding many patrons among the best-dressed women of the day, such as the Countess of Dudley and others. Her workpeople being French, she adapts French modes to English faces. Among many charming bonnets, we noticed one formed of row upon row of gold braid, a bunch of most natural chrysanthemums on one side; the same, carried out in silver, had a good effect. Some brown-beaded lace, combined with beading, on another bonnet showed off to great advantage, a tuft of variegated tulips nestling on one side. Quite new was a modified poke, peculiarly becoming; over the face it was a sort of union of the Langtry and the poke, and was made in open straw, a long spray of flowers falling at the back. Sailor hats are fashionable, but we have seldom seen a prettier one than a blue and red fancy straw, trimmed with blue and red ribbon. Many of the new shapes in bonnets can be worn with and without strings, and so serve a double purpose. Besides bonnets, Mme. Melanie has charming mantles and well-arranged dresses. Travelling costumes again occupy the attention of both designers and purchasers. Messrs. Cobb, of Baker-street, W., forwards photographs of his new models and samples of the cloths of which he makes them. The principal features are pointed bodices, panier tunics, plaited skirts with graceful drapery at the back, sleeves set high on the shoulder, and cuffs almost devoid of trimming; in fact, most sensible travelling gear, for any extraneous ornamentation that catches dust and proves attractive to it should be carefully avoided in a costume intended for rough as well as fair weather. The cloths are soft, light in weight, and dark in colour; tiny checks of green, blue, and brown, all sombre in effect, notwithstanding the bright flecks of colour introduced, and which render them particularly suitable for travelling costumes. —From The Queen.