FASHION NOTES.

Observer, Volume 5, Issue 124, 27 January 1883, Page 313

FASHION NOTES.

By "Jenny Ween." New basques are single breasted. High heels are quite gone out of fashion. Coloured hose are now universally worn. The novelty of the season in trimming is leather lace.

Stamped velvets are coming into favour once more.

Sleeves are narrow and very full on the shoulders.

Brocaded plush is much used for trimming velvet and silk.

Short dresses are very generally preferred for balls by ladies who dance.

Ottoman velvet is more fashionable than satin for bride's dresses.

Feather rosettes with steel and gold centres are a novelty.

Tricot cloth, makes pretty iacket bodices, in cardinal or terra cotfca.

Terra cotta, in velvet, satin, and Ottoman rep is a colour much, in demand. Mascofcte, amadou, and electric-blue are the shades most worn at present.

Panier draperies often end in long waterfall black breadths, which, have the merit of not crushing like puffs.

Painted or embroidered birds are worn on hats in place of real ones, which are becoming rare and expensive.

Stiff muslin, very full, and horsehair flounces, are fixed into the nack of skirts, and tied or fastened in position with large safety pins.

The last idea for tulle evening dresses is to scatter them all over with the leaves of the flowera which, appear on the side bouquets.

Mantles are, like bonnets, either immense or quite small, rounded in front, looped up at the back, and covered with passementerie and ribbons.

Fans are now ornamented with stuffed birds, those of curled ostrich feathers have a parrakeet fixed on, with the head reposing on the sticks and the tail upwards.

The new cloaks are very magnificent, especially those in black brocaded Siciliennematelasse, being of the dolman shape, yet cut to the figure, and with rich chenille trimmings.

Coloured straw bonnets, particularly ruby, green, and navy-blue, are much worn, some being trimmed with clusters of fluffy silk balls, in as many as£vo colours. I^H^Bno^ired crochet lace is at present a m<M|MMpnable trimming for ladies' and childrWs Stresses ; it is worked both in cotton and silk, and is very pretty and durable.

Straight collars of black and coloured velvet, made on a piece of stiff muslin or buckram, -with the points turned back in front, are worn with the Newmarket jabots of straight, folded lace, and look very well.

In the way of novelties in knicknacks, a nightdross sachet, scented, of pale grey and pink satin, profusely trimmed with Valenciennes lace, and embossed roses in satin-stitch, measures threequarters of a yard square, and is intended as an ornament in the centre of a bed.

Charming toilettes are made of white muslin, The skirt is puffed lengthwise with a strip of Mechlin or Valenciennes insertion ; paniers, or a draped scarf of light-coloured S urah, rose-coloured, cream, pale blue, straw, or cherry-colour. The bodice is made of puffed muslin, with bows of Surah ; the sleeves are finished at the elbow with a turned-down flounce and bow of Surah. Such toilettes are also made of light-coloui'ed muslin. They are sometimes worn with a bodice of black or coloured velvet, peaked in front and at the back, and very close fitting.

One of the prettiest dresses worn at the Lord Mayor's ball, had a white satin front arranged in sweet little puffings, over which fell flounces of imitation old Valenciennes, and under each pulling there was some .exquisite embroidery of pearls and beads on nefl edged with fringe to match. The bodice, par! y-) } and train, were of pink brocaded satin a lov t0 "hade, draped most exquisitely, and also trim 7® with. Valenciennes. The sleeves were of siniilai W^.% and just turned the elbow, where they wei off with lace edging. The square nec^c had a tucker of Honiton, The sortie de bal was of white brocaded satin, lined with pink and edged with ivory marabout trimming.

A pretty costume made for Mrs Langtry's American tour, was of soft blue woollen material, a short skirt with deep treble box-plaits and a draped tunic, forming loose folds in front, and at the back a couple of kilt plaitings to the waist, the bodice had a heart-shaped waistcoat of red silk, covered with rows of gold braid. On the hips, where was a narrow basque, was a band of the red, covered with gold braid, and the same was introduced on the cuffs. The effect was most pretty. At the nock on one side of the waistcoat, was the American flag applique, the Union Jack on the other. Another dress was of gendarme blue 1 cloth, had trimmings of silver braid, made with a tabbed jacket, and a short drapery by way of tunic falling over wide and narrow kiltings at wide intervals, braiding appearing on each plait.

In bonnets, the poke and cottage shapes geeni likely to prevail, although small capotes are still ■worn. Feathers are worn in large numbers, both curled and smooth. Beads are now much less worn than at the commencement of the season. Pleated skirts are still quite fashionable, being seen in nasny of the new models of the season, though by no means in afi. Some costumes are braided, some are plain ; all depends on taste. Very pretty dinner-dresses are made of plaided silk for the skirt, flounced and draped, and a velvet bodice, either black or some dark colour matching the prevailing tint of the plaid. Embroidery continues very fashionable, and a number of new and fanciful devices have been introduced. Leaf and flower patterns, cut out from brocaded materials, and worked in applique over some plain fabric, outlined with fine braid. Sfceel-grey embroidery over dark gray or black , outlined with steel beads, forms an elegant trimming for a halfmourning toilette.