FASHION NOTES.

Observer, Volume 6, Issue 150, 28 July 1883, Page 18

FASHION NOTES.

By " Jenny Wees." Qolqured jet ,i«j much worn. Short silk continues in vogne. , For ball dresses tulle reigns supreme. Gold-coloured stockings are in gteat favour. Very large hats are worn only by young girls. Bonnets are in much greater favour than hats at present. ; '•< Lace and beads on gowns and mantles still hold their own. The newest mantles are made of Ottoman silk, in black or brown. Chenille continues a popular trimming for both dresses and, mantles. Peacock-blue is again fashionable, and appears in all the fashionable materials. The Piincess Louise gives a formal dinnerparty every week to Canadian society at Ottawa. Bouquets are still of gigantic size, and it is most chic to have them of one kind of flower only. Tufts of white feathei'3 and aigrettes make most elegant ornaments on while ball dresses, and also in colours on other dresses. There is nothing very new in evening toilets, the " waterfall " back has as yet no successful competitor, flounces are a poor substitute. The Hon. Rosalinda Clifford Butler, who was recently married at Devonshire, wore a charming dress oi ; ivory Ottoman silk, trimmed with Honiton lace of a very handsome description. The six bridesmaids were attired in the new primrose shade of Venetian vicuna, mixed with brocaded silk of the same shade, and trimmed with valenciennes. They also wore straw hats, trimmed to match the dresses, on which rosebuds were iastefully arranged. Satin skirts with deep puffs — these generally on the eross — are very fashionably worn ; many have draperies pleated at the sides, and open in front over the puffs : a plated scarf below the waist, over which fall the tabs of {he basque. When the dress is of two rich materials such as brocade and satin, satin nnd velvet, tho deep straight flounce forming a tunice, cut up in divisions with kiltings of the other material showing in the space, it is one of the most elegantly worn skirts. At the ball given by tlie Marquis and Marouesa of Santurce, in their house, at Kensington Palace Gardens, the Princess of Wales, in clouds of white tulle, looked her best, with a high tiara, of diamonds oh her head and an arrangement of green leaves across the front of her dress. Lady Brooke and Lady Capell, among the young married women, were most admired ; whilst among the young ladies, none came near Miss Chamberlain in universal admiration. She wore a most exquisite toilette of white and gold, which was also the material worn by Lady Brooke. The wedding dress of tho Barbarian princess, Duchess of Genoa, was of rich white satin, the tablier in front formed of three great folds, on each of which were embroideries in silver. The trimming of the train and skirt were of tulle illusion, while the veil was of point d'alen con. The total value of the jewellery given to the bvide is estimated at 297,000 francs. Ismail Pasha presented her with a splendid necklace, formed of ancient Egyptian coins. One of the bouquets offered to the princess measured over three feet in diameter. The ever-recurring " shepherd's plaid" is again to the front, and 9ome of the prettiest dresses i recently seen are of this pattern in a tiny check, I and trimmed with black velvet. One of these, j in silk, was arranged with three flounces, on the lowest of which seven rows of narrow black'.yelvet were sewn, a space measuring half the width of the velvet appearing between each row. On the middle flounce, were five rows ; on the upper one three. This was surmounted by a black velvet tunic, placed scarfwise round the hips, and lined with the check silk. The bodice, long and stiffly boned, was provided with a small black velvet waistcoat. .; ; Almost all the bodices, whatever may be their material or purpose, are made open at the neck ; the size and shape of the opening of course depends greatly on the degree of " dressiness" of the costume For morning and out-door wear the , space is filled by a plastron of the same material as some portion of the dresa ; for indoors, this may be replaced by a muslin fichu. Bodices with straps or fatten across often have a jribot full frill df lace underneath. „-T hese straps, either with or without lace, may be fastened in the centre seam, and ornament one side only, or go from side to' > side, in graduated lengths,' fastening to the bodice by buckles or buttons. At the Drawing Koom held by the Princess of Wales on May 21st,-Her Royal Highness wore a dress of ciel blue satin ducbesse, embroidered in silver-gilt draperies of the" finest' Brussels lace,/ looped with a large bouquet of roses and lilacs ; train of ciel brocade embroidered in various coloured flowers, and trimmed with satin, corsage to correspond. Princess Beatrice "wore'a. train and body of white corded silk lined with satin and bordered with pompadour mo\is3elin-de-soie, and a petticoat of white satin dufehesse, draped with pompadour and looped up viMi bunches of shaded roses corresponding. with tme design of the • mousselin-de-soie. The Duchess/ of Connaught wore » corsage and train of richiprune and gold brocade, lined with pale blue s«pin, and a petticoat of white satin draped ynth tulle jcluchesse lace, fastened, up,;wi% a^jJ, sprays of s^^:\ >-.-'■•■ -)■■ ,'■/ •■;• /.- ■; ■■•■•.-■'• ' :<l