THE OBSERVER'S PARIS LETTER.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 227, 17 January 1885, Page 9

THE OBSERVER'S PARIS LETTER.

Specially Wkittex sou the Ladies

Paris, November 15

The winter material for dresses are new at least in colour and name. Wool embroidered Indian cashmeres have a very fresh look, Avhich is agreeable. The /rise velvet, along- with a cashmere of the same shade, make an elegant toilette : the jacket and jupo are in velvet, the tunic in cashmere ; further, the jupo is worn flat, without a particle of trimming. Indian vigognes arc comfortable and woolly, and stand the weather well. The nicest town dresses, if the colours be well harmonised, are in cheviots embroidered with chenille. To these materials may be added figured cashmeres, flower designs, and happy colours. Eibbon and velvet enter largely as trimmings for the above dresses ; the patronising 1 of these materials Avill aid the distressed silk wearers of Lyons and St. Etienne. The cause of this distress is largely due to the manufacturers themselves not inarching with the times, and producing mixed instead of all silk goods. A lady must have a veiy respectable pin-money to be able to purchase, considering the fluctuations of fashion in colour and shape, pure silk dresses. A robe at present, consisting of a corsage and two dupes, necessitates 35 yards of stuff at lofr. a-yard, not taking into account the trimming ! There is nothing new in ball or dinner dressew ; silk, satins, and failles being the materials patronised. Town costumes are in cloth and grey skirting; the jupe, in the latter material, and round. Plum coloured vigogne i? also in vogue. Visiting toilettes are in figured velvet and plum ottoman ; shape, princess ; also, in reddish brown velvet with sapphire velvet trimming, and alter ottoman and cashmere of same shade.

The DanichefF is a very rich and elegant mantle, and goes well with the soft velvet Bebe hat; there are mantles in brocade with figured velvet and fur trimmings; there are also the pelerines and camails, in cloth, velvet, and fur. For visiting or the theatre, the moliere shoe, in patent kid, is in favour ; for soirees, the black satin pump is preferred, with an elegant bow in figured ribbon. For out-door wear, the American boot, in kid and double sole, is the mode. In hair, shawl and bonnet pins — the designs are daggers, plough-shares, lilies, crooks, arrows, birds heads, whips, &c. Jet is welcomed as ears of com or sprigs. In brooches, there is nothing remarkable, save to coxiy the reptile world in jet. Coming events cast their shadows before. It looks as if we are to have a hard winter. Everyone has the commencement of a shivering look ; the sparrow on the housetop seems to be in bad humour ; noses are becoming as blue as Agen j>lums ; and people, on getting out of bed, like to pop their feet on the skin of a polar bear, or the same of a leopard from a Bengal jungle. It is not want but necessity which makes all classes run after fur; the latter, %-leaves exeepted, formed the first clothing of our ancestors. Down, that " birds 1 snow," is as much appreciated at London and Paris as at Madagascar. Look at the Persians : it would be death to separate them from their curled lambskin shakoes. To-day the peasant of Brittany wears the same fashioned skin vest as was common to his ancestors of the eighth century, and when Q.ueen Berthe spun and made her spouse's royal garments and ornamented them with peacock's feathers, as if from the Heraldic Office of Pekin. In the thirteenth century in France, fur constituted the fashionable ball toilette. Philippe le Long had a mantle composed of the white breasts of no less than 6,364 squirrels. It took 600 of these skins to make a lady's town mantle, and four times the number if for a court wrap. The mantle of the Comtcsse de Potocka, whose sister sings at a Cafe Chantant, and which created such a .sensation a few years ago, consisted of sixty /ibeline skins, and as the price of such skins varies from 200fr. fa 800fr., the cost of the mantle may be computed. Black fox is considered the finest of all furs, for whether you hold the animal hy the ears or tail, the hair is so silky that it falls into the same glossy grain either way. A single skin will fetch in Parisirom SOOfr. to 1500fr. It takes sixteen skins,' whether of blue or silver fox, to make a jacket. A real sealskin from Alaska costs here 2000fr., and five are necessary for a lining. Zibeline and sable tails soil from ofr. to 20fr. each and 200 are necessary to make a respectable width. Bears' skins are falling short, so that soon none of these will be found, save in the Government offices and society. Thanks to the halfmillion of rabbit skins, and suitable dyes,

the supply of zibeline, fox's, sable, &c, furs in .'Prance will be turned, with the dexterity of a Japanese juggler. The cholera is on the decline. It has found its home and victims, where it ever does, among the slums and debilitated. Curiosity is somewhat occupied as to the site of the forthcoming Exhibition, in 1889. People say these international fetes only benefit the fair sex. It so, that is the best of reasons for organising them. The theatres are at a very low ebb. The new pieces, and even they are like angels risits, are not even third-rate. At the Lyrical establishments, matters are worse. The "Italiens," struggles for life, and the "National Opera" is in a state of most admired disorder. Its losses are estimated at 6000 francs per night, and yet it is endowed by the State.

The most theatrical sensation by far has been the misfortune of Mdlle Van Zandt. She broke down in the opera comique, on her first appearance in the role of Eosine in the "Barbier de Seville." She has been roundly accused of being intoxicated. Others say she was a victim of an " overdose of phosphorus." The humorous journals represent her dancing the Cachicha among champagne glasses, at the same time quaffing that wine as a present from the Veuve Clicquot. Her career is finished. Patti is no longer the " Marquise do Caux." The Courts refused her petition for divorce, on the grounds of ' ' continued scandalous conduct." She has to pay all the law costs. Her husband's petition, though, has been granted. " Loose him honorably, and let her go."