FROM

OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

CHERE AMIE,

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS. May 28th, 1856.

Two new materials have appeared in Paris, which are well spoken of the Florentine, a material possessing the advantages of barege, grenadine, or mousseline de soie, but with more firmness; it is only made in two shades of gray, with flounces darker than the dress. The other is called Mousseline de Naples, with four flounces; it has the appearance of silk though only worsted. The chiné materials are also in favour; a dress of green taffetas had three flounces edged by bands of ombréechiné on white and gray; at the top were four satin stripes, green and gray alternately, and three fringes at the bottom; the corsage high with very deep basque forming fourth flounce, and bretelles on the body, terminating in point behind; sleeves of two bouillons and frills. Some dresses are with seven flounces, with two rows of fringe on each; others with five, ornamented with ruches.

A material fashionable for carriage wear is of a gray colour, having three deep flounces of three different shades, separated by narrow fringe. At the public promenades in Paris some redingotes have been seen of gros grain, in dust colour, ornamented by bands in chiné patterns; others are of gros d'ete, with ornaments of velvet. The newest dresses this season are with gauffered flounces; the more simple and plain the material the more suitable; other dresses are much ornamented; flounces seem indispensable, except for the moires or very thick silks, which are then in very deep large folds, reversed at each seam or on each hip with ruches chicorées the whole length, or drapery of fringe; and if for dress, flounces and lace. Very pretty taffetas dresses are of a very soft shade of lilac with double skirts, each being edged by a double row of ruches chicorée, the basque and frills of the sleeves to match; others of green silk are with flounces, shaded in three different tints of green with black lace over. The newest sleeves are very wide, and fluted from the arm hole, with small jockey covering the deep folds; the gauffered flounces are very pretty with dresses of plain barege, on which as many as seven and nine gauffered flounces are put.

VOL. 29.

The ball dresses are mostly of tulle, white or coloured, over skirts of corresponding colours much ornamented by flowers, intermixed in the bouillons, ruches, etc., or looping up the double and triple skirts; the taffetas dresses are mostly with flounces, embroidered in silk and velvet, or gimp. Wedding dresses are of moire antique, taffetas, organdy, always enriched by lace, either in flounces or double skirts; the corsages high, and the sleeves terminating below the elbow with frills corresponding with the skirt. One of these dresses of organdy was with flounces from the waist, edged by a chicorée ruche of organdy, with lace flounces over reaching to the ruche; the corsage was high, ornamented by lace placed en cœur before and behind, with ruche heading; the sleeve was composed of three frills of lace with ruche heading.

Fringes have never been more fashionable than they are this season. They are intermixed with silk, with lace, with embroidery; none are lighter and prettier than the fringe mousses shaded in every colour, and placed at the edge of flounces; they are particularly pretty on bareges and grenadines as well as on tulle. For richer materials a different kind is used, intermixed with tassels; these are also used on the basquines and mantelets echarpes; galons with buckles; acorns and tassels are much used to ornament bodies-it is the fashion of the day.

Children's dresses partake as usual of the prevailing fashion; some with flounces, some en tablier, trimmed with thick embroidery, which has a pretty effect on white. Square bodies rather prevail for children, and is perhaps best suited for them. The capeline bonnets are those preferred for them; the prettiest are trimmed with velvet round the crown, which is very low, and velvet inside and out; they are lined with pink or blue, and have long ends floating down the back.

Pretty head dresses, composed of two lappets, one white the other black lace, are formed into a noeud, the four ends dropping on the throat, and have bunches of acorns which run on the lace lappets; other coiffures are made of a point or half square of taffetas, bordered by several rows of very narrow black velvet, a white blond deep enough to fall on the neck. A very narrow blond in front is fulled round with numerous loops of black velvet ribbon forming ruches, joining the wide blond under a rose on one side, and noeud on the other; the points of the fauchon are connected under these ornaments, and are replaced by wide ribbon brides which droop to the waist.

Among the newest mantelets basquines are the following. The Medora of silk, in one piece, trimmed with three frills of black lace; the lowest being very wide falls low on the skirt. The Shabran is low on the shoulders, with square ends, and trimmed with gimp and deep fringe, and a very pointed hood with tassel. The Châle Joconde is rounded behind, with deep frill of lace, and narrower one falling on it as heading; the point of this shawl does not reach below the waist, and is finished with a wide black lace, gimp trimming round the neck. Some are made of tulle, ornamented with rows of narrow lace. Mantelets and shawls of embroidered muslin, and double shawls of Chantilly, bordered with deep frills of lace, are also worn. Small pelerines are also worn, and from having been so long neglected have the charm of novelty. Though the mantelets are not worn to close, numerous casaques of velvet are made; the basques trimmed with two rows of lace, and another row of lace forming round berthe on the body, and prolonged as fichu in front; the sleeves trimmed with lace, as the body. Cannezous of muslin embroidered, and bouillonné are worn, with skirts of foulards flounced. Jackets of twilled or jaconot cambric, with open English embroidery, are also fashionable. Also fichus, composed of bouillonnés of tulle, separated by insertions of point d'Alençon joined to a wide stripe of plain tulle with coloured ribbon through it, and edged by two frills of lace; this is not a pelerine, but a fichu or hankerchief, crossing in front under a nœud of ribbon, intended to wear over a low body, with sleeves to match.

The mantelet Hortense is of black taffetas, very short, and forming point behind, with frill also pointed and hollowed out so as to be put on without fulness round this small mantelet ; the fronts also slightly pointed, having a deep fringe at the edge, and another narrower above falling on the frill, and a third still narrower round the top, terminating at the waist, where it fastens under a noeud. Another, also of black taffetas embroidered and scolloped all round, had a frill placed under the scollops, and a lace also placed under the feston or scollop meets the lace which edges the taffetas frill. Mantelets of embroidered muslin are trimmed with frills to match or wide lace. Cannezous of embroidered muslin and bouillons are worn; and mantelets of tarlatans, with ruches chicorée of the same, are very light and elegant.

Some efforts have been made to increase the size of bonnets, but as yet without success; for the present, at least, they will continue to be worn small, and the bavolets very large. The forms preferred are small, round, and spread at the sides, the crowns drooping, and bavolets, either single or double, mixed with flowers; the profusion of crape, ribbon, and blond composing the bonnets require no little skill to prevent overloading. The mixture of paille de riz and tulle is very pretty, the crown being of paille de riz, and the front of tulle, with band of paille de riz at the edge, terminating in loops at each end; a wreath of flowers placed above another band of paille encircled the crown. Tulle bonnets are in great majority; those of taffetas with white silk spots are also fashionable; others have the fronts of paille de riz, and crowns of silk, with simple nœud of ribbon, and deep bavolet of taffetas and paille de riz. Pailles de riz are very elegant, with bouquets of flowers at the sides, extending to the edge, and blending with those inside; the flowers also most frequently ornament the bavolets. The capote style is fashionable this season for crape, taffetas, and tulle, and the mixture of these three materials with blond and lace, produce very pretty coiffures; the insides are more simple than they were-merely a pompou of flowers on one side; the novelty of the season consists in the bavolet which has never been worn so deep, it is like a gauffered frill.

Young ladies wear straw bonnets for the promenade, covered by plissés of ribbon, in shades corresponding to the wild violets sprinkled over the bonnet and inside. Bonnets of sewed paille de riz are pretty bordered with black velvet, and with veil of white crape lisse, edged with black velvet attached

on the bonnet by large noeud of black velvet; inside are corn flowers on one side; others in the same style have the crown covered by a network of velvet, and bouquet of rose buds at the side. Leghorns are again in demand, of a round form, ornamented with corn flowers and wheat ears.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.
PLATE I.

Walking Dress.-Robe of foulard, with flounces; high body, with bretelles. Mantelet of black taffetas in vandykes, bordered with bands of velvet and deep fringe. Bonnet of crape and lace.

Carriage Dress-Robe of taffetas, ornamented up each side of the skirt by small noeuds of ribbon; jacket-body with basquine festonné, also ornamented by small nœuds. Bonnet of white lace, with feathers.

Dinner Dress.-Robe of taffetas d'éte, with flounces; high body, with revers in vandykes, edged with ruches and deep fringe; sleeves, with frills to match; collar of point lace, and head dress of lace and flowers.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of grenadine, the skirt is with three flounces, and jacket-body with revers; double sleeves to correspond. Bonnet of green crape, with shaded feathers. Promenade Dress.-Robe of popeline, with three flounces, ornamented with bands of stamped velvet; high body with bretelles of velvet. Mantelet of taffetas, with frill, edged and headed by a bouillon. Bonnet of paille de riz, and taffetas with flounces.

PLATE II.

Carriage Dress-Robe of foulard, with open body finished round the neck with a plissé; the sleeves to correspond; three flounces on the skirt in scollops, edged with fringe, and heading of bouillons. Bonnet of marron crape and satin, with very full cluster of flowers at the sides.

Public Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of mousseline de soie, with jacket-body and flounces scolloped, and edged with ruches of ribbon. Bonnet of white crape, with flowers.

Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of barege, the skirt is covered with flounces, headed by ruches of ribbon and bows at intervals; low body similarly trimmed, and guimpe of muslin.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of moire with high body, and ornamented by black lace forming pelerine; the sleeves are also trimmed with black lace; and flounces of black lace on the skirt, headed by a bouillon. Bonnet of white lace, with voilette.

Carriage Dress-Robe of broché silk, with high body. Mantelet of embroidered velvet, trimmed with very deep fringe. Bonnet of paille de riz and crape.