FROM

OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT. BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS, August 30th, 1856.

CHERE AMIE,

DRESSES of light colours in moiré antique are much worn, the skirts of which are generally ornamented and mostly with narrow velvet, and many of the bodies pointed before and behind without basques; but the newest bodies this season are square in front, à la François I., and on these bodies many ladies wear the fichu Antoinette of tulle, edged by a band of lace-we give a model of one with this number-they are also made of Chantilly; the sleeves of these dresses were of different styles, some of the Italian school, with bouillons and crevis. In the lighter materials, stripes are very much worn, as well as mixed checks; among simple toilettes gray and colours bordering on it are much in favour. Most of the bodies are high even in barège and grenadine, but barège as well as mousseline de laine have lost much of their popularity. For the country and negligé wear, dresses have been made of coutil, with white ground, the body high, with deep basques, and mother-of-pearl buttons, and trimming of very narrow fringe; the sleeves in deep folds at the top and pagoda at the bottom, with under ones of cambric. Gros de Naples, which for some time has been little used, is now again in favour; some dresses of it, green with black stripes, have been made with three flounces, which may be ornamented by bands of black lace or gimp; the bodies of these are round at the waist, others have deep basques, and almost all have the top of the body cut out in a square form, leaving the throat and shoulders a little uncovered; it is for these dresses the fichu Antoinette is required. Peignoirs in various materials suitable to the season have been worn, from jacconet and cambric to the clearest muslin embroidered, and accompanied by a shawl to match, trimmed with lace. Dresses of India muslin with two flounces or double skirts are worn over coloured silks of light tints, with mantelet of muslin to match. For country wear, coloured muslins and printed jacconets in small designs are fashionable, with skirt of jacconet covered by small bouquets, or with flounces à disposition, and a basquine

VOL. 29.

of black taffetas trimmed with fringe or white jean, with cotton gimp, is worn; the bodies of both jacconet and muslin dresses are sometimes made full, and tour à la vierge, with bands and square shoulder straps, on which is worn a small round pelerine or fichu Antoinette, trimmed with frills.

The toilettes of little girls continue to be made in imitation of the fashions of the day as worn by older persons; thus we see frocks of taffetas in small checks with one deep flounce headed by a ribbon corresponding in colour and edged at each side by a fringe with cannezous of white muslin, a deep embroidery forming basque bretelles trimmed with fringe, others of white jean with low bodies and deep basque, ornamented with galons or gimp and berthe pelerine pointed at the waist.

Other frocks of taffetas are with six narrow flounces, alternately white and coloured and pinked, low bodies with stomacher of narrow ribbons in the two colours; sleeves with frills as on the skirt; frocks of white muslin are ornamented by bouillons across, separated by insertions having pink or blue ribbon under, and terminating with noeud of ribbon, the body low, of the square form, and bretelles of insertions and noud of ribbon for the shoulders, ceinture of ribbon tying behind.

The ball dresses of summer wear are very light, of crape or tulle with flounces or double skirts; the latter have the lightest effect, some being raised by chatelaines of flowers, many of the bodies drapés, others with berthes. Among the dresses of fantaisie for young ladies are those composed of pink silk, ornamented by seven flounces, edged with fringe to match, and cannezous of white tulle, the basques trimmed with lace in two rows, revers bretelles also of lace, a little rounded in the centre of the back. Coloured tarlatane dresses are pretty for young ladies, with three flounces edged by coloured velvet, or double skirts, the corsage à la vierge, and fichu Antoinette to match. The simple hem with coloured ribbon through is mostly used for children, and a runner of zigzag form is preferred, forming double point or square; sometimes two are placed side by side. White has been so fashionable in Paris for walking dresses, that it is the prevailing colour; the most elegant are with embroidered flounces, over colours; the bodies full en gerbe, or of square form, or with revers or trimmings or bretelles. Many dresses are also with bouillons up the sides, immingled with nœuds of ribbon.

At this period of the season, and particularly with such

long-continued fine weather, no great change can be expected in bonnets; all the light and elegant materials prevail while summer lasts, and the varieties of styles were never so great: the ornaments also continue to be profusely used, and still much confined to the back and sides; the forms are still small, and some very much spread at the sides. The Pamela is a favourite in Paris; with us, young ladies, particularly at the sea side, seem to prefer hats, some simple, others turning up at the sides, ornamented with feathers and often with a lace fall attached to the edge of the brim, drooping all round. A paille de riz bonnet of the Pamela form was with double front, edged by a narrow black velvet à cheval, above the upper front was a bouquet of flowers, which dividing, fell in sprays on each side. The mixture of bands paille de riz or straw with taffetas in bouillons, white or coloured, form very pretty bonnets. Bonnets of the capelline form are useful for the country, of straw ornamented with nœuds of velvet, choux of ribbon or wild flowers, calèches of plain or spotted muslin, lined with pink or blue taffetas, and trimmed with ruches of the same colour, are well adapted for the sea side, as well as for the country. The Pamela bonnets in Leghorn are ornamented by bunches of flowers; other bonnets of taffetas are with drooping crowns. The bavolet is a mixture of tulle and taffetas, with double frill of lace; the front of tulle crossed by biais of taffetas and bunch of roses at the sides. The mantillons of taffetas with frills of the same have been quite the rage in Paris, as also half squares or pointes, as they are termed, of black lace. Mantilles are also worn of lace, trimmed with deep frills of lace, those of clear muslin or organdy are also much in favour, and equally so fichus Louis XIII., with ends; these are encircled by a bouillon with ribbon through it, and the trimming is either a frill of the same hemmed, or of lace, on which may be placed bandelettes of velvet. During the warm weather, barège shawls were worn, encircled by rich stripes bayaderes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.

PLATE I.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of biais taffetas, with three deep flounces, edged by a band of ribbon; high body, with basques. Mantelet of embroidered muslin, trimmed with lace. Bonnet of spotted tulle and ruches of ribbon.

Walking Dress.-Robe of iron-gray taffetas, with double skirt; jacket-body, with bretelles of ribbon, trimmed with lace and lace round the basque. Bonnet of very small form of tulle and lace, ornamented with flowers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of barege, the skirt covered with tucks; full body, open in front. Mantelet of violet taffetas, with deep frill edged with fringe, and three rows of fringe on the body of the mantelet. Bonnet of fancy straw, trimmed with black lace and ribbon.

Morning Dress.-Robe peignoir of coloured muslin, with full body, and bretelles of ribbon fastening up the centre of skirt and body, with noeuds of ribbon; sleeves, of two bouillons, terminating with frills.

Public Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of pink tarlatane, with double skirt, each having a flounce of white lace, headed by a ruche placed above the hem; high body, with small fichu of tulle and lace; sleeves composed of frills of tarlatane and lace. Bonnet of tulle and ribbon, with flowers.

PLATE II.

Public Promenade Dress.-Robe of moiré antique, with high body, ornamented by a pelerine berthe, trimmed with narrow fringe, which is repeated on the basque and frills of the sleeves. Bonnet of white lace and pink ribbon, with wreath of flowers, and shawl of grenadine.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with flounces edged with narrow fringe; high body, with basque and sleeves, with frills. Small mantelet of black moire, trimmed with guipure, headed by a ruche. Leghorn bonnet, trimmed with ribbon to match and flowers.

Child's Dress.-Frock of checked barège; the body with basques, and berthe of the same, and very short sleeves, with under ones of lace, and guimpe of tulle finished at the throat with lace.

Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of grenadine à disposition, with flounces, edged by fringe. Corsage of the square form, with basque and sleeves with frills; three noeuds of ribbon up the body and one on the shoulder. Fancy straw bounet, with wreath of foliage.

Dinner Dress.-Robe of violet taffetas; the skirt is covered by rows of fringe as flounces; high body, with basque and bretelles of fringe, the sleeves of a single bouillon, terminating with frill and fringe. Coiffure of hair, with cache peigne of ribbon.

PLATE III.

Walking Dress.-Robe of checked taffetas; the skirt plain; high body, with frill forming basque, and closing up the front with bands and buttons; sleeves of three frills. Bonnet of green taffetas and bands of straw.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of spotted muslin, with deep flounces, and jacket-body of marron taffetas trimmed with black lace. Bonnet of paille crape, with feathers.

Dinner Dress.-Robe of coloured organdy, with gauffered flounces; low body, with berthe to match, and guimpe of tulle. Lace cap, with short lappets and flowers.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with flounces edged by fringe, and headed by a wreath of stamped velvet; high body, with revers and basque corresponding with the flounces and frills of the sleeves. Bonnet of white crape and lace, with wreath of foliage terminating in bouquet at the sides.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with full body and basque. Mantelet of black tulle, trimmed with lace and small ribbon ruche. Fancy straw bonnet, with flowers.

PLATE IV.

Public Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with double skirt, low body with berthe and basque of black lace, headed by a bouillon of ribbon, tight sleeves with frills of lace. Bonnet of paille de riz and feathers.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of moiré antique, with flounces edged by fringe; high body, with small pelerine edged by ruches, the sleeves in bouillons, and frills. Bonnet of crape and velvet.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas with pinked flounces; high body, with revers, also pinked, and sleeves in bouillons and frills. Bonnet of straw and ribbon.

Walking Dress-Robe of grenadine, with full plain skirt, and high body with basque. Mantelet of taffetas, with deep frill, headed by a narrower, and a revers on the top, trimmed with galons in a scollop. Bonnet of taffetas, ornamented by noeuds and bands of ribbon.

Child's Dress.-Frock of taffetas trimmed with bands of velvet; low body, with bretelles and short sleeves, ornamen ted with a band of velvet. Straw hat, with wreath of flowers. Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of spotted muslin, with flounces and pardessus of the same, trimmed with frills. Bonnet of silk, with ruches.

PLATE V.

Little girl's dress of pink silk, figured with black spots, and trimmed with pink and black fringe.

Carriage bonnet of white chip, trimmed with white flowers