Gossipy Paragraphs.

Otago Witness, Issue 1650, 7 July 1883, Page 27

Gossipy Paragraphs.

—Ladies party-dresses are now! trimmed with rows of tiny incandescence electric lamps instead of^flowers. The electric current is supplied by a small battery carried by the wearer of the dress, and the light is at her control. — The latest Parisian caprice is to wear hosiery that is black in colour. Black Lisle thread and silken hose are worn with dresses of any colour, and for almost any occasion. Fashion also dictates that black stockings shall be put on children in spite of the attenuation it imparts to their limbs, and even babies, whose dear little feet always look sopretty in their white socks, are now turned into little black legs. —The Princess Dolgorouki is now living in Paris, having recently taken possession of the house formerly occupied by the Queen of Naples. Her carriage is seen on the avenue every afternoon, where her blonde beauty, enhanced by the deep mourning Bhe still wears, and the two lovely children, her constant companions, make a very charming picture, although she is becoming so stout that the btauty that fascinated Alexander II will soon be only a tradition. —Every girl should bo taught to wniidtr the sfcyU of dress belt tutted to her ova fa** and figure, whether it be faiihioWHta <*

no. The draperies that look well on a tall alender damsel are utterly out of place on a short dumpy one, and yet each may look captivating in her own way. Sho who has red hair and a florid complexion must choose different tints and colours from her pale sister with dark tresses ; but there is beauty in each if they will not run foolishly after the same colour or shape because, and only because, it iB the fashion.

— Shoes are likely to bo even more popular next summer than they were last, for they are already to be seen on a warm day, but a curious novelty is that the shoes are to be light coloured, such as tan, drab, strawberry, garnet, and green for indoors. For outdoors the extreme elegantes go in for shoes of alligator skin. It is the approved matarial, and has tips of patent leather. Extremely high and low heels have quite gone out of style. The standard heel must not exceed one and a half inches high, which is moderate, as heels go. Many ladies wear cloth gaiters reaching to the ankle to protect their elegant stockings. — The aesthetic movement in dress is by no meanß entirely confined to the ladies, for many men seem to desire the introduction of a little beauty and colouring into their attire. Some have looked hopefully towards Mr Oscar Wilde, but his freaks of fancy are too outrageous to be adopted by ordinary mortals. His last notion has been to return to the modes of the Regency period — very tight pantaloons, very high stock, and coat of peculiar cut. Mr Wilde went to a dinner party the other night so dressed, and, in addition to this, his shirt was made of open-worked embroidery worn over a black satin lining, and the large orange silk handkerchief, which his soul loveth, thrust into his bieast pocket. > Amongst sensible ordinary men the only indication of an attempt to beautify or lighten their attire is in the matter of neckties, which I often see worn of subdued or artistic colours ; green, terra cotta, or dull blue, "simply tied, and of course with this sort of necktie the shirt collar is worn somewhat open, and in no way like the imprisoning masher style of all round stiffness. Pocket handkerchiefs and neckties are the only bits of colour possible in a gentleman's dcei3 at present, unless we except a flower in his coat, which is no longer vulgar, and is ofen worn by those who know how to dress.

— The typical lady artist of the present moment is probably Mrs Louise Jopling, who lives in a cosy house close to the Chelsea Embankment, made classic ground from having been the chosen locality of the "Chelsea Seer, Thomas Carlyle, and George Eliot. Artists now congregate .about this region ; it is airy, light, and accessible, and the houses are picturesque. We descended to her studio, built off the house, down an open flight of wooden stairs, and fouud her charmingly dressed in terra cotta pluah, talking to her numerous friends. The prominent picture in the room was a likeness of Ellen Terry as Portia arrayed in scarlet gown and cap. When I saw her ahe wore black, but I am told she adopted the red dress subsequently. I recollect Mrs Jopling's touching painting of " Auld Kobin Grey" last year. She appeals equally to the emotions this year in her suggestive picture " Searching for the bread-winner," a thin, anxious-faced woman with a baby and a little child, peeping into tho doorway of the glaring gaslifc publichouse, hoping to coax the bread-winner to leave the place before every penny, so sadly needed, is spent. This is a picture quite in accordance with the spirit of the times, and might well be purchased for a Workman's Club or Mechanics' Institute. — Penelope. — Variety is the first essential in dancing dresses, and securing them at a small expense is rather a knotty question. Still this difficulty can fee easily surmounted by a little time and thought. However well black may bocome you, never got two in succession, as people will think you are always in one dress, and always get a new dress made as different from your laßt in style as possible, never mind how. much you fancy the make. In a dark room a bright ball dress is a great relief, while in a richly ornamented light room nothing looks prettier than pale tints. A cream ball dress admits of more change than any other dress, because anything looks well with it.^ For a brunette nothing can be more becoming than a pale yellow Ingian muslin, trimmed with tearoses and brown velvet leaves. When ita first freshness has gone it can be made look almost as pretty by trimmings of Indian red or sage, green or brown, and substituting coloured mittens instead of gloves. The great thing is that all the accessories shall match perfectly, that the dress, however simple, shall look as if some thought and taste had been bestowed upon it.

— The prevailing and favourite colour just now is a pleasant dullish red called /raise eeratte or "crushed strawberry," and it appears in all materials. It is a good shade to enliven a black bonnet or dress, and feathers and ribbons of this colour are very pretty. Bonnets are worn much larger that ever, though many ladies will stick to tho tiny, close shape as still worn by the Princess of Wales. They are most becoming to young faces ; elder ladies should realise that they look best with more shade and coverings on their heads. I was with Mdle. Louise yesterday, and saw many large bonnets with extensive brims, lined with black velvet and rows of gold braid inside round the edge. Gold and black trimmings of all kinds are popular, and can be worn with any dress. I chose a large bonnet covered with a quantity of soft black lace, fastened into its place as it were by little jet pins, hanging over the brim in front so as to shade the face, and to dißguise the pretty crushed strawberrycoloured flowers placed inside close to the hair. Outside there is one soft large feather of the same colour, mingled with the black lace, and lace lappets to fasten instead of strings. In the make of dresses, I observe nothing singularly new ; only that full plaitings at the back of the skirt without any drapery are correct, and the sleeves of the bodices should be set in very high indeed on to the shoulders, looking almost as if they were growing up towards the ears in a point. Little capes are being worn with the spring dresses, which come down and tie round the waist ; < the ends in front are sometimes made to cross and fasten behind. An edging of soft marabout feather trimming is very pretty for these little " palerines ;" ifc is of a greyish or brownish colour usually, but may oe bought, I believe to match most dresses. — Penelope.