THE FASHIONS FOR DECEMBER.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1668, 9 December 1873, Page 4

THE FASHIONS FOR DECEMBER.

The Nelson Examiner has been favored j by a lady correspondent in Melbourne with the following interesting letter on the fashions of the season : — The summer toilettes are very elegant ■when not carried to excess, as some were which gained for the fair wearers anything but admiration, as the immense amount of frilling and looping up of skirts, &c, gave the appearance of deformity. I should, therefore, caution my readers to guard against this one error, and will enlighten them as to the mode of making themselves as stylish and fashionable as their Australian sisterhood. For instance, to accommodate ladies who wear their hair very high, surmounted by a high comb, a bonnet has been introduced without a crown ; these bonnets look very odd in the hand, but on the head the effect is very pretty. The crown was only flat on the head before, now it is omitted, many persons being obliged to remove the comb before putting on the bonnet. This new style is a mixture of lace and flowers, arranged as two wreaths, one upon the hair (the lace), and the other. (flowers) on the bonnet. The hair replaces the crown, and, unaccustomed as we are to the effect, wo cannot say that it is not a success. Another novelty of the season is the bonnet of Panama straw. One model of this kind of hat had a rather large crown, and aborder sloped in front but turned up at the side, with garnet-colored velvet. The trimming was put on with truly artistic taste. First, upon the left side there was a spray of rose-leaf foliage, which came close up to two tea roses placed in the middle of the front, within the plaits of a thick diadem made of tulle illusion. The other retroussis on the opposite side had no trimmings under it, but it was caught up with a cluster of tea-roses, the foliage of which spread out to the back, where it was combined with bows of garnet- , colored grosgrain ribbon. We will give for the benefit of our lady readers who may desire to act as their own milliners, the mode of arranging adopted by a lady who is extremely clever in this way, and whose style is much admired. First procure a bonnet of straw of the shape desired, then line it with crape throughout, then lightly bind the turn-up edge with violet or grosgrain, and place a delicate wreath of flowers just under the i brim, and larger ones around the top, with a cluster or aigrette at one side. Next take a long strip of tulle, white, and four inches, wide, edge it all round with black blond lace, fold it just in half, and fasten on to the middle of the crown ; drape it by two or three plaits, leaving j the ends to fall down at the back. A bow may be added to match the flowers. No strings, but just a piece of silk elastic to fasten under tho hair. A very stylish dress was a doublebreasted polonaise of nankeen-colored washing satinette, with coat sleeves and deep cuffs, edged with fluting. The dress ■was of the same material, with a deep flounce fluted on with a heading an inch wide. The polonaise was caught up, not as hitherto by tape underneath, but fulled into a band (on the under side) of about twenty inches depth, very full and into three puffs, which stood away from the person quite eighteen or more inches, so that to accomplish this it will be readily understood a sufficient length and width must be allowed in cutting out. At the side seams a broad ribbon of shaded buff and white wa3 attached, which was looped through once, and gave to the puffs an appearance of fastening them. A double frill of tarlaton was worn on the neck, with a wide velvet ribbon . and large locket. Another pretty dress was of the blue grenadine of two kinds ; the skirt blue with white satin atripes ; this had no trimming. The short dress or tunic was of plain, clear grenadine, with a deep border of silk guipure of the same color around the edges. The bodice was high ; it came down a little below the waist in front, and behind in two long coat lappels. Bodice and sleeves, which were trimmed with narrow ruffles, were merely corded with silk the same color. The latest novelty is enamelled buttons of color on metal, and also of lacquered wood, and oxadized silver. The latter are of Japanese wood, usually black. These are mostly worn on black silk polonaise, down the front, from the neck to the bottom of front, which is so long that it touches the flounces on the skirt. The hair is worn very high by many Udies, and the hat or bonnet seems to be kept on, by the comb only ; few wear the hair low down on the back of the head, only a stray curl or two ; for parties gold and other ornamental combs are worn,' and both ribbon-lace and flowers are still worn ; indeed scarcely any amount of ornament but may be worn on both hats and bonnets, which are worn mounted high on top of a profusion of hair, and quite far off the face. Every dress, bonnet, or hat has two shades of the same color, either as trimming or strings.