PARIS FASHIONS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1751, 16 March 1874, Page 4

PARIS FASHIONS.

[fbom our own correspondent.] Paris, January 12. One of the commonest mistakes that ladies fall into is that connected with the choice of colors, an ignorance of the first principles of taßte. A French lady never errs in this respect, if she, as a wonder, lacks instinctive judgment, she consults her dressmaker, just as she would her doctor ; she neither adopts colors nor cuts because they may be the rage, but because they are suitable to her. This is the true law of fashion, requiring a personal tact and attention of no small importance to be interpreted. The hat, too, for example, ought ever to be suitable to the toilet ; felt is indispensible with a cloth or woollen costume, but velvet and faille can alone be worn for full dress. For theatres and visits, some very pretty ■ bonnets are to be met with in crape or black tulle embroidered with jet ; these bonnets can also be worn in the demi season, when trimmed with colored feathers and bows of velvet or lace, bisected by a jet poignard, or secured by a buckle of the same substance, jet leaves and lace are also employed, but the hat thus trimmed, looking charming under the influence of light, are heavy for many. The same objection as to heaviness applies also to costumes ornamented with jet; which, when employed in stripe-fashion, imparts a slender air to ladies of full hibits ; hence, on the contrary, jet trimmings become slender figures. Jet is so much like fur, at present a kind of passion that collars of jet cover the front of corsages as far as to the waist. Collars in velvet, with jet embroidery, commonly called "the dog's collar," are very attractive, and appropriate for girls. A very serviceable article of dress is this black velvet dress, closely fitting to the figure, with fur or feather trimming ; it can be worn indifferently with all robes, even those for reception and dinner, which latter are frequently made up in rich faille, in half tints or dark shades. The havanna is a new material much in vogue, it is trimmed with a complicated rich plait all round, the overskirt ia in the same material. Many visiting toilettes are to be met with in olive-colored poplin, with tunic cordage ; and electric blue Bultaire, with plain training jupe, is a favorite house robe, voilet and reseda satin are in vogue for dinner dresses. As a word in season, ladies whose figures are not tall should carefully avoid the Gabrielle collerette, which really only suits a long graceful neck ; those who have not the neck long, ought to leave it as free as possible; hence the advantage for them of the turned-down collar and open corsages, the opposite for opposite figures. In the matter of coiffure, blondes and brunes, should never dre«s the hair alike ; the former are charming with the hair crisped, wavy, and puffed, never oiled or pomaded, at most only powder ; the brunes cannot have their hair too smooth or too glossy — large undulations and long repentirs ; anything approaching the staring or the crisp recalls the negro. The hair is at present worn drawn well up from behind, and raised on the Bummit of the head, demands only a flower, a bow of ribbon, for a head dress, suited alike to a ball, a dinner, or< Atoireoi