PARIS FASHIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume 5, Issue 765, 4 April 1884, Page 2

PARIS FASHIONS.

Activity, as usual (says the Home News), reigns in the artistic centre from which all fashions proceed. Paris from time immemorial has dictated terms to the whole world in the matter of dress, aud, in spite of dark forebodings and internal disquiet, the couturieres and modistes are busy as ever. Changes are imminent ; some, indeed, have already come about, but none are very marked in character. Great plainness and simplicity in the arrangement of drapery has succeeded the excessive richness of decoration of recent years. No symptoms indicate Jncreasiug amplitude of skirt, but the ordinary methods of giving roundness to the figure continue. Artificial flowers are coming iv again, and will be much used in trimming and ornamentation. In stuffs, there is a revival of terry velvet, and day costumes are made of silk, and Sicilian shot-silks embroidered with velvet flowers are a great novelty. The greatest change, perhaps, is in bonnets, which have again diminished in size, and lie close to the head ; but their ornaments stand up high, a development of the aigrette, tall bunches of straw, hay, or flowers being much worn. One of the prettiest bonnets of the season, due to the practical cleverness of these artistic people, is constructed from Turkish gold-embroidered slippers, with which the market has recently been glutted. The front of the Bonnet is formed of the sides of the slippers, while the toes— for a pair of slippers must be used up-— constituto the bows or principal ornament.