LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9064, 26 May 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

FASHIONS IN BALL GOWNS. With the winter season comes the usual number of balls, "Cinderellas," "assemblies," and other evening entertainments, in which young people delight, and the business of preparing suitable attire for such occasions entails the question of " What is worn?" Well, low bodices are still worn, but they are cut higher on the shoulders than they were, and finished off with bows, aigrettes, or epaulettes of flowers. Peau tie soie, a particularly pliable make of silk, is pronouncacl by tnglish fashion journals to be the correct material for the bodices of ball gowns, as it clinge so beautifully to the figure. This is employed in either the plain or faconnes varieties, the latter being newer. Next in favour comes moire, plain, brocaded, and striped. The striped is tho most stylish for the purpose, and is produced in all tho evening shades. Tulle or net still holds its own for ball skirts, and is likely to remain in favour. Cloudy effects are aimed at, and the tulle is draped en panier and in loose diagonal folds, though many gowns are quite devoid of draping, having simply ono full skirt of tulle or not over another, adornod only by a wide moire sash at the back, or with ribbons brought to the side in loops arranged in a sort of triangle with a bow at the point. Another style is to run narrow ribbon on the.not horizontally, leaving scarcely any spneo between the rows, and should this be thought too heavy, tucks run with silk may bo substituted for the ribbon. One of tho prettiest fabrics that is employed for draping ball gowns is composed of stripes of ribbon and lace run together ; with it the back as well as tho foundation of tho skirt must bo of silk. Ribbons play an important part in tho ballgowns of the present season, more particualarly the moire varieties. Steel embroideries are also enjoying popularity, and white tulle gowns with watered silk panels adorned with steel embroidery, .are very stylish. Frills of "pinked" silk are now put at the edge of skirts instead of tho lace balayeuseti, which .so soon gets spoiled through contact with tho floor.

Black gowns are always in demand for evening wear, and this season they are more popular than ever. Indeed, the prevalence of black toilettes at all public gatherings of late, whether during tho day or at night, has been almost universally commented on. Jetted net is employed for trimming black gowns for ovening wear, and they are further brightened by the addition of coloured watered ribbon made up in tho fashionable " windmill" or " butterfly" bows. Thick ruches round tho edge of ball gown skirts are much in favour. They are generally dotted over with small flowers, such as rosebuds, violets, or cowslips. A new stylo of trimming for low bodices is to cover the left side with a soft drapery resembling a succession of half circles, while from tho right conies an arrangement of ribbons, flowers, lace, or passementerie. Bodices for demi-toilette, cut open in a pointed form back and front, are often furnished with a small and delicately gathered chemisette of lisse or crape, either white or some pale shade which harmonises with tho gown. Short puffed sleeves to match the chemisette may be worn with this style of bodice. Fashionable ball gowns with decolletes bodice have no sleeves whatever—in fact, the latter are only remarkable for their absence.—" Iris," in Loader.

SEASONABLE NOTES. The days of simple bonnets with crowns of straw or velvet seem to have gone for ever, and the milliners of the present day are simply racking their brains for novel combinations in the way of " fancy" fabrics. Some of the prettiest of the new bonnet crowns are made in a fine mixture of brown silk cord interwoven with threads of bright gold, the latter being so carefully prepared that they are proof against all vagaries of wind and weather, and so cunningly made that they will not tarnish after weeks of wear. The close-fitting bonnet is still in great demand. Especially pretty are those in brown and grey corded silk, covered with a network embroidery in silver or gold, and a front finish of grey or brown ostrich feathers. Concerning feathers, it has been put on record that the birds' wings, breasts, and tails, about which such a hubbub has lately been raised, are simply the feathers of the homely domestic chickens and fowls which we eat tor our dinners, dyed with all sorts of fantastic colours, and twisted and curled into sundry fantastic shapes. Upright bows of ribbon on hats and bonnets continuing so long in favour has created a demand for ribbon that will remain in the required position without the unsatisfactory aid of wires and stiff lining ; and amateur milliners especially will rejoice to hear that at last such a ribbon has found its way into the market. It bears all tho appearance of ordinary corded ribbon, and is produced in every shade and in all the new varieties, but possesses the unique advantage of remaining exactly as deft fingers place it. It will stand erect on a hat, or fall in .single loops on skirts, the latter being a commendable feature, as the much-used ordinary ribbon loops and bow.s have a most unpleasant knack of interlacing and massing together. In these clays the "tea-gowns" is understood to be a very elastic term, and may mean a simple loose robe of satin, plush, or combined materials, or it may describe one of the elaborate and artistic confections made for evening by the best dressmakers. Perhaps they may husb longer than tightfitting gowns, but then women like variety, and are not likely to be seen longer in the same gown because it is loose than because it is tight-fitting; and as the materials are quite as costly, it seems that the difference between tea and dinner gowns is about the same as there was " 'twixt tweedlum and ! tweedledee."

This season we promise to redeem ourselves from the imputation of being the worst-shod women in the world. Russian leather shoes have just been introduced for afternoon wear, and are chiefly made in rich red and tan colours, ornamented on the toes with cut steel beads or small paste buckles. Brocades are to bo a great feature of the season's fashions, and the new patterns are perfect marvels of loveliness. There is, of course, the inevitable silver wedding brocade, which will doubtless bo greatly in demand for bridal gowns. This is of thick but very soft white silk, having bunches of lilies of the valley brocaded upon it in bright silver. But there are others intended for the same purpose, as well as for trains of puro white, with bunches of oats, barley, and the larger wild flowers apparently thrown carelessly upon tho material in a different shade of white. The most beautiful, perhaps, are the coloured brocades with the quaint old Louis XIV. and Louis XV. designs upon them. For these that curious shade of light vivid green has been revived that was fashionable some little while ago; and upon this ground are scattered the most ex-quisitely-coloured clusters of weo rosebuds, tied with dainty little lover's knots in pale blue, so that the wearer becomes like a piece of delicate Sevres. The new silks are-not so pretty. Most of them have a spot ground, and nearly all have stripes of alternate moire and satin. On these stripes appear either brocaded flowers or small round spots of different colours that are somewhat dazzling to tho eye. Bright green is, of course, much used for these spots, as it will be used for everything else. Vivid colours generally promise to be fashionable. Among them are some charming shades of yellow, which is to be very popular ; one or two variations of heliotrops —that is, however, Availing in favour ; and a most wonderful poppy-red of dazzling brilliance. Besides the popular long paletot for wear at the theatre, the opera, or over the ball dress, short mantles arc now much worn. Some of these are exceedingly rich and elegant. One in white cloth, striped with wide gold braid and bordered with sable, tho lining being of old rose plush. Another in sapphire blue velvet, embroidered with wide black silk braid, and trimmed with blue fox, the lining of orange satin. Two pretty paletots are as follows :—The first is in palp grey stamped velvet, lined throughout with pale blue quilted satin, and edged with white fur. The second in chandron velvet, with rich designs in passementerie on the sleeves and on the waist at the back, and trimmed with wide bands of sable fur ; tho lining is in satin of the same colour as the velvet, but of a lighter shade. Sealskin wraps have once more come into favour since the cold weather set in, and some really beautiful paletots and dolmans in that delightful material are to be met with on every hand.—" Queen Bee," in Australasian,