Fashion Notes.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 979, 5 December 1890, Page 5

Fashion Notes.

A oharmlng ovening costume is made of oream mousseline de laine, dotted with small pink flowers, a pale green velvet ribbon is loose round the lower part of the skirt; with a corselet of the same velvet. ’

A very stylish evening dress is oompoaed of black lace insertion over a ) eddish orange silk underskirt; the sleeves are full at the top and drawn in tight from the elbow to to the wrißt. Red bows are worn on the shoulders and bodice.

Skirtß are entirely undraped hanging quite straight from waist line to feet. There is no lifting at all over the hips, nor in front, and the back of the skirt being gathered very full is seen, both side pieces are drawn back and folded over the gathers, so as nearly, though not quite to hide them.

A very wide brimmed Leghorn straw hat with a low flat crown haß the brim divided and bent upwards towards the back on the left side; a thick gilt plait ornaments the inside of the brim about an iuoh from the edge, and the trimming consists of bows of narrow cream satin ribbon in front, loops of mixed oream and pink satin ribbon at tho back where the brim is bent, and a spray of pink roses on the left side.

A very pretty dinner dress lately made was of white cloth made loDg, and had four rows of embroidered Bilk galons round the skirt; three rows of galons on each side ot the bodioe, between as many rows of cloth, and a waist band of the same galon ; very pretty sleeves, slashed and puffed out between two galons lengthwise to the elbow, thenoe to the wrist they draw the sleeve in ruund the arm.

Cloth dresses are much worn on cool evenings in very pale Bhades of blue, pink, green —so pale as to be almost white. The dresses are made plain and tight and often trimmed with wide gaions of gold or silver in several rows at the lower part of the skirt, sometimes straight, sometimes forming the Greek or key pattern, bodice, sleeves, and collar to correspond. Sometimes ribbon velvet is used in the same way of soft light shades.

A handsome dress for weddings or stylish parties is a brocade, bleu de France satin, with large pink flowers ; the skirt is made with a demi train, very olose fitting on the hips, open on each side to show a narrow panel of old rose satin, covered with raised embroidery in soft tints mixed with cabochins j the* puffed sleeves are in the some pink satin, covered with embroidery, a row of pink feather edging goes round the front of the bodice, made half open, with points back and front, and cut very short below the waist.

An elegant walking costume for this time of the year is made of oledric-blue silk alpaeca or de laine, trimmed with blue mohair braid which eucircles the long sleeves, the waist, and outlines the double basque of the jacket. It also describes two chevrons, tosimulate a yoke and surrounds the detached train of the skirt, just touching the ground. The best bodice fastens invisibly ; and is slashed in the centre to display the under bodice and added basques which are joined in the waistband.

Notwithstanding the rnmour that paniers will be worn—for the present summer dresses will continue to be made plain—close on the hips, a little wavy in front at the top, and then all the pleats thrown well back, and arranged to fall like an open fan ; the skirt iB made with long trains for dressy evening wear, rather long for home wear, bub for walking just long enough to clear the ground. Bodices are made with crossway folds, and gathers much ornamented and very complicated, slightly pointed back and front, and curving up short on the hips. Sleeves are full at the top and tight from the elbow to the wrist, but they are not made larger—on the contrary, the boss on the shoulder diminishes, and often a small ribbon bow is placed there.

A very tasteful gown is made in French cashmere and an nnfaced woollen much the same grey as the cashmore. The overdress of the latter material opens from the waist to show a tablier of graduated width in grey oashmere. The bodice is fitted at the back and there is a short basque without fulness. The front of the corsage is made of the two materials. An ordinary full bodice drawn down to a point in front, where it is slightly gathered; over this is another bodioe cut away in a V below the neck, the opening barely reachiug the bust. Two inohes of material are left and then the remaining length slit up from below the waist upwards is slightly drawn backward, thus forming loose jaoket fronts and revealing the under, bodice of grey cashmere. The fronts are fastened into the seam below the arm.

Very smart looking garden party dresses are made with Vaienciennes insertion let into muslin so as to form a tablier of alternate strips of mußlin and lace. Some people prefer the insertion let in horizontally instead of vertically. When this is the case, the lace is plaoed above the hem, which is always more or less deep. Any quantity of pretty ribbons, coloured or blaok, narrow or wide, also blaok velvet and coloured velvet are used to trim such summer gowns- When fine Indian silk gauze is employed it is usually made up over ooral eolour, sea green, pea green, or other silk foundation. There is a flounce of chiffon or muslin at the edge of the dress set or rather full and on the hem three or four rows of narrow ribbon are run. The yellow should matoh the oolout cf the ellk aklrt,