THE CUIRASSE BODICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1204, 26 December 1874, Page 21

THE CUIRASSE BODICE.

The Paris correspondent of the Warehousemen and Drapers' Journal writes: — That the cnirasse will contnme in vogue is quite sure. "We have had it in silk, satin, and lace, in netted silk with steel beads, grey and blue, and, above all, in black jet, and we shall most likely have it in them all some time longer. The new curiasse, however, the tight bodice, with close fitting basques, is to be made of fabrics manufactured specially for it, and called matelasse\ These fabrics are very thick and firm, and will set closely to the figure like cloth. 'They are generally made with a background of wool, and perhaps a little cotton, but in some entirely of silk. The more modest specimens are what we might term silk pique", and have geometric patterns upon them. A more elegant style is covered with a handsome design worked in the stuff itself, that looks as if it were embroidered upon it, and is really one of the most effective materials I have seen for a long time. All these are, of course, for out of doors wear, and cloaks and loose jackets may be made of them, just as well as tight-fitting cuirasses. For opera cloaks and also as a trimming to plain materials, a very charming reversible fabric has been invented. One side is of a bright colour, and the other is a much paler shade of the same. The surface on both sides is covered with a pattern of oak leaves that looks as if it were quilted. This has a very pretty effect in the revers, and is certainly new. What is still more entirely novel, however, are silk tissues of this sort, woven with a mixture of silver threads. The silver is twisted upon a black silk wef fc, and is so worked into the material as to leave it as little liable to crease as "to cut. I saw a dozen specimens of this fabric just come from Lyons. They were most of them rich arabesques, of colour blue, crimson, or maize mixed with silver on a white or black ground. There was also an imitation of fishes' scales, in black, white, and silver, and a very bretty plain grey tissue woven of the same ingredients, The question very naturally arises, "What are the uses to which such materials are to be applied 1 " Our 4 Sgantes have not yet arrived at the luxury of a toilette in " cloth of gold '' — silver, I mean. No, but they are to be clad in cuirasses of it next winter, tight fitting bodices that sparkle with cunningly wrought metallic lustre.