Society and Fashion Gossip.

Otago Witness, Issue 1602, 5 August 1882, Page 27

Society and Fashion Gossip.

Flowers are worn very large on dresses, trat small on bonnets. Roses are always the most popular flower with milliners, and they are preferred unmounted this season— that is, with out foliage. Square trains just now are most fashionable, and the two sides are rarely trimmed alike ; but frequently the corner is turned up, the other left square. Two or three huge bouquets are more fashionable than a continuous succession of little bouquets on the trains. The Count is leaving a saloon of a charming lady friend . ' Going so early, my dear Count? ' I am, madam— l must— in fact, I have an angageinent that cannot be avoided. Igo to regret elsewhere not being here.' (Bows profoundly and exit.) The most startling parasols exhibited thus far are those of vormillion satin, lined with old gold silk and trimmed with double ruffles of wide gold lace. The ferrules are surrounded by a wreath of brilliant scarlet roses, mixed with small yellow sunflowers. Several young noblemen of aesthetic tastes have besought the Prince of Wales to adopt the knee breeches and silk stockings so dear to the male aesthetic mind. He has, however, declined to accede to the request, and still persists in wearing trousers and thick boots.

Messrs Jay have invented a new kid glove, which has a tiny pocket fitted into the palm of the hand, fastened with a button. It will hol,d any small sum or a railway ticket. The glove is in the best kid, with four buttons, in black a.nd shades of grey. It is most cleverly arranged, and very convenient. The linings of trains now assume a great importance, a7id many velvets and brocades have rich satin doublure. Eor example, a brocaded train, the design flowers of all kinds on a black ground ; a 12in. baud of blaok velvet on either side, and a lining of old-gold satin. Tho edges of aH traii^s should be hemmed over a rouleau of wadding. A rather awkward mistake was made by a lady moving in aristocratic circles in England. She wrote a letter to her husband, complaining that ho allowed his ' relatives to sponge on him,' nnd put it in an envelope addressed to one of those relatives in reply to an expressed intention of vi-iting the writer.

Women of fashion wear very little jewelry in tho stroot, v ith the exception of one or two slender bracelets that are worn outside long gloves. Earrings are abandoned for day weav on all but full dress occasions. A jeweled collar button an 4 a cravat bow are worn at the throat, or else there is merely a slender bay pin, The watch is attached, to o, short cfyfttt) lame.

A little Boston girl who had seen an engraved copy of Millais' 'The Princes i in the Tower,' in a picture-shop window, went in the other day and said to the shopkeeper : I came to ask you if you would please take that picture out of your window. Every time I pass I look in and the picture is so sad it makes me very unhappy. Won't you please take it away?' , „, , There are sateens covered with peacocks with outspread tails ; others, and these are charmingly graceful, with Kate Greenaway children skipping and playing; roses invaded with beetles, and borders for trimming washing dresses, showing quaint, small children at leisure and play. Large rosses and passionflowers on olive green and porcelain blue grounds are prominent among patterns in washing fabrics. The well-bred hoßtess puts her guests at ease by being at ease herself. She gives them the best she has without fuss or flurry, or undue expense ; always bearing in mind that the best thing she can offer them is herself, unfretted by care, unwearied by labour, and fresh and free for social chat, or sympathy, or counsel, as the case may be. Check silk materials for elegant spring toilettes are very much in favour, and especially when combined with plain-coloured cashmere. The bodice and tunic drapery are made of the latter, while the trimming of the skirt (generally a broad kilting) and of the bodice is of Bilk. Complete toilettes of check silk may be varied by a second bodice of plush or velvet of one colour ; this is an exceeding useful fashion, for by this means the same costume can be worn on various occasions. There have been a few eras when people dressed beautifully and naturally— the Grecian, the dress of England in the time of George 1., of the time of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and of Gainsborough— these are the styles we should follow, not the dreadful fashion plates of the modern dressmaker. The hat of the last cen . tury, with its wide brim, was a beautiful background for the face ; but the modern bonnet, with its flowers and what not, is an irrational monstrosity. — Oscar Wilde. No Paris woman, who is anybody, ever wears any other than silk underclothes ; and the most fashionable colour for that, as well as many other articles of dress, including the corset, is red. A celebrated modiste says : 'It would be quite impossible to produce the same effect on an English or American figure, for the reason that so much troublesome underclothing is worn. A French woman has everything to fit her figure exactly, thin and fine material, and regards a fold or wrinkle as a device of the arch enemy to injure her appearance. The death of the Sultan's young sister recently at Constantinople has caused a great sensation. The Princess Naibe had fallen in love at first sight with Sadyk Bey, a young Turk. On his side, Sadyk fell also desperately in love with tho Princess. Seven months ago the Sultan gave his sister in marriage to Mehemedßey, and the girl had not the courage to tell her brother how deeply her affections Were engaged. Her lover killed himself, and in the words of the old story, * she pined away and aiedt'

It is s-vid that the Prince Leopold's state of health although fair is not sufficiently robust to warrant him in ' going in ' for the season. By»the-bye, the residence of the newly-mamed couple (Olaremont), is by no means an imposing, although a very pretty mansion. It is situate close to Esher. The doors and windows are all small, and many of the rooms are ditto ftnd old-fashioned also. As a specimen of what ia within it may be noted that the Duchess s dressing-room is furnished in red, white, and Bold, with rose dv Barry hangings, and ornamented with flowers. The Duke's dressingroom is blue and white, with hangings embroidered with blue of all shades.