THE LADIES

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 19, 22 January 1881, Page 184

THE LADIES

WHAT LADIES ABE WEARING AT HOME.

.* (From our Lady Correspondent inLondon)

London, December 2nd. 1880. Dear Observer,— You ask me to send you an account of the dresses now worn in England. I cannot send you Paris fashions, but those you can probably get else^vhere. They are the less important as the tide of public opinion in the last few years has being settling strongly in favour of English dressing for English people. To begin Avith — materials. Nothing has been more worn during the past summer than cream coloured Madras muslin. It may be had at Marshall and Snelgrove's or any well known London drapers at from Is 6d to 3s a yardwidth about 42 to 54 inches, so that 6 yards is quite sufficient for a dress. The most popular trimming is Bretonne lace, which can be bought

at Hooper's, St. George's Place, Knights Bridge, London, for 2f to 4|d a yard, according .to the width. This lace is exceedingly pretty, and will wash Avith care two or three times. White lace is hardly ever worn now. It is invariably cream coloured or the deeper shade, which is not so pretty, called gold colour. For young ladies, cotton dresses have been very popular. The skirt of self colour, the upper part with the same coloured ground, cut with a little sprig, flower or other small pattern in it ;. the ugly fashion of spots has quite gone out. These dresses were made very plainly with a deeply kilted skirt under a long loose polonaise, which is gathered in at the waist by a belt of the material. Black belts, with light dresses should be avoided. Jerseys of all colours, with skirts to match, continued to be most in favour as lawn tennis dresses and for rinking ; those in cream colour were certainly the prettiest ; black kid tennis shoes superseded the original white canvas. The old-fashioned printed muslins have "been revived, but in much fainter colours, and in very small patterns. Those in mourning will find black cotton dresses very serviceable and cool for the summer. I have seen a black jersey and skirt, with the sash of crape. For slight mourning, dresses are profusely trimmed with zig-zags of "black lace, but except in the form of a tram, apparently separate from the front, long skirts are very seldom worn, never in the morning or for walking. Lucinda, who is always so economical and ingenious, despises those poolspirited ones who are content to loop up the trains of their long princess dresses. She has cut hers off, lined them with sarshett to match, and wears them metamorphosed into Langtry hoods, or round capes bordered out with rows of "braid or bead trimming. Many of her dresses ■were quite lovely, being trimmed with bead or pearl trimming to match, so knowing that nothing is more expensive, and that Lucinda s income is limited, I asked her how she got it. " Oh ! I make it myself," she said, " it is quite simple, get some cheap lace or insertion, with rather a nice pattern, and some seed pearls or "beads, the colour of the dress, very small, sew them on the lace, following out the pattern on some regular plan, as it is exactly the same m effect as your Paris bead trimming at lOd a yard. What a comfort it is one needn't wear white shoes and stockings except with white ball dresses now. Do you know I have embroidered mv black satin shoes with rosebuds at the tips and they look perfect with my black brocade with the red gathered front, and you know I painted my old white satin shoes pale blue to match my' blue cashmere, but it is ruinous having to wear stockings to match all one's dresses. I always wear black Lisle thread in the day, and black open work thread with my dark evening dresses." Lucinda is quite right about the Avhite stockings, black are invariably worn unless they match. Shoes are worn very pointed, and as much as possible either to match the colours of the dresses or embroidered in the same colour. Small bouquets of natural flowers on the left side of the neck or shoulder are worn in the day and evening. Ball dresses are worn sometimes short, but more often half long, imple fashions in hair caps and are still supreme.

This dress consists of a train of black brocade or striped grenadine, front of draped Indian silk, old gold or salmon colour. The bodice is pointed back and front in a shallow v. shape at the neck. The train edged with lace with a zig-zag (waterfall) of lace edging the lower part. A small bouquet of flowers is almost always worn in the bodice just below the shoulder. Shoes and stockings to match the colour of the dress and long gloves. Some further dress patterns will be published next week.

— Cardinal is as much worn as ever. — Crinolines appear to be creeping into favour, — Kink hats are still very popular. — Short dresses may be worn anywhere now. — The very "tiniest" earrings obtainable are the most fashionable. — Deep-pointed collars are among tlie new fashions. — Walking dresses should be made just to cover the ancles. — Ribbon bows for ornamenting dresses are made long and full. — Sleeves of street dresses should be made short. — Coloured pleatings have a place on many of the fine dresses no out. — Miss H's new black silk is made skirt and habit bodice, and is well worthy of notice. — The jersey costume is made with as few seams in front as possible. — A sleeve looks very pretty when made half plain and pouffeed for the other half. — The square brooch is the latest novelty in jewellery. — Mrs. P. wears one of the new boat-shaped hats. It suits he admirably. — The ends of girdles should be edged with deep lace or fringe. — Miss J. had her new pompadour on last Wednesday. Jerseys are getting common and cheap — 16s. will buy one. — I greatly admire the pale blue sateen worn by Miss M., and so do many others. — Here is something new : Fancy a bright green pompadour trimmed with scarlet, and, to crown all, a royal blue tie. — Mrs. F., of Mount Eden, wears a very handsome mourning costume of black silk, with deep jacket and black silk bonnet. — Many of the new dresses have the back done up with deep kiltings instead of puffs, and look much prettier. — The Marie Stuart bonnet appears to advantage when Avorn by ladies who curl their hair in front. — A cream-coloured bonnet trimmed with unmounted roses, and with a rather deep shade of old gold, and lace lappets, calls for notice. — When bracelets are worn, the sleeves look better tight, with neither lace nor frilling at the hand. — A very comely costume of pompadour silk, ornamented with a black silk sash, and made with a sash at one side, only deserves notice. Mrs. A. has another pretty dress — a dark pompadour satin, trimmed with black, and made long with polonaise and kilted skirt. — Miss N. possesses a rink hat of cream satin, with a pompadour crown, which is really superb — I should like to know the name of the lady who wears that nice black lustre princess robe, with narrow kiltings and pleated sash. | — Mrs. P., of Onehunga, has a very handsome black silk dress, made with skirt and habit bodice, and trimmed with old gold satin. — A new way for arranging a bridal fall is to have it puffed rather full at the top, with only a small spray of orange blossoms in the hair. —Mrs. Lingard's little girls wear very pretty costumes of navy blue, with Tarn o' Shauter hats — Ladies wear imitation threepenny-pieces in their caps now ; half-sovereigns would be a decided improvement. — Miss O. wears a beautiful prune dress, with pale blue trimmings. It is a miracle of neatness. i —Mrs. L. has returned from Melbourne, and i has brought with her a wonderful fawn-colored satin cloth costume

—One of the prettiest dresses seen in Queenstreet last week was a black sateen, with cream pompadour girdle. a — An uncommon and very choice costume, to which I desire to draw attention, is a moonlight blue sateen, with trimmings of the same material. —It may be information to my lady friends to let them know that Mr. T., the jeweller, is about to lead a Parnell young lady to the altar, an give up "single blessedness." — Miss L. now wears a well made and elegant costume of black cashmere, with a winecoloured jersey, and Zulu hat; altogether "tip top." —Mrs. T. M. Avears one of the prettiest brown sateens I have yet noticed. It is made with polonaise and skirt, with kiltiugs of the same, and old gold hat trimmed with brown satin. — The generally recognised belle of Ponsonby has caused quite a nutter of envy lately in her new cream dress with old gold and cardinal trimmings. —The neatest way in which to give the finishing touch to a dress is to have a small turnover collar at the neck fastened with a brooch. — The prettiest sunshade which I have yet seen is one of black satin, with sprays of flowers worked on the outside, and deep lace round the edge — A Waikato lady came into town on Friday, Avearing a very elegant costume of cream sateen, Avith kilted skirt and long polanaise of pompadour. — The neAv style of ladies' hair dressing is to haA r e the back hair pleated long, so as to hang down over the collar. It has, lioAvever, a very untidy appearance, as in most cases some of the hair is too short to completely carry out the i design. —The elegant and artistic hand-painted neckerchiefs, bag_s, etc., which have been la mode in all fashionable circles at home, are finding their way out here. No doubt the fair sex Avill be all on the gui vive to see, and better still to possess one. — The hair harvest in France is in full activity, and dealers are attending the. different fairs, and persuading the young women to part with their tresses. In certain districts the girls regularly cultivate their hair for the market, the crop being ready for cutting eyeryj^re^years^ — Chromo - lithograph" floral and" pictorial A'isiting cards for ladies and gentlemen are all the rage at home just now. Marcus Ward and Co., De La Rue and Co., and other well-knpwn publishers, have issued numerous exquisite specimen?, which would be an ornament to any ard basket — A curious new club is about to be established in Albert terrace, Knightsbridge, London. It is to be founded by bachelors, who are to be allowed to invite ladies to dinner^ When a member marries, lie is to be permitted to retain his membership on payment of a fine of 25 guineas. — Tiny gold and silver moons are fashionable in Paris\at present, vice the miniature pig which lately lias been suspended to nearly every bracelet or Avatch chain, and is now only used for a buckle. The cock is also a favourite emblem, and large fans are painted Avith chanticleer's head in natural colours, and the English salutation "Good morning." —A neAV device in the use of flowers is now in vogue in Paris. It is the wearing of a small bunch of natural flowers on the shoes, in place of the lace or ribbon rosettes of a few seasons ago. The favourites are primroses, yellow on one shoe, and purple on the other or mixed on both ; violets are much worn, aud daisies are j just " coming in.fcj —During this Avinter Avonderful satins are Avorn in jScav York. A celebrated dry goods establishment is displaying a satin costing £12 a-yard, which is thus described :— lmagine a ground of the softest, creamest, satin, covered with clusters of huge flowers, embroidered in pearls. Here and there, where the leaves turn, or the flo Aver hides the petal, there is a transient shimmer of gold, just a shading, as it were, of line gold embroidery. Every inch of the ornamentation is done by hand, and the effect is exquisite. The material for a modern dress made from this satin costs £300. — The polonaise costume is one of the simplest and most graceful models of the season. In Paris one of the new caprices in such garments is to make them of severely simple shaije, with asfeAV seams as possible. This is bringing about a revival of the French back, Avhich is made Avithout regular side forms, and consists of merely tAvo pieces, with a seam doAvn the middle. At present the front of polonaises is extended very far back, to meet the narrow French back, and to make the fronts fit properly a dart is taken directly under the arm. Another feature in this polonaise is its irregular drapery, different on the sides, and made to look "hooped," so f too scant at the pointed end. " Eva " Avill at all times be happy to ansAver any questions her lady readers may propound regarding dress, or other ladies appurtenances. It°is, lioAvever, rather difficult to fancy Avhat the style of dresses might have been fifty years a^o, and, moreover, my lady correspondent of last week omitted to state what shade the silk was which she Avished altered. If the dress Avere of a light shade, I should recommend that it be trimmed Avith a deep violet ; and if a dark colour, ornamented Avith heliotrope- The latest and most approved style is a draped skirt with habit bodice. The hair should be crimped on hairpins.