AMONGST THE FASHIONS.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 55, 1 October 1881, Page 41

AMONGST THE FASHIONS.

Br a Correspondent in London.

London, Augnst 11. The last Saturday of the London season drew a fair number of pedestrians to the Park, notwithstanding a few showers, and afforded an opportunity for noticing the few changes that the seasor. has made in the fashions. Bonnets are, if possible, smaller than they were, but a slight tendency towards making the trimming rather higher in front is apparent. Hats appear to be growing larger as bonnets diminish. They are frequently overloaded with trimming, and, though we are only in July, the fruit and vegetable mania is setting strongly in. Currants and raspberries have been added to the ever-popular grape and cherry. I noticed a bunch of greengages and dark red-plums mixed on a hat in the Park on a recent morning, and the vegetable world was represented by a group of glowing tomatoes, some xipely red, some only yellow. On one was perched an enormous caterpillar, which is a bit of realism that has its unpleasant side to some constitutions. This hairy creature was only chenille and silk, but more than one person was deceived by its resemblance to the genuine article. A whole owl formed the trimming of one hat, and, light as are the feathers of this bird, the effect was hot and Tieavy. As to dresses, there is rather less of the erinolette than there was a month ago, owing, probablyj to the example of the Eoyal Princesses, in whose attire this hideous invention has been conspicuous by its absence. Enormous sashes are now worn, the numerous loops of which fall over the skirt at the back, and impart an appearance of fulness which almost simulates the erinolette. These sashes are twelve or fourteen inches wide, .and are made of nioire or satin ribbon. A pretty dress was of very pale French grey muslin, worn with a white bonnet and a very large white watered silk sash. Another, equally pretty, was of an extremely pale shade of green India muslin, lightly embroidered here and there with bunches .of leaves and grasses. Both of these were made without those gatherings at the neck which look and feel so hot just now. Cotton materials are more than ever the rage. Small wonder, when the designs are so excellent and the colours so good. There has been a slight diminution in the numbers of pink cottons during the last few days. Their wearers are begining to discover that they

■ f : i are "getting terribly cdmmon." This is true enough. The eye quite wearied of pink, especially as it is not every one who can distinguish between a cool shade of that popular colour and a warm one. lam glad to see muslin re-appearing on the fashionable horizon. An extremely pretty one was worn in the Park last week. The skirt was covered with flounces of white muslin, the ground of which was almost covered with pale blue sprigs. Each flounce was edged with Valenciennes about an inch wide. A long pointed bodice of the gathered muslin ended in a bow of blue ribbons, and from either side of the point, pannier-like drapery, edged with Valenciennes, was drawn away, to end in a slight pouf at the back. The hat was made of Valenciennes, with a bunch of white wild roses and leaves. High heels are beginning to be considered very bad style. The fashionable heel is not high, nor can it be said to be very low, but it is at least in the correct position, and not in the middle of the foot. It is also square, instead of tapering, which is distinctly an advantage. The latest idea as to pocket-handkerchiefs is to have the owner's autograph copied in embroidery. This new notion is " taking " so rapidly that the" embroidered signature will scarcely stop at the handkerchief. It will probably soon appear on the shoes, the parasol, and the arm ; and as ladies are now exhibiting the coat of arms of their families upon their sleeves, the process of identification by the curious will soon cease to present any special difficulties. There are indications that skirts pleated from the waist to the feet will be much worn in autumn. Travelling dresses are now frequently made thus, with slight drapery crossing the front and trimming the back. Occasionally, the fulness for these pleats is f urnished by deep gatherings from the waist. In such fabrics as foulard, Corah silk, or Eumchunder silk, the effect is excellent, but with autumn dresses, the question of added weight will probably prove a serious one.