LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 14

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

Description of Plate No. F. f.S'ee Fashion Plate.) The present fashion for tartan garments of every sort and kind naturally owed its origin in the first place to the marriage of the Duchess of Fife, and her determination to use the Macduff tartan for some of her most important gowns The fashion which was thus commenced in London in the summer was speedily taken up with enthusiasm on the other side of the Channel, and all through the autumn, French ladies have been wearing tartan gowns and cloaks, both in wool for daytime and in silk or poplin for evening wear. This being the case, it is only natural that ladies should be interested in the tartan question, and should be anxious to know where they can obtain the newest styles and the most perfect quality in these Scotch goods. A silver-grey cloak is lovely, for instance, with a pale pink inner side, while for more useful purposes a brown reversible cashmere cloak, with a fawn-coloured inner side, looks very handsome with a beaver collar and cuffs and lieaver fur down the centre of the front. A circular cloak of this reversible material is of dark red cashmere with a brown lining. This cloak is fully gathered round the shoulders, made" with a turn-down collar of the same material, and tied in front with long loops and ends of dark red ribbon. No. 1 is a long tight-fitting coat of the alwavs-becomino Sutherland tartan, with its subdued shades of blue and green, the effect of which is admirable in every way. This coat is beautifully cut and shaped to the figure in a' manner which is exceedingly graceful and becoming. The high Marie Stuart collar is of beaver in a very fine quality, the same fur being also used to form the deep cuffs and a kind of vest in front, beneath the upright collar. Large pockets on the hips give a great air of smartness to this coat. No. 2 is an exceedingly successful gown, made in the Douglas tartan, with a relief of narrow white lines on a ground of mingled dark blue and dark green. In the plain tight-fitting bodice the strifes and checks are wonderfully well matched, and the way in which it is arranged to button oyer on one side must lie noticed as specially becoming to the figure. The skirt is cut in a severely simple style, but at the same time one which suits admirably the desi-n of the fabric. No. 3 is a very neat ami useful little gown made in the Mackenzie tartan, with a plain skirt fully draped and crossed picturesquely by a wide scarf of the same material knotted loosely on one side. The bodice is made of plain •lark blue cloth, with a vest and cuffs of Mackenzie tartan. The vest is fastened by silver thistle buttons in a diamond shape. Gowns made in this neat style look almost equally

well in any tartan, with a bodice of plain cloth in some harmonising shade. Description of Plate No. 11. (See Fashion Plate. ) Several of our Paris sketches are taken from gowns worn at the marriage of Mdlle. Simonne d Uzes, daughter of the Duchesse of that name to the young Due de Luynes and de Chevreuse. The dresses were very magnificent. The bride's wedding-gown was elegantly simple in its long sheeny folds of pearl-white satin. The*front, en tablier, covered with superb ‘ point d’aiguille,’ the front of -he corsage slightly trimmed with similar lace and caught up at the waist with a small bunch of orange flowers. The pretty brown hair was dressed away from the face, a few tendril curls only softening the brow. A small coronet of orange blossom surmounted the coiffure, from which fell a priceless veil of ‘point d'aiguille’ placed far back a TEspagnole. The bride, who is only nineteen, whilst her husband is twenty-one, is a dainty brunette, and wore for her travelling-dress a rlaid costume, coat and toque of sealskin. The two have been engaged since they were babies. When signing the marriage contract, the bride wore a lovely dress of rosecoloured silk (the customary style) covered in mousseline de soie. Her mother, the Duchesse d’Uzes, received her guests in a gown of ivory white brocade, with front gracefully draped of crepe de chine. She wore a marvellous necklace of rubies and diamonds, and a spray of natural flowers in her simply lifted hair. Our illustration shows the dress worn by the (a J Duchesse D’Uzes during the ceremony. It is of silver grey plush, trimmed with zibeline fur; the left side panel of the boilice and the under petticoat are in peluche ciselee of the same shade. The dress worn by Mdlle. Simonne D’Uzes (b) for the town hall marriage was a combination of peacock-blue sicilienne and velvet of the same shade, but somewhat darker : the points on the bodice are bordered with embroidery of the same shade and a row of buttons placed upon each velvet sleeve. The bonnet is to match. Another sketch represents the costume frj worn by Madame GautierVillars at the wedding of Mademoiselle Marie Anne Carolns-Duran (the painter’s daughter), a lovely combination of grey peau de soie, with dark velvet sleeves and bands of white lace eaught up by striiies of darker grey velvet. Mdlle. Mathilde D’Uzes, at the De Luynes D’Uzes marriage, wore a dress in bois de rose bengaline (d), combined with somewhat darker shade bois de rose plush, cut as designed. Mademoiselle Berthe-Marie de la Ferriere at the Cercle des Patineurs, in the Bois de Boulogne, appeareil in a most original jacket (e) in cachou cloth and beaver velvet, cut as designed and trimmed with beaver fur. The petticoat is of white woollen stuff, while the cap is of beaver. Madame de la Briere (f), on the first night of Shakespeare’s newly-adapted Shylock at the Odeon Theatre, wore a most original toilette all in white bengaline, with a trellis work in beaver shade chenille. The hat is of grey silk gauze with white beads and butterfly bows of white surat.