PARIS NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 49, 5 December 1891, Page 663

PARIS NOTES.

Blouse bodices are much worn with added basque fronts of the same material, either rounded or with square corners. Gold gauze veils are coming to the fore, also Chantilly lace veils, dotted with gold, silver, rubies, amethysts, steel and jet. The capotes worn with the Grecian coiffure are a little like a helmet in shape, the Howers at the back rising over the top of the crown after the fashion of a crest. Large white collars are a very becoming, as well as summer-like fashion, and seem to have been introduced for the very puipose of smartening up by a quick touch a simple dark print or plain woollen dress. A good style of basque is that which is cut on the cross and gathered up at the top ; this is generally reserved for striped and chequered materials, as there would be no object gained by making up a plain material tn this way. For evening wear, the loveliest of all head-dresses is the double row of diamonds, placed in Grecian fashion round the head or chignon, which they seem to keep in place. Little curls must escape from the chignon, to be in correct style. Parasols are more elaborate this year than ever ; not only the covering, but the stick must be made a thing of beauty. Sleeves have a tendency to diminish in size for day wear, but remain as high and full as ever for evening, very full puff's of lace, gauze, or tulle, either jetted, spangled, or embtoidered, being the most fashionable. As to the shapes and sizes of our hats now’, they are dwindling down to the low crown boatman’s shape and size, which have been so long in vogue in London. Last year all Paris laughed at these English eccentricities : this year all Paris is wearing them, and calling them tris elegants. They do not suit French faces, however. So, if an Englishwoman does not know how to wear a capote, a Frenchwoman certainly does not know how to wear a hat with an Englishwoman’s chic. There was a time when a black dress was never seen at a wedding ; now, on the contrary, blaek is most fashionable for weddings. But haltc lit ! let us see (says Lc Journal des Modes} what kind of black is worn. First, the dress itself is of the richest of Perfection of Silks, ami the skirt is edged round with a lace flounce, embroidered with glittering gems. The jacket bodice is opened also over a waistcoat of the same glittering embroidery, composed of pearls, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds ; and it is, moreover, edged round with a deep lace llounce, like the flounce on the skirt, and the sleeves are likewise entirely of the same lace. We may call this a black costume if we will, but there is very little of the black about it. For seaside wear the Parisiennes have taken away some plain batiste costumes ; the large blue, yellow, and ierl checks are made to harmonize well together, and the material is thin and cool. They are trimmed with a kind of coarse net, an imitation of point de Venise ground, and it is very effective arranged as a wide falling down collar, deep cuff up to the elbow, and wide basques sewn on to the bodice at the waist, or else laid flat on basque of the batiste. I saw a costume for a young girl in this style, only, instead of the guipure, it had dark bluevelvet corselet, deepcuffs, and Directoire revers ; in the front of the corsage was a jabot of pinkish white gauze, which was attached to a straight collar or band of the same encircling the throat, folded in three Hat pleats. Coarse white straw boating hat, ornamented with navy-blue velvet and field Howers.