LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 24, 11 June 1892, Page 601

LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS.

STYLISH BALL AND EVENING DRESSES.

(SEE FASHION PLATE PAGE 602.)

Most ladies have a penchant for evening gowns. They are usually becoming for one thing, and they can be made most bewitching. Even a plain face, softened by tulle and flowers, with the hair prettily dressed, a little glow on the cheeks caused by the excitement of dancing, and aided by the mellowing light of pink-shaded lamps or gas burners—thank goodness the electric fiend has not yet established a footing in our New Zealand drawing-rooms—looks uncommonly well. And as for a pretty face—Ah ! its attractions are doubly dangerous under these delightful circumstances. All the dresses recently sent from Home are distinguished by some token of the prevailing semi-mourning, which the May drawing-rooms will probably entirely dissipate. The first sketch in the fashion illustration for this week is a lovely ball dress of very fine black net, embroidered with jet thistles, and mounted on white satin. It is trimmed with a black gauze and satin ruche ; black silk train ; black ribbon on both bodice and train. This ribbon crosses the bodice slantwise. This style in pink Belgium net with silver thistles, pink silk or satin train, and pink ribbon would be exceedingly effective and pretty. The second dress is a very unique and elegant robe. The material is in black silk gauze, embroidered in heliotrope silk with lover’s knots and spots ; it is mounted over helio trope satin, and trimmed with gauze edged with narrow fringe to match. The bodice is ornamented with black and heliotrope twisted libbons. Heliotrope fan. This dress would be charming in gold or silver striped gauze, with gold ribbon (or silver) twisted in and out with black velvet. The hair is worn in a Grecian knot.

Braces have been frequently seen lately in various designs for ladies’ dresses. The third sketch shows a very pretty way of using them. It is a toilette in black faille, with bodice braces, sleeves, and two panels embroidered in heliotrope, silver, and spangles. The V-shaped bodice is filled in back and front with heliotrope spangled crepe. The train is entirely of satin, and is untrimmed.

Some of the materials for evening dresses are lovely. Nets, especially the Belgium, which is four yards wide, aie most useful for covering a silk skirt which has seen service in several ballrooms, and they are not at all expensive. Fancy tinsel tulles are exceedingly effective. Ivory silk embroidered gauze, crepe-de-chine, crepe ludien, plain white crepe, chiffon, mousseline de-soie are all excellent for evening wear, and look light and fresh. A pretty evening di ess is of white satin, covered with white lisse with pattern of chenille rings ; it is trimmed at the foot with a box-pleated flounce, edged with lace. The bodice is slightly full, anil finished at the neck with a double pleating of lisse, edged with lace ; the sleeves are full to the elbow ; pointed waistband of white striped ribbon, tied at the side with long loops and ends.

Very effective, indeed, are dresses en contraste for instance a gold-coloured silk muslin over ciel blue faille. The plain train is of ciel-blue faille, as well as the bodice, which opens with lace revers and basques, slightly embroidered with gold thread. The draped plastron and skirt front, are of gold-coloured silk muslin, and are cut in one piece. There are two lace flounces at the foot of the silk muslin skirt, and a large bow of gold-colonred ribbon at the side. A sash of the same ribbon is tied on the left side. The plastron is also trimmed with lace and ribbon.

For a chaperone, a handsome dress to go with this would be of pale amber satin and ruby velvet. The gored, trained

skirt is einbioidered all over with tiny amber beads, and has no other trimming. The bodice is a tight fitting jacket of ruby velvet, of a very novel shape. It opens down to the waist in the shajre of a V, with plain revers ot white lace, showing a slightly pleated bodice-front of crape of the same colour as the skirt, studded with amber beads. It is finished with a band and lace frilling round the neck. The upper part of the sleeves is puffed up, it is of the same satin as the skirt, and is studded with beads. Mittensleeves of ruby velvet come up over these ; just aliove the elbow they are finished with a band of beader! satin ami a frilling of the velvet. The jacket bodice has deep basques, falling quite plain over the skirt ; it is confined round the waist with a belt of the satin, studded with amber beads.

Another chaperone's dress is of moire antique, black, with stripes of light colours ; the dress straight in front ami on the bias behind ; the skirt is of gauze over pink pleated silk ; a large collar of black lace ; a Pierrot collarette kept up by the elevation of the sleeves ; a Directoire belt of black moire, and a wadding of pink velvet around the corsage. OI.'TI>OOH COSTUME. ‘ Heloise writes : ‘ I am sending you a sketch of my last costume from dear, delightful, dressy Paris. It is for early spring wear, but has a note of winter in it which will, I think, make it acceptable for some of the warmer days of your, comparatively, temperate season. It is of Venetian cloth, of a peculiarly inoffensive shade of red—dull rather than bright, but smart and effective. Three rows of beatfur—everything is <1 la Jtusse now you know—gracefully swathe the lower partof the skirt, which is decidedly clingy. The coat matches and is edged with satin, of which the revers are also formed. The collarette is bear, and reveals

guipure lace at the throat. The vest is of delicate citron, but it harmonises with the dress as only Parisians have the knack of blending colours. The hat is of the new glace velvet, citron shot with dull red, and blended wings. 1 cannot explain on paper how pretty and unique is the whole affair.

‘A dainty hat shape which attracted my roving fancy was composed of a species of aigrette compacted of steel sprays, grey satin ribbon, ami grey osti ich tips. The strings, of course, mate with the ribbon, and of other adornment there is none. Some of the newer shapes are indecorously narrow at the sides, and disproportionately prominent in front. On these ami such as these are planted ostrich tips, aggressively erect, with a dreary inanity of disposal. The gallant little tricorne, (at its best, perhaps, with a border of narrow ostrich or astrachan) is pleasantly in view, and seems to suit well-nigh all its wearers : short or tall, or blonde o. berry-biown. The obese or the extremely gaunt may eschew it, and exult in the effect; but, in truth, the choice of these two often descends upon the odious dwaif “ topper," never to be seen upon the pate of Taste and Sensibility.’