FROM

OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS. May 29th, 1854.

CHERE AMIE, LILAC is still the fashionable colour, and few ladies omit to introduce it in some part of their toilette, if only confined to a neck-ribbon. The dresses are mostly made separate from the skirt, with basques cut with the body. Flounced biais and double flounces are all worn: some are edged by a narrow fringe, and headed by bands of narrow velvet; others again have flounces of ribbon wove of the material, having the effect of three or four ribbons laid on, and when of two colours the effect is pretty. Bareges this season are fashionable, embroidered above the hem or flounce, sometimes with triple skirts, each with deep hem headed by a wreath of embroidery in colours; they are very pretty, and may also be ornamented with narrow velvets. Checks and plaids are very much worn, and of dimensions that give them the air of novelty. The flounces of these dresses are often festooned with silk of the colours of the material; pines and mosaic patterns are also fashionable; the taffetas Watteau is also in large stripes, with wreaths of flowers broché between. These form handsome toilettes with their double flounces, and may be made with these different bodies, thus adapting it to any style of toilette required-the high body, the open or the low one. For dress, one style of body, rather new, opens at the side, under numerous small nœuds.

The dresses with shaded flounces are very fashionable; some again have the flounce laid on flat, and edged with fringe of another colour, as the flounce of violet, the fringe black. Single deep flounces are worn nearly half a yard deep, ornamented by several rows of ribbon ruches, and a larger ruche heading the flounce, and noeuds of narrow velvet interspersed at intervals; the jacket should be trimmed to match. The fashion of wearing flounces of alternate colours still prevails such as on a violet dress, the flounces of which were alternately violet and black, the trimming of the jacket and sleeves to correspond; but the flounces in shades of colour are more elegant.

::

As yet the corsages are worn high; but as the season

VOL. 27.

advances they will be made more open, and the jackets are equally in favour with high or low dresses, which are made with double sleeves. In thin materials the sleeves are made with two or three bouffants, and those made with several frills laid on one above the other are edged with small ruches, fringe, &c., and noeuds of ribbon are numerously introduced. Skirts continue to be worn very long, and laid in folds if the material be thick, or in gathers if thin.

Very elegant ball dresses have been made of crape, the skirt covered with flounces, which were edged by bands of marabouts, interspersed with small flowers.

The jacket body does not appear to decline at all in favour. Sometimes a lace is added to a narrow jacket or basquine. Sleeves seem to vary at fancy, and the double or triple bell, or bouillons or pagoda, entirely covered by trimmings; the Spanish with puffs, rouches, and noeuds. Cannezous will be very fashionable this summer, and look well with the light pretty silks of summer, and particularly with the large checks, which will be greatly improved by a white cannezous. These are made in different styles: some are made of figured muslin a little open in front, and trimmed with lace, having sleeves; others are composed of bouillons and insertions, and ruches of narrow lace; others of more youthful style fasten behind, and another style crosses in front, and the ends fall at the side. The trimming of this style is broad lace; this is also made in black lace; cannezous of black tulle are also worn, worked in bugles and chenille, with jacket and sleeves finished with a bugle fringe.

The

The mantelets this season are decidedly small, and worn a good deal off the shoulders. Those of moire antique, either black or coloured, are very fashionable; and lace is a favourite trimmming, and noeuds of velvet of the colour of the mantelet are numerously introduced; two frills of the same are not unusual, headed by bands of velvet or several rows of narrow fringe placed close together in a wave; mantelets of popeline and taffetas are similarly made. mantelet scarf appears the favourite style, and black lace decidedly the favourite trimming, not unfrequently half a yard deep. Though black is most generally used for mantelets, light colours, even white ones, are made of moire, and, as in all other articles of dress, lilac and violet are much in demand. A new form of ribbon trimming, forming small caques or bouffants, is made, with the great advantage of not creasing, owing to some spring or elastic introduced in the

manufacture. These ribbons are equally adapted to trim the flounces of dresses, either edging or heading them; they are also used on bonnets. Mantelet scarfs of black lace are much worn, lined with coloured taffetas, and trimmed with ruches of fringed gauze ribbon; fringes are also used on taffetas scarfs, placed on the frill, two or three narrow rows are preferred to one deep one, and sometimes open guipure is placed between the fringes for morning wear. The mantelets of black silk are trimmed with several rows of narrow pinked frills laid on tulle. This style in coloured silks is very pretty, but a more simple one still is with a deep frill of the same, put on in fluted plaits, which at present are preferred to gathers. Young ladies wear mantelets of black or white tulle, trimmed with the same and coloured ribbons. Black taffetas shawls are also worn, with rounded point trimmed with several rows of fringe or lace, and the folds at the throat confined down by five bands, and left open in front.

Bonnets are worn small, but less backward on the head, and usually with the large noeud behind. Very pretty ones are formed of alternate bands of paille de riz and ruches of crape; lilac is also the favourite colour for them. Fancy straws of very open texture are pretty, with trimmings of violets and white ribbon; bunches of the lilac flower are pretty also, with straw-coloured ribbons. The dress bonnets of blond or tulle in bouillons are pretty mixed with violets, lilies of the valley, and lilac; as the season advances the flowers vary in succession as nature produces them, till at last we turn to fruits. Violet, lilac, and green are the favourite colours for morning capotes, which are not unfrequently made of ribbon and bands of fancy straw; those of checked ribbon with bands of paille de riz, or, instead of ribbon, crape or tulle, are all pretty and suitable for the moment; the new bouffants ribbons are also used to make bonnets; the mixture of straw with ribbon is very pretty. The crowns of bonnets are made to come a little more on the head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.
PLATE I.

Public Dejeuner Dress.-Robe of lilac moire, with white jacket, embroidered in soutache guimpe, and under sleeves of lace. Capote of paille crape in bouillons, with bunch of flowers and long foliage at the sides.

Walking Dress-Robe of popeline, and mantelet of blue taffetas, trimmed with two rows of black lace, headed by a bouillon. Bonnet of white lace, in vandykes, ornamented by nœuds of citron ribbon.

Carriage Dress.-Robes redingote of taffetas, the corsage is very open, with revers formed of pinked frills laid on flat; the sleeves are open, with under ones of lace. Bonnet formed of bands of paille de riz and pink crape. Shawl of China crape, embroidered in colours.

Public Promenade Dress.-Robe of organdy, with two deep flounces in small feston at the edge; the body is full and sleeves trimmed with frills. Pardessus of pink silk trimmed with white guipure and puffings of ribbon.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of barege, the skirt is covered with flounces, edged by a bouillon trimming; jacket body with revers, also edged with bouillons, and the triple sleeve to match. Bonnet, white lace, with wreath of flowers encircling the face.

PLATE II.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of moire, with single very deep flounce, forming vandyked edge, finished with two rows of narrow velvet; jacket body with bell sleeves and revers ; the whole in vandykes. Bonnet of blond lace and flowers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of popeline, ornamented with

velvet edging each flounce; the jacket to correspond. Bonnet of crape and ribbon, with flowers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas à disposition, with jacket body trimmed with a bouillon, with double heading. Capote of lilac ribbon, with wreath of white flowers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of barege, the skirt is covered with flounces, the alternate ones being edged in vandykes of ribbon mantelet of green silk, trimmed with black guipure, headed by a bouillon. Bonnet of crape and lace.

Young Lady's Dress.-Skirt of lilac taffetas, with double flounces; cannezous of muslin, trimmed with lace, forming jacket at the waist; the hair in bandeaux, with nœuds of velvet.

PLATE III.

Public Dejeuner Dress.-Robe of green glacé silk, with plain body, the skirt is trimmed with two deep flounces of black lace, headed by a bouillon; mantelet of embroidered muslin, trimmed with a rich frill of the same, headed by an insertion. Capote of white lace, ornamented with loops of ribbon.

Morning Dress.-Robe of popeline, with flounces edged with ribbon; and jacket to match, meeting with nœuds of ribbon. Head-dress of hair, with cordon of velvet.

Child's Dress.-Frock, with jacket of white taffetas, with graduated flounces, headed by rosaces of pink ribbon.

Young Lady's Dress.-Skirt of citron taffetas; cannezous of embroidered muslin, with pagoda sleeves, and under ones bouffants. Head-dress of hair and lace.

Walking Dress.-Robe of popeline; and jacket of green velvet, trimmed with black lace. Bonnet of fancy straw and ribbon.

PLATE IV.

Public Promenade Dress.-Robe of lilac taffetas, with alternate flounces of taffetas and lace; mantelet shawls, white guipure. Bonnet of tulle and ribbon, ruches, with feathers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of popeline, with open jacket body, ornamented by bands of velvet on each side; also on the skirt. Bonnet of paille de riz and crape, with blond veil.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of violet taffetas, with flounces of black and violet alternately. Bonnet of tulle in bouillons, with wreath of roses encircling the face.

Walking Dress.-Robe of barege à disposition; mantelet of moire, trimmed with fringe. Capote of silk and crape, in bouillons.

Morning Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with jacket body and pinked frill, forming basque and revers, and the centre of the skirt ornamented by frills en tablier. Small lace cap, trimmed with narrow ribbon.

PLATE V.

Young lady's dress, composed of spotted cambric, made with pinked flounces and frills, and ornamented with blue satin bows on the sleeves and skirt, with bands of the same across the body, over a stomacher of worked muslin.

Chapeau of white satin, trimmed with rich blond and two bunches of flowers; strings of white ribbon and a wreath inside of green velvet leaves.

Promenade bonnet of chip and embroidered gauze ribbon, lined with tulle and a wreath of pale pink roses and vine leaves. Second ditto of silver-grey satin and black lace, trimmed inside with rose-coloured velvet ends and apple blossoms.

Carriage bonnet made of pale green silk, and areophane and narrow ribbon of the same colour. Brides of orange-coloured ribbon and flowers.

Second ditto, composed of Tuscan, with white feathers and satin ribbon.

Morning cap of lace and muslin, with pink trimmings.