The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-03 00:00:00

(Front Le Fonet.)

Owrpg to the uncertainty of the weather, the change
of dress- for the • season has not, as yet; been very
decided. We find, however, ,that the Paris louses are
quite' prepared with a profusion of spring novelties;
and, hoping that these will soon be in general request,
we" lititen to place a description of them: before our
readers. •

The Zouave jacket still reigns triumphant in the
fashionable world. Those of velvet will give place
to materials of lighter texture. They are now being
made in taffetas, and also in cashmeres of different
colours, principally China blue, violet, and white. The
colours used for those 'of taffetas are blue, white,
rose, maize, and any one of the lighter shades, so that it
harmonises with the rest of the toilette. The black
taffetas Zouave is always simple and pretty, and has the
advantage of being quite free from any eccentricity of
appearance. These jackets are no longer quilted, but
simply lined with taffetas of a contrasting shade. Thus
the black or white, with coloured silk—the coloured.
with white. The lining is bordered with a narrow
ruche of the. same .colonr, generally placed so . that .

it shows a little beyond the edge, and the outside
has a .trimming of narrow guipure round it, which
falls over the niche. The embroideries of gold or silver
give to these a more particular style, which many ladies'
do not admire. A little.laterin'the season we shall find
them made in muslin, for summer dresses. We, even
now; meet with tiocm' in lace for soirees, or for .dinner
dress. Round the foundation, 'which is generally, of
tulle, is a broad .laCe falling over the dress, forming a
flounce, or ruche: The sleeves are made very large, and
opened up, and trimmed round with laCe ; and, When
dressily worn, 'have no under-sleeves, but leave the arm
uncoverd. • _

Mora* dresses arestill worn with closed high bodies,
and trimmed with ruches; but for
,deml.:teilets some •
wear them open in front,,but,not far down.
Skirt's 'continue to toa trimmed with a number of
miaow flounces, or with a wide one, having several
narrow
.as a heading. .
!A rather more novel style df trimming is that of.
nitrrow flounces, parted at the bottom of the skirt, and
tali& up to the waist between eaeh breadth. -In taffetas,
oit rather a deep shade, this looks very well.
Redingotes, or morning • dresses, are now usually
crossed, and fastened up the side. During the winter,
they were buttoned up on the shoulder ; but they are
now made Op'en round the throat, and down to the top
•of the corsets, with a fevers.

Until the warm weather obliges us to resort to open
slems again, they will.continue to be worn tight cfosed.
to the wrist, or rounded, and left just open to the elbow,
the upper part being en suite with the dress, plain, with
jockeys, epaulettes, Bre.
ilire art bOund to record that the .rage for gold trim-
mings rather increases than diminishes. It is.seen, not
otily on dresses, but even upon bonnets. Howevet, most
Women of taste think it too showy. in appearance when
used fcir walking, and content themselves with rich silk..
psssementeries, and handsome laces.
:The paletkit style of dress, which was so much adopted
during the winter, is now made in taffetas, plain, if not
ntigiige ; that: is to say,oinaniefited merely down the
front, and on the cuffs, with buttons ; if for demi--
toilette, a broad. flounce, with three narrow ones for a.:
heading ; sometimes, bound with a coloured taffetas—
sonietirries, alio, the flounces are themselves of a different,
colour ; but then they are covered with black guipure.
This is, of course,'inore dressy, but perhaps hardly no.
pretty. . .
The spring bonnets, prepared by our principal mo-
dites, give evidence of a growing taste for
,simplicity;
without, however, showing any, diminution of elegance.
Silk capc4es, :covered with black or white lace, or tulle
bouilionne, are -the prelude- to. Leghorn and straw,
bonnets as usual.
haye seen an elegant white crape bonnet, the
front and curfaiii. liOnilloune, without any other trim-
ming than a sprig of pink rhododendron, and another
still in bud. When this flower is worn on bonnets—!.
and it is very. fashionable just now—we may mention
that it is made =eh smaller than the natural flower.
Yellow stocks; lilac, and hawthorn are favourite flowers
for straw bonnets.. Very pretty capotes are being made,.
partly of Leghorn and partly of silk ; the front Leghorn,
and the crown, which is soft, and of drawn silk. These
are trimmed either with ruches of silk, a simple bow, or
a small bouquet of

A charming capote in this style may be made, the
curtain and soft crown of gilliflower-coloured silk, the
front of leghorn, and the trimming, a small spray of
azalea's. The same flower in the cap, and ribbon strings
till same colour as the crown,
• Velours ala Reine will still be worn for another
ta,:inth at least,
Sexeral of our elogantes have been wearing gold
flowers in. their bonnets, but we shall be much surprised

Ills fancy be at 411 generally adopted ; the true style

for this season, as we have before said, is -characterised,
by simplicity. White feathers have been worn all
through the winter, and are still used.; but thee will
soon give way to spring flowers.
There is a thsposition to decrease the size of the head,
dresses,, and we ipention it with pleasure, as the Xefili
large bead-dresses lately worn have. certainly not
increased the charipe2.of their fah, wearers, but have
been most unbeeetning to many styles of beauty.
There is not much change at present in mantles; it is
just now the season for cachemires.