The Express.
London, England, 1868-06-02 00:00:00

FASHIONS FOR JUNE.

(From Le Follct.)

So far as the style and make of the dress is con-
cerned, we hod there is not much change since last month.
The "Marie Antoinette" fiahu takes a very prominent
place in most toilettes, though for ladies no longer young
other shapes more suitably replace the paletot. The fichu
is essentially youthful in appearance when worn as an out-
of-door garment, and, unless the figure is young, the
rotonde or flowing mantle is far more becoming. The
hchus are very pretty when made entirely of lace, as they
very frequently are ; also of silk matching the dress, and
trimmed with lace, or of black silk, and worn with a
coloured dress. Black lace is very fashionable, not only
for fichus, but mantles and scarfs of various descriptions,
and sometimes lined with colour.

Flounces are much in favour. The greater number of
short dresses are trimmed with a narrow flounce, not um
frequently of a different colour to the dress. The under-
skirts also sic made with a flounce, and in that case the
whole toilette, including the fichu, should be trimmed to
match.
_ .

The upper skirts are still very generally worn in the
panier style, being caught up at the sides, puffing out at
the back, whilst the front breath is perfectly flat, baying
no crinoline or stiffness under it, the crinoline always
commencing from the aides, but being carefully shaped so
as to keep the bottom of the dress from hanging ungrace-
fully limp.
For in-door dress, the double skirt forming paniers, with
a muslin body, completed by a small hanging waste with
or without sleeves, is very much worn. These fancy vestes
are made of cachemite, and trimmed with gold cord or
braid, or narrow plaited flounces, and have sometimes
scarf cashes. They are very stylish and fanciful.
Jet has almost entirely gone out of fuhion,fringe(either
of silk with network, or of satin balls, Lc.) having to a
great extent taken its place. There are also many rich
salons and supurb ribbons for sashes to be worn with sum-
mer dresses. The variety of sashes is immense. Amongst
others we mention the violetta." with a taffetas bow,
formed of a cluster of small bows cut in the shape of
violets ; the ceinture " papillon," with butterfly bow ; the
ceinture " djelma," forming an oriental ; the cein-
tore " postilion," with small bisque behind ; ceinture
" collette." looping up the dress 1 la Psysanne ; and the
ceinture "=merge," gathering up the skirt en panien.
Although the short costume is the only dress admissible
for morning costume or walking drug, our readers must
not suppose that they are ever admissible for ftte toilette ;
for such occasions the dress should be made long, training
I behind, though short in the (root, the side breadths being
much longer, and gathered to the length of the front, thus
forming a kind of panier merely by the manner in which
the skirt is set on. . . . .

An effort is being made to shorten the train even in full
dress ; tbie, however, if not a failure, will at least be a
work of tune ; at present, for dinner and evening drug,
the train is still in favour. . . . . .

Evening dresses are made either with several skirts or
much trimmed at the bottom, with a short overskirt
very boaffoustes at the back sod sides of the waist ; thus
several skirts of tulle, the upper one in form of a tunic,
trimmed round with a wreath of leaves and beetles. This
tunic was raised at each side under a large bouquet of the
same. Low body, with wreath of leaves round the top and
sleeves. Head-dress—wreath, and loos bright grass biing-
ing over the chignon.
rhaobi•ry gauze is much in favour for evening dress.
With dresses of this material are worn sashes of wide
ribbon—bright colours, either to match or contrast well.
Dresses of India muslin, trimmed with lace, are also
worn over coloured silk. This has always a charming
effect.

White Algeriennes, or alpaca, are also useful materials
for the " Louis XVI." seyk, which is now the rage, as
they fall in graceful and soft folds, and contrast so well
with the bright-coloured satin bows with which these
dresses must be trimmed ; and " Marie Antoinette" fichu
in black lace.

Bonnets have undergone little, if any, change sin°e last
month. The chapeau mantille is still the favourite style.
Black lace is !penally preferred for this style, but white
and coloured crape and blonde are much used ; are should
be taken that the colour chosen is one that will snit ;
whilst a black lace mantilla, with bouquet of coloured or
macrees, flowers is becoming to any complexion, and may
be worm with any dress.
Some ladies have been wearing the mantille with simply
a bow of coloured ribbon forming a diadem, and to which
the mantilla is attached. This, although by no means
an inelegant coiffure, is far too eccentric to become
general.
Caps now, as at all times, follow as nearly as possible the
bonnets of the season. We are not, therefore, surprised to
see the mantilla increasingly gaining favour, particulaily
as it is not only a charming accompaniment to a young
face, but may be equally well arranged to suit any age.
The small round cap ts made simply with • frill of lace or
blonde, trimmed in front with ribbon or flowers, and at
the back with bow and long ends falling over the chignon.

Subscriptions are being raised in France for the
institution in Algeria of mixed agricultural schools, in
which the children of the destitute Arabs will be taught
the methods of European agriculture together with Bum
peen children ; the schools to be under the entire manage-
ment of the laity.