The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-30 00:00:00

FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY.

(From LeFollet.)

We have this month to notice such an extensive list of
elegant dresses, that we will only devote a limited space to
general remarks. At the present moment, ball and evening
dresses are of the first consideration. Low bodies ure cut
rather square, or slightly in the shape of a heart. Thick
materials are usually made with round waists. Very wide
sashes are worn with these, tied behind, with double falling
bows ; the sleeve is made with a bouillonne of the same
material as the dress. The trimming of the skirt reaches
about half a yard up from the button—narrow flounces,
bouillonnes, bands of velvet or taffetas, lace, or chenille
fringe, are all in vogue. A net-work formed of chenille, or
with small hanging plush ornaments, is also worn ; and fur
is as fashionable .15 ever. Tarlatans dresses are even
trimmed with bands of swan's-down, and the effect pro-
duced is both novel and pretty. Swiss ceintures and corse-
lets are still quite the rage. They are to be seen in mo many
different styles, that all tastes may be pleased; but those
made with basques, and laced up in front, are, perhaps, the
most stylish.
Visiting-dresses are frequently made quite plain, with
merely epaulettes of passementerie, and aumonieres to
match. Passementerie is sometimes put np every seam of
the skirt. The skirts are made quite as long and fan-shaped
as formerly; of course the lower part much wider round
than the upper.
Sleeves are still very small and long; only just opened
sufficiently at the wrist to show the under-sleeves.
The convenient and charming little vestes, with under-
waistcoats, are as indispensable as ever. Those for morn-
ing are made of satin, velvet, plush, or even cachemire, but
always with the Indian chemisette of foulard; in the even-
ing, of course the veste is more elegant, and worn ovtlr a
chemisette of Yak lace, lined with satin of the same colour
as the dress.

Opera-cloaks made of light-coloured velvets, and trimmed
with wide fringe and passementerie, are very elegant. The
shades most admired are white, ponceau, or gold.
Our description of dresses commences with these appro-
priate for evening wear.
An azure-blue satin, with narrow flounce of white bugles
round the bottom of the skirt. An over-skirt of white tulle,
trimmed with white blonde, and caught up at equal dis-
tances with wide blue satin ribbon, spotted with silver. The
ribbons commence at the waist, and are finished off with a
bow and white bugle fringe. The body is made of white
tulle over blue satin, and the drapery formed of blue satin
trimmed with blonde. The sleeves—very short—also made
of satin, and trimmed with drapery and blonde.
A ball-dress; a skirt of very fine white tarlatans with
several narrow flounces, alternately of white taffetas and
tarlatane ; above these, some bouillonnes of tulle. The
whole skirt is covered in this way, and small bows of white
or coloured chenille are dotted about over it. The body is
made of white taffetas, with a plastron of white tulle.
A robe with three skirts of white tulle trimmed with
ruches over a skirt of ponceau satin. The body is of satin,
bouillonne with tulle, and the sleeves, which are made very
short, are also of full tulle. All over this;dress are bouquets
of pomegranate flowers with green foliage.
A dress of white crape over white satin, the crape skirt
forming a tunique, which is trimmed round with white
blonde flounces. A trimming of peach blossoms finishes
the toilette.

A black velvet dress ; the body, sleeves, and skirt, have
bands of blue satin upon them, over which are flounces of
black lace. The body is cut in the Swiss style, and the
lace put flat over the bands of satin.
A dress of white tulle, with bouillonnes up to the
knees, and an under-skirt of ponceau satin. A flounce of
black lace nearly a yard wide is placed over the bouillons of
tulle, festooned with bouquets of pomegranate flowers. The
body, of satin, is covered with drapery of white tulle mixed
with black lace. the sleeves are made to match; and on
both body and sleeves are bouquets of pomegranate flowers.
A robe of Indian red velvet the skirt with a train, but
quite plain: drapery of white tulle and velvet on the body;
the sleeves, bouillons of tulle.
A white moire, embroidered with gold and violet daisies ;
the skirt, training, is trimmed round with a thick rouleau of
violet velvet. This material, being very rich, admits of no
other trimming. The body is low, but worn with a chetei •
sette of English lace. The sleeves are so short that they
are almost imperceptible, but a trimming of English lace is
placed round them, and falls over the arm.
A pink satin dress, trimmed round the bottom with three
rows of white chenille fringe, with the ends formed of little
white satin balls ; body with a square berthe, with two rows
of narrower fringe.
A robe of white satin, trimmed above the hem with black
lace insertion put on in lozenges ; in the centre of each a
large black lace leaf, and between a smaller one. The body
is made with a round waist, a sash of black lace with wide
ends falling behind ; small lozenges of insertion are put on
as a square berthe.

A white satin dress, covered with two skirts of tulle,
spotted with gold, the lower one entirely bouillonnee, and
the upper is caught up at distances by wreathes of black lace
leaves ; berthe, bouillonnes of tulle : in front and on the
shoulders large leaves of black lace, grouped with roses.
A robe of white tarlatans ; at the bottom of the skirt a
flounce, put on waved, and headed with a chicoree of rose-
coloured taffetas ; higher up, a second flounce. A ceinture
body of rose taffetas, piped with white, and trimmed round
with small rose-coloured tassels.

A sea-green moir antique, with two bands of black velvet,
pinked and trimmed with ruches of white blonde.

A thick black taffetas dress, trimmed rather more than 15
inches up the skirt with wide biais band of violet and white
checked velvet, put on slantways. High body, with dia-
gonal bands from shoulder to shoulder. Sleeves with revere
trimmed to match.

A robe of black satin, with four thick wide ruches of the
same, edged with narrow blonde. The body has a eascue
cut up behind.
An emerald-green satin dress, trimmed round the skirt
with two wide bands of green velvet, separated one from the
other by an insertion of black lace, and each side of these
bands is edged with lace ; tho whole of this trimming is put
on in points. The body is a Senorita jacket of velvet, with
a satin waistcoat trimmed with lace.

Robe Imperatrice of violet poplin, trimmed round the
skirt with a band of black velvet and a fringe of balls, m hick
reaches nearly down to the bottom of the dress. Basque,
and the bottom and top of the sleeves, trimmed to match.
A. similar fringe, forming a square bertho, is placed on the
body.
A wedding dress of white satin, having round the bottom
R trimming of swan's down between 15 and 16 inches wide.
This dress is made with a train.

Another marriage dress is of white terry velvet,
with three wide flounces of English lace. each
flounce headed with a narrow band of swan's down an inch
wide. A plain body, with buttons formed of pearls about
the size of a small nut. At the top of the sleeves, a nar-
row band of swan's down.

There is little change in bonnets this month; they are, if
possible, more simple and elegant than those described in
our last number.

We begin with one of corn-flower-blue satin, quilted ; a
velvet ribbon, about an inch and a half wide, beginning
at each side of the crown, is fastened at the top in two long
bows and ends; two other straps of the same ribbon are
brought from the inside of the bonnet to meet the bow. A
bunch of perriwinkles, in blue velvet, is placed across the
forehead : narrow strings of velvet to match the bonnet, and
wide ones of black silk.

A white plush bonnet ; the front and curtain edged with
plaid velvet, a large fiat bow of the same, the ends trimmed
with chenille fringe ; the edge of the front trimmed with the
same fringe. Strings of white ribbon, edged with plaid
velvet. This bonnet is equally pretty if green or blue vel-
vet is substituted for the plaids,

A bonnet of pale green velvet, the curtain trimmed with
black lace. The front has a half wreath of brown heath, and
velvet leaves; in the inside, the same flwers, mixed with
black berries. Blonde cap and green satin strings.
A bonnet of green royal velvet, the front bouillonne of
crape the same shade. The curtain of green velvet, lined
with white satin. On the crown, tufts of white feathers,
with aigrette of black lace. In the inside, a pouff of white
crape, with daisies in mother-of-pearl and bright leaves.
The dinner and evening coiffures are high, but coquettes
and artistic.

The coiffure ruse is much adopted this winter, and requires
the ornaments to be worn quite on the summit of the head.
Amongst,
charming head. dresses, was one formed with
pouffa tulle on the summit, Siberian aigrette at the side
of many
with a rosette of red velvet; a diamond butterfly in the
middle of the pouff.
A head-dress of pink rock coral, branches of coral cross-
ing the back hair, and falling in long strings.
A. coiffure of white point lace, forming a chaperon, trimmed