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

FASHIONS FOR JANUARY.

(From le Toilet.)
The favour with which plaid has been received is deci-
dedly diminishing. Still the collets of plaid velvet, with
fringe to match, are worn, although now rather an excep-
tional than a reigning fashion as formerly. They are more
generally made of cloth or milled flannel, in patterns of
wide black checks upon a violet or green ground, with
chenille fringe of the two colours. Small paletots aro also
made of the same materials, and trimmed with fringe.
Velvet rotondes in black, violet, or blue, as also in striped
plush, are equally fashionable.
Besides those of cloth or velvet, mantles of silk, lined and
wadded, trimmed with wide guipure or passementerie mixed
with beads, are worn ; but although very pretty, they are
certainly scarcely 'so suitable to the weather, as materials of
warmer appearance. A half-fitting casaque of'Lyons cloth,
with a rouleau of fur, has a very stylish effect.
Fur is admissible as a trimming, even for full-dress,

- _
though, of course, then only worn by ladies who do not
dance. _ _

Satin or velvet dresses of light colours are being made
with trimmings of ermine, swan's-down, or grebe, round
the bottom of the skirt, and sometimes also on the body.
They have an exceedingly rich and elegant appearance.
Satin brocatelle or velontine, are occasionally made with
quite plain skirts. When trimmed, it must be either with
fur, feathers, or lace. Upon a dress of Mexico blue or
Empress mauve satin, two or three bands of feathers pro-
duce a splendid effect. Lace also is very much used with
satin; and there are some exquisite lace tunics made for
this purpose. Guipure is not so effective as Chantilly.
Ruches, flounces with narrow satin trimmings, butterfly-
bows, medallions, leaves of lace, and, especially, passe-
menterie, are worn as trimmings this winter. Passemen-
terie is in great favour for vestes, which are trimmed with
bands of it, forming braces. Upon Figaro vestes, the
chief elegance is in the epaulettes with jet beads ended with
hanging ornaments. These are now made long and narrow,
very much ornamented with embroidery of passementerie,
terminating with a cut jet ornament. For visiting-dress in
rich materials, some persons have adopted the fashion of
having the skirt made perfectly plain.
Moires of a very large water, are very much in vogue,
especially the short moires. Those with a black ground
and wide plaid satin stripes are also very handsome. A
similar pattern is made in taffetas.
The flowing style of dress, called Louis XV., is that
usually adopted for robe de ehambre or morning-dress. It

is made with large plaits in the back. The form soutane—
whidh is also used for morning- dresses—is without large
plaits, and has less fulness. For this reason, however, it is
not so graceful. This garment, being especially reserved
for morning wear, is usually made simply of cachemire,
flannel, or alpaca. When plain, the colours preferred, are
iron grey or deep blue, Others are made in black and
white cheek, or plaid. Wide bands suiting the dress are
used as trimmings. A plaid band on the iron grey; upon
the blue or plaid, a band of taffetas or black velvet.
For these simple robes de chambre can be substituted
others of a richer description, as ponceau cashmere covered
with rich black braiding and passementerie, or plaid poplin
with velvet bands ; or still more elegant, plush with vel-
vet, or quilted satin bands—this can only be is the Louis
XV. style.
Foulard formeily was considered a summer material;
now it is worn so generally at all times of the year that we
must not pass it by without notice. When of a dark shade,
it is especially useful for dull or wet weather, as it loops up
so easily over the petticoat, and does not crumple.
Violet and dark grey are the colours most preferred for
walking-dress. Those in cashmere patterns of palms or
arabesques upon stripes, are reserved for morning-at-home
dress. Foulards with white ground and coloured bouquets,
or stripes, are charming for evening dress.
This being the season, when ball and evening dresses are
much required, we will place them first in 'our list of de-
scriptions this month.
A silver-grey dress of poult de soie, trimmed round the
bottom of the skirt with four narrow fluted flounces, each
headed bya rouleau of green and red plaid velvet. Low body
with a round waist, and a plaid velvet scarf ; forming a sash
tied loosely on one side, the ends finished off with a fringe.
With this may be worn a Spanish veste of lace, with bows
of plaid velvet.
A pink moire dress, On the skirt are two flounces of
English point lace, placed in zigzag, and caught together,
by bows of pink satin ribbon, edged with lace. The body
covered with a short peleriue of lace, forming a jockey upon
the sleeve, which is short and puffed.
A rich white satin dress ; the skirt made with a train,
and trimmed round with a thick ruche of tulle. Over this
a tunic of Swiss lace, much deeper behind them in front.
Low body, trimmed with drapery of lace, headed by a tulle
ruci,e. Thts toilette would have a very elegant effect, if
made of blue satin with black Chantilly lace.
A dress of foulard—white ground, with bouquets of blue
flowers. A flounce of blue taffetas round the skirt, which is
made with a train. The flounce, about a quarter of a yard
in depth behind, but quite narrow in front, is edged with
an insertion of black lace laid flat on, and a similar insertion
terms a heading. Higher up the skirt at equal distances.
are placed butterfly-bows of black lace insertion. The
body is draped with blue taffetas, with small butterfly-bows
of insertion ; and a scarf of black lace to match, tied loosely
at the side, forms a sash.
An apple-green satin under-skirt, covered with a white
tulle skirt. The trimming is formed of ruches of green satin
and white tulle, put on crossing one another, so as to form
a diamond. In the centre of each diamond, a medallion of
black lace over green satin. The under-skirt is rather longer
than the upper one, and has a row ot small black lace medal-
lions matching those on the tulle, placed at a little distance
apart all round it. The body is low, and made of green
satin ; with drapery and ruches of tulle. A sash, formed of
medallions of lace sewn together.
A robe of moire antique, Mexico blue, with pattern of
bouquets of ears of corn, tied with bows of ribbon of the
same shade as the ground, only of a satin texture. A high
body, with a waistband with a double point, made of Spanish
point passementerie. To this band, aro fixed ends which
hang about half way down the skirt—two behind, and two
iu front. Braces to match, commencing from the band, are
carried over the shoulders, where they increase consider-
ably in width, and form epaulettes. At the bottom of the
sleeve a revers to match.
A dress of maize-coloured satin, with two rows of chenille
put straight round the skirt, and one waved between them,
Upon the body, which is high, a trimming of chenille in
the style of a Figaro veste. The sleeve small, and opened
up to the elbow. A frill of lace round the bottom and down
the front, forming a jabot.
A black moire dress, trimmed round with a quilling of
the same. Above this a wide Mexico. blue ribbon up each
seam, to the height of 15 or 16 inches. This ribbon is
covered with a guipure insertion. All the seams of the
body are covered with a narrow ribbon under insertion.
Robe of black taffetas. Round the bottom of the skirt
a ruche of violet ribbon ; higher 'np, bows of guipure
edged with narrow lace and lined with violet, are sewn
flat on the dress, which forms a very pretty trimming.
Body, with a point in front and a basiue behind. A gui-
pure insertion is put in the Figaro veste fashion, and edged
with a rather wide lace. At the top and bottom of the
sleeves, are sewn flat lace bows like those on the skirt, only
smaller.
Robe of green silk with black flowers. At the bottom of
the skirt two flounces of plain green silk, about half a
quarter wide, set on in deep plaits. These are headed by
narrow ruches of black lace. High body with barque,
trimmed with narrow frills and ruches of black lace. The
bottoms of the sleeves, which are nearly tight, are trimmed
match.
A moire dregs, in A white ground, with blue and green
flowers. The skirt made with a train, and trimmed with a
double plaiting of velvet, green and blue. Body—form,
bolero—round in front, with deep basquines behind, trimmed
to match the skirt,
The bonnets of the present season ought to please, we
think, the most fastidious ladies, as they are so exceedingly
becoming, being just large enough to form a framework
round the face, and trimmed both inside and out without
any exaggeration, so that we are almost tempted to wish
they would remain as they are.
At one house we find an elegant visiting bonnet of mauve
velvet, the front edge and curtain edged with a moss trim-
ming, formed of marabout feathers. On the crown a tuft
of the same feathers, and the inside trimmed with camel-
lias of white velvet trinted with mauve. Blonde cap ; satin
strings.
Another of white plush, with the curtain of plaid velvet.
The inside trimmed with flowers, the colours of which
match those of the plaid. Strings of plaid velvet ribbon.
At the same house were a number of drawn satin
bonnets, trimmed with lace, and a single velvet flower at
the side.
At another equally celebrated magasin was ar. elegant
bonnet of white satin, curtain of blue 'velvet; 'on the front,
inside and outside, blue feather and tea roses. Strings of
white satin ribbon.
A black velvet bonnet, with soft crown; a tuft of ger-
aniums at the side partly covered by a scarf of black lace.
On a black velvet bonnet, with one large rose at the side,
shaded by a deep fringe of chenille, curtain and strings of
black velvet, with narrow pink satin stripes.
A green velvet bonnet was made with a thin edge,
trimmed with Malines lace and rouleaux of white satin,
embroidered with point d'Aleecon. Inside, a bow of green
velvet and small white feather.
Fur is used as trimming for bonnets, but has not a very
graceful appearance. • The best for this purpose, are swan's
down or grebe ; but chinchilla, ermine, and even sable, are
used, but will not, we think, become at all general.
Chenille fringe for.as a very elegant trimming, and is
much used.

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