The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-03 00:00:00

PARIS FASHIONS FOR MAY.

(FROM THE COURT JOURNAL.) '
A decided change in fashion has been observable during
the month. The effects of Longchamps are visible through
every degree of toilet. Walking dress has altered in ma-
terial long before the weather has changed sufficiently to
warrant any innovation. Valencias have taken the place
of the heavier kinds of woollen stuffs, and the richness of
the colours and softness of this material contribute much
to the enlivenment of our promenades during its short
reign. A new mixture for the ground of this stuff has
been introduced. The silk is thrown up in a close uneven
pattern, which gives it the appearance of the most rich,
and bright damask, the stripes, whether circling the jupe
en Bayadere, or carried en baguette straight down the
front from the corsage to the feet, are woven by a new
method of throwing up the silk, giving them the appear-
ance of the clouded satin made at Venice in former times.
The effect of these reties nebuleuses is very brilliant. The
role baguette, made in silk, valencias, or alpaca, is gene-
rally
of green, dark blue, or violet. The double stripe
down the front is of a novel kind, consisting of every
bright and striking colour which agrees with the nuance
of the dress. Rows of an entirely new description of but-
ton, displaying the same mixed colours as the stripe, and
flashing between the baguettes, give a peculiar novel'y to
this species of dress. A waistcoat combining the same
colours, but in narrower stripes, is again ornamented with
this new description of button. The basques of the corsage
are trimmed with fiance, and fringe of mixed colours. Al-
together this toilette a la Gitana is one of the most strik-
ing which the Longchamps of this year has bequeathed us.
The matinees have been during the month most brilliantly
attended. The Princess Bragacion's Wednesdays have
furnished a greater display of taste and fashion than we
have beheld in Paris ever since the days of Louis Philippe.
The youthful bride of the Duc de la R. wore on Wednes-
day last a light blue gros de Naples, brocaded in a rich
design of rose cendre'e and white. A long flounce mounted
on the jupe en dents de loup, the heading marked out with
a delicate embroidery in pink silk and white jet; the bot-
, tom of the flounce embroidered to match, and the corsage
open in front with a double waistcoat, showing the pink
revers beneath the white watered silk; buttons of pink
topaz, set round with pearls, completed the dress. Over
it was worn a white silk jacket, most exquisitely em-
broidered in white jet and pearls. The exquisite delicacy
and freshness of this toilet inspired the greatest admira-
tion.
The bonnet worn with this disVngue costume was of
white crape, ornamented with daisies, a wreath of which,
with pearl hearts, crept along the edge, two long drooping
bunches of the same flower were placed on either side,
and, mixed with tulle, came down low along the face.
Another costume, that worn by the Princess M., also at-
tracted great attention. It was a dress, is la hortssarde,
of rich silk. An elaborate embroidery in a militry pat-
tern down the front, increasing in width as it reached the
hem, was carried round the bottom of the skirt with mar-
vellous effect. The colour of the dress was of the new tint
of green denominated vert President, the embroidery black,
relieved with violet. A mante of the new form des'gnatcd
by the name of vetement was worn with this dress. It
was of rich moire much decorated with embroidery ; the
long hanging sleeves were open to the elbow, showing the
elaborate jacon of those belonging to the dress beneath.
Amongst the number of robes a l'lmperatrice, robes dia-
mantines, robes damasquinees, and robes h la Marquise
seen at this assembly we noticed particularly the dress of
the young Spanish Countess de L. It was of jonquil-
moire, with creves of black guipure entablie down the
front of the skirt. These creves were united by a broad
ribbon passed through them ; this new idea completely
subdued the hard effect of creves, which had hitherto
caused their rejection from the ateliers of our first-rate
couturieres. The sleeves of the dress were open to the
shoulder, the creves of black guipure diminishing in size
as they approached the wrist, and there terminating in a
bouffant which encirled the hand. A mante surprise
covered the shoulders. It was composed of guipure de
laine, bordered with a full chievree of the same colour as
the dress, laid on in a serpentine pattern. The bonnet was
of black lace, ornamented with tufts of ostrich feathers,
and beneath the brim two enormous bunches of jonquils
seemed to throw it back from the face. This toilet was
the most admired of all, from its exceeding simplicity and
richness, and the contrast which the bright and full jon-
quil colour afforded to the clear dark complexion and
raven hair of the wearer.

Bonnets of every kind are made low in the neck behind,
however fully they may be trimmed across the passe.
Fancy straw seems decidedly destined to become the
vogue again this year, as it has been for these two seasons
past. Some of these bonnets are elaborate and rechEnche
in pattern in the extreme, and one of imitation point
d'Alencon, made of the finest Italian straw-thread, struck
us as being the perfection of this sort of manufacture.
It was lined with silk vent President, and trimmed with
a small wreath of rose-buds creeping round the edge. A
narrow moird ribbon vent President, mixed with rose-
buds creeping in and out, was laid across the passe. The
simplicity and freshness of this garniture was admirably
contrived to set off the delicacy of the workmanship of
the point d'Alencon, and reflected the greatest credit on
the inventor. It would seem, however, that the same
degree of expense and luxury in the article of bonnets
which we have been criticising is, nevertheless, destined
to be continued through the summer, for, in general, even
these fancy straws which seem so valuable for their light-
ness are loaded with ribbons and flowers which completely
destroy the sole effect for which they were formerly so
much prized.
The drooping form of the bonnet is produced in straw
by the ingenious contrivance of raising the passe to the
shape of the head. The effect of the universal adoption
of this shape bas been to raise the coiffure of hair around
the face, and to compel the employment of an increased
quantity of ornament beneath the brim. Caps are but
little in vogue. The good old times of dress bonnets are
completely revived, and numberless have been the inven-
tions which have arisen to furnish the interior of the brim.
First and foremost amongst these stands the new bonnet
of gold blonde, worn by the Etnyress. upon the occasion
of her visit to the Opera Comique, which created an in-
describable sensation amongst our fair amateurs of fashion,
and has since that moment become a perfect fureur.
This bonnet, a la duchesse, is composed of the finest and
most minute fibres of gold wire, made on the pillow, in
imitation of the richest lace, either blonde, Brussels, or
Honiton. The effect is peculiarly elegant. The one
worn by the Empress was ornamented with marabouts
splashed with gold, and beneath the brim a wreath of
white marguerites encircled the countenance, mingled
with small gold buds and tendrils. The bonnets are
destined to find great favour, as they combine the richest
effect with remarkable lightness and elegance.
For ball dress we have resumed of late all the effets
mageux which are so airy and becoming—tulle illusion,
silk crape, mousseline de sole, and gazeChambery, have
completely replaced the tissues of thread and cotton which
have had so long a reign. Flounces are narrower, in
greater number, and graduating towards the waist. An
endeavour has been made for the last two or three great
balls to renew the Watteau style in the abundance of
flowers disposed over the skirts. We have seen a parure
consisting of the flowers of the glycene, which, beginning
from the shoulder, and carried transversely to the hem of
the frill skirt, dropped into large tediaasses of exquisite
workmanship, serving to loop the second and third Pipes
of the dress. This has been considered the greatest
novelty of the month, end at the great ball in the Rue de
Varennes, where it was worn by the Duchess de Mer-
coeur, it excited so great a degree of admiration as to
cause the steps of the fair wearer to be followed through
the dance in order to examine it more closely. The
coiffure a la Vidal is gradually replacing that a la Telix,
'which has been so long in favour. This coiffure is ex-
ceedingly becoming, and entirely novel, being a succession
of small bandeau route's, beginning close to the forehead
and reaching to the back of the head. Between eight
bandeaux is placed a wreath of minute flowers, which
appear as though gathered together in an enormous mass
at the back of the head, completely covering the hair
behind.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.—Broad ribbons have re-
placed every fashion of berthe for the shoulders, whether
of lace, fringe, or passementerie. These are either made
to fasten in front of the corsage, where two long ends
cross over the skirt, or else terminating behind it en-
' fact, they are turned into a soft knot at the waist with
two short ends, much separated over the gathers of the
dress. Gloves will still be worn short and unornamented.
The knots of velvet which have adorned the hair during
the whole winter are now covered with spangles, which
flash and sparkle with a grace and lightness which have
been sought for in vain amongst all the more expensive
innovations of embroidery and passementerie. A head-
dress of these knots for young ladies is most bewitching.
Pocket handkerchiefs are garnished with a narrow frill of
embroidery of an open pattern. The rich work and ex-
pensive lace have had their day, and are declining in
favour. A return to the white corsage and coloured
skirt is to be anticipated, as a considerable variety of stuffs
of patterns adapted for this purpose have been exposed at
all the great magasins. The broad ribbon to match with
the dress will doubtless be carried from the shoulder to
the waist. The novelties in jewellery consist almost
wholly in new contrivances for buttons, which are made
in every colour and variety of stones and enamel. The
heart's-ease is most in favour, and is sometimes used for
ornamenting the corsage of low dresses, in which case no
other ornament whatever is worn. A new perfume, ex-
tracted from the berries of the dog-rose, possessing a
powerful aromatic odour, has met with great success ; and
a new soap liquid, and highly scented, is fast replacing
for the hands all soap requiring friction of the skin. It
is a preparation of Narbonne honey and oil of almonds,
and its effect upon the skin is wonderfully beneficial and
softening, producing an immediate lather of a most de-
licious fragrance by merely pouring a few drops into the
water about to be used.

ROYAL HIGHLAND SCHOOL SOCIETY.—Mrs. Beecher
Stowe and Professor Stowe have accepted the invitation
of the above-named society, to be present at their next
annual festival, to be held at Freemason's Hall, London,
on Saturday,thelSth of May, when Sir Archibald Alison,
Bart., sheriff of Lanarkshire, will preside.