The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-03-07 00:00:00

FASHIONS FOR STARCH.

(FROM LE FOLLET.)

FASITIONS have an incontestable affinity one with the
other ; thus we perceive that the vogue for trains, queues,
or manteaux de cour, has necessarily brought back orna-
ments of the last century ; and feathers, which for the
last fifty years have been exclusively reserved for the
trimming of bonnets or the hair, are now a great attrac-
tion, and accessary for ornamenting court or full evening
dresses. Bouillonnes of crepe lisse, or tulle, generally ac-,
company the feather trimming, and nothing lighter or
more graceful can be imagined than this style. Agraffes
of small feathers are usually composed of three, the ends
of which are concealed under a rose, camellia, or chrysan-
themum, the colour of the flower forming a beautiful con-
trast with the dazzling whiteness of the feathers.
Nothing can be more imposing or elegant than a head
gracefully dressed with either a bird of paradise or plume,
tied with barbes of gold or silver lace. The eyes of the
bird are formed of brilliants, and the gentle waving of
the wings renders this a most becoming coiffure.
With such coiffures, the richest robes of moires d'argent,
thick silks with velvet patterns woven in the material, the
most exquisite Brussels or Alencon lace, should be worn.
In the same style, bdt lighter in texture, are brocades of
silver and gold woven in bouquets of splendid colours, tied
with ribbon, the work of which is so perfect, and the
shades so well blended, as to give the appearance of being
applique on the robe.
Dresses for young ladies for balls, or soirees dansantes,
tulle de Lyon, or gauze worked in patterns of stamped
velvet in colours. Sometimes the velvets have patterns
in silver or gold stamped upon them, producing the effect
of guipure.
Nothing can be fresher or more elegant than robes of
tulle, worked with velvet flowers. Plain taffetas are also
much in demand, with flounces printed with wreaths of
bright-coloured flowers.
In promenade dresses plain tissues appear destined to
open the spring season. The bodies are high, with bas-
quines. Notwithstanding the continuation of cold wea-
ther, many of our fashionables may be seen in pelisses,
mantelets, and pardessus ; among which the newest style
we have seen is the pardessus bizantin, bearing a slight
resemblance to a short Turkish pelisse ; it is made of
fawn-coloured cachemire, with a broad border of velvet.
The sleeves are in large plaits on the shoulder, and are,
consequently, very open at the bottom. The pardessus is
lined throughout with silk, but not wadded.
The obligeante is a kind of very small mantelet to be
thrown over the shoulders in-ddors ; it is also made of
cachemire, and ornamented with embroidery and braid.
Ball dresses occupy much attention at the present
time; and the Empress Eugenie, who is noted for good
taste, gives much employment, both for the display of
elegance and style, by the various costumes she is con-
stantly adopting. At a ball lately given she was seen in
a simple but beautiful toilette, composed of a white crape
dress with three flounces ; on the edge of each was a
wreath of sweet pease. A bouquet of the same flowers
placed on the corsage, and another was fastened by a
comb at the back of the head, and long bunches falling
loosely over the shoulders.

A beautiful robe may be made of blue tulle, with three
skirts, the two upper ones raised on one side, with
bouquets of small blue feathers, separated by a sheaf of
cornflowers in diamonds. The same flowers in diamonds
ornament the front of the body, which is a draperie.
Small tufts of blue feathers placed very backward on
each side of the hair, with ornaments in diamonds.
At the late court balls flowers predominated in all
styles of toilettes. Robes of tulle had the flounces crossed
here and there with small branches of heath; others, in
place of the same, were trimmed with violets, resembling
a parterre of flowers. The coiffure is a coronet of violets,
mixed with ears of corn, composed of diamonds, slightly
in the Ceres form. Bouquets of violets and diamonds on
the corsage drape. A robe of pink crape, with three
skirts, trimmed with leaves of white lilac. The top
skirt is raised on one side nearly to the waste by boquets
of lilac. The body is drape, with three very small
wreaths crossing the plaits at the waste, which spread,
fan shape, over the chest.
The fashion for flounces has become general, both for
ball and walking dresses ; the elegance depending on the
variety and richness of the ornaments.

Bonnets are more graceful than ever, although placed
rather back on the head. The crowns have but little orna-
ment, all the trimming being bestowed on the front, espe-
cially on the edges, which are almost always ornamented
with ruches of blonde, ribbons, or feathers.
Concert bonnets are made entirely of lace, or lame vel-
vet trimmed with feathers. The inside ornaments are
blonde flowers or gauze ribbon, worked with gold.
A very pretty and elegant bonnet is composed of pink
tulle bouillonnee, each bouillonnee separated by a narrow
gathered blonde. Two bunches of white and shaded pink
feathers, placed on each side of the front, are united
behind by a narrow wreath of feathers over the curtain.
A bow of pink taffetas ribbon, with long ends behind.
Trimming of blonds mixed with toques o pink taffetas
ribbon inside.

Pink, blue, and felt-coloured velvet are much employed
for bonnets, trimmed with feathers, velvet flowers with
drooping foliage of crape, or fontanges bows of ribbon.
Coiffures are much in vogue, and of infinite variety.
The rounds of silver guipure are very elegant. They cover
the back of the head like the crown of a small cap, termi-
nating in points, which are slightly raised by a wreath of
roses; bunches of the same flowers are placed between
the bandeaux and knot of the back hair. On the middle
of the round is a bow of silver guipure, the ends of which
fall over the shoulders ; ears of corn composed of emeralds
escape from the bunches of roses on each side, and hang
lightly over the neck.
The resille of pearls is very elegant, in the middle of
which is a broad pale blue ribbon bow, with very long ends
reaching the waist • on each side branches of enques of
ribbon are fastened with a star of pearls.
Negliges capotes of black plush are worn, trimmed
round with ruches of pink ribbon with a black edge. A
ruche, fuller than the one at the edge of the bonnet.
crosses the bead, and is fastened under the curtain, which
is also trimmed with a very narrow ruching of ribbon.
Bunches of field roses in velvet, with crape foliage mixed
with blonde, inside.

A chesnuticoloured plush bonnet, also trimmed with a
ruche of blue ribbon; but, in place of the second niche,
a single iris flower ornaments each side. A double row
of coques of narrow blue ribbon inside, between ruches of
tulle.

The make of negliges dresses alters but little. The
bodies are always made to open or close at will over the
chest, and invariably terminate with basques. The
sleeves vary infinitely, and always accord with the style
of robe. In rich materials, such as velvet, &c., the
Spanish sleeve is much in favour. The mousquetaire or
pagoda sleeve continues to be adopted, as more simple,
the most graceful, and easy of harmonising with half-
dress toilettes.' The edge of the sleeves and cuffs are
richly ornamented, and match the trimming on the
basques.

Dresses are made very long, especially those destined
for in-doors, when they form a short train behind. In
order to give width at the bottom and sustain the full
plaits, they are worn over heavy taffetas skirts with two
flounces; these skirts do not exclude those made of cam-
bric muslin trimmed with deep embroidery, which are in-
dispensable in distinguished toilettes.
As visiting dresses, the robes a nceuds are greatly ad-
mired. We have seen one of these of black brocade, with
bouquets in shades of violet. The front of the skirt hal
three rows of violet satin bows, with black velvet designs
stamped on the ribbon ; each bow is fastened in the middle
with an agraffe of black velvet. The bows are four cc ques
with two ends not longer than the bows, but falling to-
wards the bottom of the dress, and diminishing in size as
they approach the waist ; they form an apron, and termi-
nate under the basques, which are trimmed round plaited
ribbon, or a ruche formed of three narrow black laces.
The body is very open over the chest ; and the revers,
trimmed to match the basques, are held together by an
echelle of three ribbon bows, showing the chemisette be-
tween each row. The sleeves are slashed and united by
bows. Large collar and under-sleeves of guipure or em-
broidered muslin.

Robes of black or dark-coloured moire antique form
very pretty negliges. Some are bordered with three rows
of shaded plush, the same colour as the dress ; others
have two rows of black curled feathers. Upon black moire,
the latter trimming is very stylish.
Plain brocart dresses are made with three velvet
flounces, either black or the colour of the dress. In order
that this style should be pretty, care must be taken not
to make them too full, but sufficiently modulated to avoid
the appearance of flat biases. The revers, basques, and
trimming on the sleeves must also be of velvet.

Black -moire antique is very much in fashion for all
kinds of toilette. Pelisses are made of it, trimmed with
several bands of curled plush, or deep fringe mixed with
chenille and silk. Cambric lace, however, is mostly in
vogue as garniture. The designs now are very beautiful.