The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-27
THE FRENCH FASHIONS,

tire. Here, chiefly, arc determined the
ceaseless variations which occur in the shape
Of skirts, founccs, bodices, and bonnets.
; Long, long, however, before the new fash
ion reaches many remote places, it has be-
come forgotten in Paris.
Still the stream Of novelty, though it
flows sometimes very slowly, always flows
very steadily in its onward and downward
course. Two or three years hence, we may
expect to hear of the maids and matrons Of
'Tobermory and the Scilly Islands, in com
pliance with their ideas of French fashions,
investing themselves in Il capacious and I'M
yielding juponnerie. The evil of the pres
.cnt moment, and Which requires a remedy,
is this-that some particular style of female
attire ever and anon becomes universal,
even though opposed to every correct prin-
.ciple Of taste, and essentially a caricature,
simply because some leader Of the beau
monde, TO indulge whim, or conceal a per-
sonal defect has thought proper to adopt it.
A monotonous fire Of jokes and arguments,
has been going on for the last twelve months
against the errors real and supposed, in the
present style of female dress. Some fair
criticism there has been; but there has been,
also, great amount of cxaggeration and
nonsense written and repeated. Certainly,
the present style Of toilette is preferable to
that worn by our grandmothers. The short
waists and narrow skirts of the first empire,
were both unbccoming, unnatural and iu-
convenient.
1t is but right 10 say, that, within the last
ten or fifteen years there has been striking
reform introduced into one important arti-
Gle Of costume-thc stays or corscts. 1t is
no longer attempted to convert the waist of
a woman into the dimensions Of the waist Of
a wasp, and the results arc better health
and more grace. Perhaps there may be
some room for improvement left in tlis de-
partmcnt; but tight lacing is no longer ina
vogue, and that is great reform gained.
The exceedingly small Lonnets and the cx-
ccssiye circumference Of the skirts are the
two principal defects of the present fashions.
Great improvement may he noticed, during
tie last year, in the choice of colors.-
Greys, whites, and subdued tiuts have re-
placed the gaudy hues of a twelvcmontl
back. The small grey and white, or white
and black quadrics are the silks now pre-
ferred for half dress: White muslins, with
very small patterns, are the light materials,
and even the rich silks, disposition, arc no
longer of such large designs, Or Of sucl,
brilliant hues. The grey grenadies 1nylais
English barcges) are trimmed on the
tiounces, corsagc and sleeves with five or
six rows Of velvet. On the double skirts
oflight dresses, there may he putting or
niche put OH the edge of the jupes. Light
dresses may be fashioned either high or low
), in the body, and round at the waist
Wien the corsage is low, an embroidered
muslin fchu is worn, with or without long
ends; according to the taste of the wearer.
White cazons arc very pretty style of toi-
iette, with colorcd skirt. When made of
. plain white muslin there is round the neck
muslin putting with double head hem.
med and futcd. Similar pufliings form
braces before. and behind. The straight
sleeves have three puffings lenglhwise;
there is also one at the bottom of the sleeve,
finished with frill eight inches wide. All
..the pufiiings lave ribbons run in them.
: ON jaconet or. painted musins, we see
small Louis XIII. fichus, the same as the
; dress, trimmed with ruchcs, or with a band
lemmed and futcd. Sleeves are wider than
: they have been, and are often cut square,
and open to the bend of the arm. For
very light tissues, The sleeves have puff
forming a.short sleeve, from. which escapes
ga slightly gathered peep Aoance, Which
coyera tic elbow and, d,forms a point; a band
{ covers lie sepsdtf stAe .founce.:- Long bas-.
/. qialhesgor jackets @ fashionable gas-
znieatg, those Of blacf six arc wou.,wi,lr all
toiIs Often tliis. galphfehf @ ofthg same
$:friatsfiaFas the. dress; gLensof jaeopet oiss d
.psillted 96sliS, S,-it replaces. tho corsage Of
I siIsS With palm, White muslin, these.
yasssas apt sihe. same material esSffn ex.
lingIs pretty sidinsy ,rb,aE are Y very
/ eS paitii6ssuleliy ia .!4s black SIX hey
: shes 4 soJl Il s,over.s,
D fight 10 tile sasists:
ses|s4 s asas /.