Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-05

Correspondence of the n. Y. Evening Post
The Fashions.

PARIS, May 5.
Would your readers. who may moralize for
themselves on the foible in question, care, mean
time, for a word or two on the particular van
ity most in vogue here at this momentI If so,
let them learn that the era of plain tissues ap-
pears to be passing, and that of patterns to be
coming in. Silks, for instance. are now covered
with small ornaments or bunches of flowers, imi-
tating embroidery so faithfully that you can hard
" believe them not to be done with the needle.
Tarlatanes, Chambery gauzes and the other deli
cate tissues, showing themselves in anticipation
of the dog days, are embroidered in the same
manner, but in smaller patterns. The question Of
crinoline, for short time threatened with the
ban of the mode has now been settled in an af-
6rmative sense. The tyrant has, in fact, estab-
lished itself more firmly than ever, and bids fair
to maintain its supremacy for long time to come.
But instead of being turned into bell, the aim of
a modern beauty is to expand outward and down.
ward from the waist, in the fashion of a fan; not
fiat fan, of course, dear lady readers, but pyr-
amid that shall seem fan-like, from whichever
side it is contemplated by its admirers So much
has been said by the gentlemen against the rigid
ity of the steel defenses now so popular with
their wearers, that the new crinolne is excessive
ly elastic; the cages being composed of forty,
fifty, or seventy hoops, each very small and elias
tic, and making up, by their number, for their ex-
tremely yielding disposition.
OflnOIlne having taken a new lease Oh exist
ence, hounces have come back into favor. One
deep founce, edged with two or three tiny ones,
the latter edged with piping of the color most
conspicuous in the embroidered pattern, is much
in vogue; or the dress may be founced half way
up with flowers of about three inches in width, or
to the waist if preferred. Sometimes dress of
plain color-a gray taffetas for instance-has a
band, three or four inches broad, of rich more,
of some broadly contrasting color, say green, vio-
lo<o %hrA ko.w,
ruche, or small pulled hounces, an inch deep, of
the same silk as the dress, but edged with the
co'or of the band. The corsa9e of such dress.
which j saw the other day, was open, something
Ike Zouave, but fitting the figure, and trimmed
with the same band and puffs as we're the sleeves.
A full white underwaist of clear muslin, trimmed
with ruches, and sleeves to match, completed this
dress.
The bottom of the skirt is generally a good
deal trimmed. For ball dresses the skirt, if of
silk, is often covered with little ornaments of
Grape called creuis, of the same color; or with
fan shaped fullings of Grape, about hand length
in hight, surmounted with bows of rbband.
Flowers are largely introduced into ball dresses.
For the stieet. short pelisses of silk, or light
cloth, are still the rage, especially for young
people. Nantes, very large and ample, are
much in fashion, trimmed with broad hounces Of
guipure. and a half handkerchief of the same on
the shoulders
For bonnets white and black tulle, trimmed
with bright colored velvet and punches offlowers
on the top of the front, are greatly in vogue.
They are worn decidedly larger. so as to come
well over the top of the head. White horse hair,
with black ppings between the braid, and paiiie
de riz, with mass of flowers across the fore
head, are also among the favorite styles. Gold
ornaments are not worn in the bonnets of well
dressed people; but ribbons embroidered with
straw, and small plumes of feathers tipped and
spinkled with specks of straw, are much worn
and very pretty. This heing demi saison, and
the air still cold, the novelties of the toilet are
not yet fully displayed. In the course of another
month the fashions for the coming summer will
he better defined