Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-03-03
THE FASHIONS.

correspondence ". I. JO0rnal OF COm merce.
PARIS, February l0.-Extrayagance. extraya-
gance Is the order OF the day. lift was only
confined TO princesses, ladies OF honor, and
lady dip,omates we could forgive the folly; but
alas humber folks, whose purses do not form
apart OF the ineXhaustible public treasury
i'm itate this reckless expenditure, and sport
Jewels and laces totally unsuited either to
their social position, or TO the modest incomes
possessed by the generality of womankind. We
can offer our sincere admiration TO the fair
Empress, when, as at a late ball. she dazzles
the sight by costume so covered with gems
thai the eye instin ctiyely closes after mo-
ments gaze, as IL does when the cloudless rays
OF aisummer sunshine Is too painful from its
brightness. She wore wide Anne of q Bre-
tagne girdle, falling several inches over the
skirt; berthe reaching with its pendants to
the " asst the throat encircled by necklace OF
extraordinary width regal tiara above
the forehead, and amongst the soft auburn
curls behind there dropped strands meant 10
recall the sparkling waters of cascade. all of
gorgeous diamonds, and of emeralds of the
rarest tone. The brightness of the vision fairly
startled the guests at the palace, accustomed
as they are to the blaze of precious stones.
Her ajesty looked so delicate, so fragile, so
mortal under all these respondent decorations,
the habitual touch of melancholy which rem
ders her beauty peculiar Int eresting was stilla
shade deeper than usual, and Imagination
seemed to hear her whisper of "yanity OF vani-
ties and all is vanity" mingle with the courte-
Gus greeting she bestowed upon the arstocratic
throng. But when common pla0 mdddmss
try to copy the soyerelgns taste for rich trap
pings land above all the gifts which nature has
so literally dispensed to her, by trying to
make black or brown or yellow hair reflect au-
burn tints by the application of dyes and dusts
which give to the tresses brownish red hue,
equally ugly and unbecoming, we can scarce
ly forgive them. And then the creams and
milks and omelliets and washes of all XII Dis
that are employed to make dark ones look
fair and fair ones still fairer, and black pencils
for the eyes, and blue pencils to trace the blue
veins, and lastly, the most dangerous OF all
follies, the use OF belladona to dilate the pupil
OF the eye.
The afternoon visits on reception days are
the occasion OF 3 display of toilette which few
years back could only be seen at grand galas
OF royal bidding. Magnificent broCades and
EN- broidered dresses are worn with trains a
yard long the skirts flounced and draped with
lace and ribbons; metre antiq uesIare decorated
with bands OF dark velvet embroidered in
bright colored floss silks; the embroidery of
Bowers in white cheniIles and white silk braid
upon violet velvet ground has very pleas
ing effect. I he magnificent point de BruXelles
and point dAngleterre lace canals and
can't ' iolard, No. 3, Inc de Choiseul, torn the
wrapping which accompany these costumes;
these lace garments are circular in form, and
win the frills and fonnce reach to the knee;
nifc>nt price. The bonnet Gf we dare give to
this fanciful notion the good old fashioned
name) is combination Of lace and tulle and
flowers and feathers, impossible to describe,
very light and very small, bat always coquet-
fish and becoming.
At this period OF the year no toilette is
thought of except that for full dress and even
ing wear; even the curriers' of our great mourn
ing ESTABLISHING Mt, a la Scabieuse, No. 100,
de la PaiX, are busy with the making up of
balls costumes. The mixture of white and
black is so much the fashion that these dresses
are worn as well by those who are not in black
as by others who are gradually passing from
deep mourning into colors The most attrac-
tive of these black and white costumes is com
posed of q black satin skirt, with a pinked
ruche made of vandyked Grape trimmed with
white blonde: over the satin skirt there is first
one OF black gauZe, and second OF black net
worked all over with jet beads, and Topped up
at intervals with branches of white roses, the
leaves of which are covered with boar frost:
the low black satin bodies has very small
rounded point at the waist, and basqUes a. the
back three narrow berthes are worn around
the shoulders; the first OF white blonde, the
second OF black lace, and the third OF black
satin.
Crinollne still holds its own, in spite of the
"quartier st. German " having declared
against-in spite of the war which the press
daily wages against the wearers of Topped pet
ticoats. The creme de la creme of the right bank
OF Seine, all parvenues though they he, have
more Influence in setting and retaining the
mode for some monstrosity in fashion than the
daughters OF the Montmorer ciss aud of the
Rochefoucaults in their laudable eEdeavors TO
bring back the fair sex TO an appreciation OF
what approaches nearer to the classical IN
female attire.