Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-09-22
THE FASHIONS.



and faint perfume of May. July blaz
ed in the torrid hues of August. Aug
ust looked cool, aud pale, and pensive
in October's misty tints and broldery
of rain drops, and September comes
sultry and breathless, wearing the
crown and mantle of July. Last month,
mornings aud evenings were cold at the
seaside and in the mountains, and the
world of fashion shrugged shiverinq
white shoulders, and turned cityward
the longing faces which had gone forth
| gladly two or three months ago. So
the city is fuller than usual this sea-
son. to the gain of milliner and mOdiste,
and the discomfort of the birds of pas
sage, who have lucklessly flown from
| pole to tropic. However, being here,
| they face bravely the serious issues OF
| life, which we take to be getting new
clothes. All summer they might frolic
and flutter, having earned a season OF
rest by unwearied eXertions ball-and-
party-ward. But now that the fall is
upon them unaware, there is much ear
nest work before them in the gathering
together of bonnet, cape and gown, of
fiounce and flower, and furbelOw of airy
nothings, without which modern toilet
is desolate to the sight.
| Aud our fashionable women are not
such cravens as to shrink when duty
calls them. They will shop all day to
match the tint of ribbon or the pat
tern of an edging. They will wear
pounds of puffs and frizzes on their
small heads, and pounds of drapery
resting on their slight hips. and cones
of steel girding their slender ribs, and
boots that are a misery, and you shall
not hear a murmur from their patient
lips. Did not their great-great-grand-
fathers bleed for liberty, and shall they
not suffer in silence.
1t is so early in the season, and so
warm, that Fashion only hints at her
DEGREES, and at present demands moth
ing of her votaries but watchfnlness.-
All the summer finery will be worn for
a month to come. All the pretty mus
Inns, and cambrics, and pale silks, and
grenadines which have survived the
uses of their country campaign will
bloom afresh In city drawiDg-rOoms.-
There are heavy fabrics in the windows
and on the shelves all the tints of the
autumn forests in the show-rooms and
cases. But such an atmosphere of sui
triness surrounds them that nobody
buys, and the shopmen look YEARLY at
the clOudless skies, and vainly invoke
Euroclydon, given of rain and chill.
Plain fabrics and stripes are most to
be desired. Soft, plain tints, gray and
drab, and misty autumnal hues, with
bright contrasting trimming of pink
and blue, and crimson and royal purple.
Skirts Just bound with the rich color
waists and sleeves trimmed only at the
edges. So says Paris. New York will
say-trimming, trimming everywhere,
for what is ones gown but a framework
for trimming. aud what use is money If
one cannot show 1t In lace, and rib
bons, and canoes, and chains Any
body may have a poplin dress. 1t Is
the trimming which cost.
Suits will be worn as much as ever,
but the gored dresses are so inconven-
lent for the street that they are Danish
ed in a measure. The wa'king dress
has a very short skirt, cut In scallops,
vandykes or squares, and worn over a
petticoat of the same material coming
q little below the top OF the boot.
Above the hem % the dress, these pct
ticoats are pieced up with cheaper
material of the Same hue, so that the
whole robe is not more expensive than
the gored dress made with the usual
train, and is lighter, more graceful and
much more convenient. A very odd
and ugly fashion has been introduced
by women who mistake o0dity for
beauty. In suits, if the skirt is plain,
the skirt is made of the same color, but
striped; and If the skirt be striped. the
waist is plain. The effect is, of course,
bad. All the materials of last
winter will be worn this year.
What new ones may be in store is
not yet revealed. All dresses will be
gored. Many are made without any
perceptible fullness at the waist. Others
have four plaits, one in front, one be-
hind, and one on each hip. Others
again are plain in front, and on the
hips, with two side plaits at the back.
The newest skeleton skirts are made
without any hoops above the knee, and
the large circles of the dress at the
bottom are sustained by stiff facings,
and by cambria petticoats with broad
starched fOunce. Almost all dresses
are made with basques, but these are
usually detached from the dress and
fastened under a belt. The very ugly
fashion Of wearing belts over dresses
not finished with the round waist when
it connects the simulated basque, aud
thus makes a house dress suitable for
the street. The peptum of which one
hears so much, is simply full basque
laid in plaits at the waist, or falling
loosely from the shoulders, cut in very
deep points at the hips, and in short
points before and behind. 1t is usu-
ally left open at the hips, and each
point is finished with long tassel. It's
resemblance to the Roman mantle,
which it is supposed to copy, can only
be discovered by the poor little Mar
chioness's system of making believe
very much" Nevertheless, it is capa-
BILE of being made graceful and pretty
drapery. Tiny sleeveless jackets are
made In black, and in hght-colored
cashmere. very short aud rounded up
in heart shapes before and be-
hind. These are bordered with lace,
or embroidered with gold thread, OF
edged with fringe of gold or silver
bells, with small tongues which tinkle
as the wearer moves. Except on the
collar of a circus horse, where evidently
this fashion was borrowed, this orna-
mentation could not be more charm
| ingIy bestowed. 1t is to be worn also
on street occasions.i it is said, and the un-
ostentatious and bIushing beauties will
appear on Broadway thus caparisoned.
Double skirts and tunics are much worn
but the deep cut off hounce, so fashion.
III, =. All, e,t,;oo this summar wiI