The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-19
soxr Gossrp ABOUT THE AUGUST FASH

Iovs.-Without knowing a great deal. OF
the mysteries of ladies' dress, we have
still been able to notice the changes In
style and changes in fashion; and IL our
wanderings upon the public streets have
produced no other effect they will at least
enable us to suggest by the light Of practi-
cal knowledge what should be worn In the
coming month. The technical terms OF
the toilette are somewhat confusing, and
our lady friends must pardon us if we
seem to misapply in our ignorance names
that may be plain English to them. but
which arc more unintelligible than San
scrit to us.
Gored dresses are still the fashion, and
while they should have a train behind, the
sides should only just touch the ground.
Muslins and lawns are best made up with
the front and back breadths straight and
the side breadths gored. Evening dresses
generally have bias seam directly down
the back, which forms an admirable train.
Skirts to be worn with jackets are formed
entirely of small cores, but have the seam
at the side instead of in the front as in the
PRINCES" dress.
To ali our economical Southern people
We recommend, as a novelty, the remova-
street basquine. Some slope off suddenly
in front and extend down the back one
half or three quarters of yard, and, when
they are hooked round the waist and belt
ed on wide waistband, the delusion is
complete, a stylish walking costume being
obtained in short time and with but little
expense. Some are slit up to the waist at
the back, and others are cut at each hip.
Passementeries ornamented with beads,
and cheny lace laid over colored ribbon,
are very pretty for ornamenting silks, as
are also jet Benoiton chains l0Oped from
shoulder to shoulder and down the sleeve,
being caught at the elbow and wrist by
button.
Among the ornaments for travelling and
promenade suits are bands of galloon, rib
bon or mohair braid, arranged in various
quaint or curious figures. Stars of silk or
velvet, sewcd on with fancy black and
white braid, make verypretty trimming.
Buttons are very generally used, and loops
with streamcrs of betting still continue to
be worn on palct6ts and dresses.
Loose sacks for suits are generally made
without sleeves, the dress sleeves being
sufficient.
Cut skirts, the upper part of which just
below the knee is cut in points or scallops,
and falls over the lower part of the skirt,
which is set on underneath like tlouncc,
are very much worn. The upper part Of
the skirt is slightly gored, and is plain in
front, all the fullness being thrown to the
back. Wash dresses are trimmed with
strips of insertion, through which bright
colorcd ribbons are generally run. Cluny
lace is all the rage, but it will not be worn
much in the southern States. Cluny orna-
ments are used for trimming lingerie, and
beaded cluny is effective for bonnets.
Yellow cluny is one of the latest novelties,
and is used for bonnets or the trimmings
of leghorns. Belts, galloons, and ribbons
are now woven to represent cherry lace
upon colored ground principally pretty,
by the way, because they are fashionable.
The newest ribbons are of white, pearl,
black or buff grounds, with humming-
birds darting over them. These birds are
also woven on black grenadne robes. The
newest chemiscs are made without either
bands or yokes. They are embroidered or
finished with cluny or valenciennes lace,
and between the sprays or devices are
long eyelets, through which are run narrow
velvets or ribbons, drawing the garment to
the figure.
ParasolS, so necessary now, are made
entirely of feathers, for instance white,
with bordering of scarlet, violet, rose
green, or blue! Alas! for our Richmond
bellies what do they think of these fine
feathers?
One of the most attractive wraps is the
Queen burnons, made of mohair lace, in
terscctcd by stripes of plain black lace.
The newest collars are of the Louis
XIII. and Vandyke fashions, (see the
Fast Young Man" for copy,) and have
come out in lace and linen, as well as
paper.
Bonnets are trimmed with feather bor-
dcrings, small round wreath of flowers,
or a rose quilting of silk, having the edges
frayed out. Tullc bonnets were last month
dotted over with small flowers, such as vio-
lets and daisies, but now the idea is to give
the effect of single flower. Take, for in
stance, small size Lamballe" bonnet,
and place in the centre large rose sur
rounded with shower of crystal beads al
most covering the tullc putfiings and stems
to constitute the entire bonnet.
| A charming head. dress consists of large
rosette of blue ribbon adjusted over the
forehead. From the centre Of the rosette
depend cordons of lilies of the valley strung
upon gold thread, and then fall In Benoi-
ton, over the breast or the back of the neck.
Many of the new head dresses are merely
long cordons of flowers, which can be ar
ranged Il Ia Grecque, in loops, or according
to fancy.
The "snow- flake is dainty little hat
for dainty little people, but one of the gems
is the " POlonnaise," which is shaped like .
Polish cap, pointed behind, and is orna-
mented with jet straw or silk chains fas-
tened by fancy agrafles. Others are mere
fiat pieces of straw or braid without any
raised crown, and are kept on by wide
ribbon passed over the top, through the
sides, and tied at the bottom. There are
several hats of this fashion in this city,
but, candidly speaking, they do not seem
to be very new. The "Madrilene" has a
rolled brim dropping back and front, and a
slightly oral crown four inches deep. Broad
hats have been revived for country use,
and have never become questionable in
Virginia.
| Sleeveless jackets, to be worn over a
white dress, are generally made Of some
bright colored silk. The long sleeves OF
the dress should be puffed and confined BY
bands of silk matching the jacket.
For morning wear at the seaside, Seno-
rita or Zouaye jackets of scarlet cloth or
cashmere, trimmed with black or blue, are
4 very popular. Small bells are used as
trimmings for both dresses and sleeveless
jackets. One just brought out was cut in