Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-23
rAsH1nss PARIS.

A Paris correspondent thus describes
the appearance of the empress at the last
ball at the Tuileries:
! The empress was looking perfectly
radiant with diamonds, of which her
| head-dress was entirely composed. In
/ the midst of a magnificent tiara shoDe
out the great Regent gem, weighing one
| hundred and forty carats, and as re-
markable for the purity OF its water as
/ for its size. On each side OF this
were set some magnificent black
I diamonds, the gems Ia mode at
at this moment, whose dark reflects
showed off to great advantage beside
| their unrivaled eOmpeer. A sort OF
/ fringe of diamonds fell over the ban
/ deaux and eurls of the head, and formed
an unique head-dress. The girdle, also,
was one blaze of brilliants, and, extend
| ing a good way down over the dress,
seemed to cover the whole skirt with
rays of light.
He speaks of the ever-changing fash
| ions as follows: One of the portions Of
| dress which is becoming just now Of great
| Importance is this same girdle or ceiRtttre.
| The long ends of ribbons, gradually in
ereasing in width and in numbers, (for
sash ends have long ago ceased to consist
of two are still worn, but a new fashion
is introduced of making the girdle q spe-
eies of network, encrcling nOt only the
waist, but descending several inches
| below, sometimes in vandykes, some
times rounded 30 as 70 form one large OF
/ several small basques.
For evening toilettes these are COM
posed of strings Of pearls or gold beads,
from which again depend fantastic tas-
A.. N III he
ornaments Of the dress itself; while fOI
morning and dinner dresses these
belts are made of velvet, or more
or satin, richly embroidered with
let or steel or silver, forming
vandykes or scollOps all round
the waist, and frequently being the sole
ornaments of rich silks. The fashion is
not uf6y, although rather barbsric. The
number of beads now often worn by q
lady in the hight of fashion would quite
make her fortune among savages, for, in
addition to these shining belts, the throat
and neck are surrounded by row after
row of similar beads, covering the bare
! neck and reaching to the top of the low
bodice, where again the same ornaments
arere produced.
As am on the subject of tOilettes, lei
me tell Won that crinOlines have all but
disappeared, for if worn at all, they are
not TO be suspected, and only serve &c
keep out slightly the trdiHes, which are
made longer than ever. The dress /:
quite tight round the body and hips, AND
! thence gradually swells out into i'm
mense proportions, Of which the art
consists Of being formed into 6
long sweeping trdiRe. The lneon'
vanienee of this style of toilette
in crowded rooms, under dinner tables
etc, etc, can be appreciated by all, bu
by none so truly as by the male portion
of creation, who are always, somehow Ol
other, getting entangled in their volum
inous folds. Figured silks have come in
but these are so frightfully expensive
when handsome, that simple tafteta
and satius are still much worn, and lat
terly great many velvet dresses hav'
ventured to appear, even in full dress
Large wide stripes, upon which there ls
design. are much in vogue, but in truth
the fashions are 50 fantastic just now
that it is difficult to say what is mos
worn. The same remark applies 10 tn
head-dress, which is ever altering ant
ever attempting some permanent mode
but retaining none. Short dresses, worI
over eolored skirts, are still made, an'
as spring advances will be more IN de
mand, say all dressmakers, from thel
extreme convenience for walking out
and many of these are now being mad
a Ia Vatican; that is, cut in such wal
at the back as to admit of being tied
giving rather pretty negtige look t
promenade costumes.
To give an idea of the luxury Of dress
and of the expense bestowed upon 1t Il
Paris at this moment, l will just nam
that Messrs. Worth & Boberg, OF the Ru
de la Paix, asked an American lady, tn
other day, seven thousand francs (Sl4OO
for r dress of no ordinary richness
which was Immediately scquieseed in, s.
great is the desire to affix the name Q
that house to any toilettes worn and ad
| mired,