The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-21
Written for the Sunday crescsnt.l
WORD OR TWO ON THE FASHIONS
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed In fancy; rich, not CANDY,

"Costly thy habit 81 thy purse can buy,
But not expressed In fancy; rich, not CANDY,
For the apparel oft proclaims the man."
We are certainly living in an age Of bizarre
fashions, and the more fantastic one dresses the
more one seems to be in the mode. We do moi
admire this, or think going into extremes in dress
good sense; yet as we cannot utterly ignore the
mighty goddess who rules the world.,we will pay
our devoirs at her shrine and lift the ve drapins
the mysteries of her temple, even should we meet
the fate of "Peeping Tom of Coventry" snd oul
dazzled eyes be blinded as the penalty Of our Gu
riosity. In following fashions, people of good
taste and culture take saucy VIII Shakspeare's ad
vice as given above, and prefer the least conspic
nous and fantssticsl of the various modes pre-
scented as CONNIE Il faut, avoiding the grotesque
l exsggerations that are only seen upon women Of
unrefned taste or the pdrue'1, and the perfection
of good taste In dress is displayed in the choice Of
corresponding colors and suitable material for the
| occasion when the dress lie to be worn. The
changesbleness of our climate makes dress O much
more difficult matter with Us than 1t is In more
settled lstiudes and II is impossible for lady to
| attempt keeping up with the fashions unless her
means will permit at least two, If not three, street
dresses, and the same number Of evening toilets.
All this is by way of prslnde to the more serious
matter we have in hand, viz: description OF the
pretty fashions we have seen IN our daily rounds,
and we will at once attempt 1t, hoping for the
ffe tmodistes tell Us that the panier Is certainly
going out, although they do not tell US what Is
coming In, and we still see ell stylishly made
| skirts worn over q tournure and made very full
behind. The new crinoline, LA Grande Vic
TORE" is Hade with Straps to adjust the hustle or
| 70 dispense with II at the option of the wearer.
We zee among the ultra fashionsbles TWO or
| even three successive upper skirts, draped in
the most intricate style imaginable the under
| skirt in all cases being gored and worn as
| scant as possible, and IL almost every instance
the lower skirts are bordered with lounces that
are put on in fiat plsits No one is wearing the
always plain, generally three plain back widths !;
the front gored, and one on each side, and the
more trimming you put on your upper skirt the
more fashionable your dress.
We see in some of our stores ready made
suits, but we cannot say we admire them, and
only In q case Of extreme necessity Would we
think of advising the purchase of such dresses.
Much better get the material by the yard and
make it up or have it made by some good
modiste, then you are more certain OF being
pleased with the garment and not deceived in
The quality Of the goods.
II is excessively bad taste in ladies to make
acalking dresses of velvet. and shows o shoddy
procliyity IN the wesrer that is amusing to those
better posted. But, when that velvet is cot
ton, oh! words fail, cannot DO the subject
justice. Velvet is only suitable for dinner or
evening dress, and then only on ladies who are
matrons or on the shady side Of thirty. A
young girl in velvet is sight that would never
be seen among the hdut ton Of Europe
We saw very elegant dress at one Of our fash.
ioDsbe modistes, on Canal street, yesterday il was
one of several very pretty robes in bridal trous.
seau-a sivergrey Irish poplin, front and side
widths gored; narrow flounce quilted on, not too
full; corsage plain, and very high ia the throat;
the upper skirt of rich maZsrine blue silk cut in
five deep vandyks not looped, the edge trimmed
with narrow founce of same silk quilted on ; bod
dice waist, with bretelles, belt, fan-bow and sash
of the silk, and trimmed with narrow ruche TO
correspond with the skirt. There was in the
trousseau travellDgdress, of gray empress cloth,
made perfectly plain in the lower skirt, with
double pepum; cersage, with bretelles, trimmed
with bias folds Of dark gray silk the neatest dress
for the purpose we have seen.
IL Is impossible TO say what is dte fashion 10
oonnets; they are still as mere apologies for the
articles worn by our grandmothers as il is possible
10 conceive of. Yet, when we compare them with
some of the demonstrating things worn then, we
cannot but confess that fashion has changed for
the better in this respect, so far as looks CO.
However, itmay be for health and comfort and pro-
lection from Sun and wind. There ia combination
of bonnet and round hat that ia Just peeping at us
like timid meiden, too bashful to make full sp-
pearance as yet. We shall, no doubt, find il
grown holder soon, as said maiden often does on
closer acquaintance. 1t is without a diadem, Ats
the head close above the ears, and is very high
behind. The one We saw was of dark blue velvet,
Ia pulls 0iyergDg from the center TO the edge:
sprays of pearl, sewed on white tulIe, fell over
each pun, down OF the front hair, which was worn
in little puts. Larger sprays of the pearls fell |
over the chgnon, and on the top and center was |
magnificent rosetie Of white ostrich feathers |
broad strings OF blue net, edged with fauciful |
trimming of down, tied on the side and Aoated |
over the shoulder, narrow ribbon securing il under
the chin: The lady wearing it was handsome |
blonde, in the prettlest street costume we have /
seen this winter, the under dress thick being black
silk gored and untrimmed over this half fitting |
basque, square and short in front, rounding long
behind, bordered with fat ruche extending up |
the mont, round the neck and arm holes and wrists
collar and cuffs Of very fine and rich French work
II you wish rich bonnet and at the same time |
a servicable one, that will correspond With any |
handsome street toilette, black velvet trimmed |
with lace, ostrich tufts on large rose with trail
ing vines and buds placed on the side, narrow
strings OF bias velvet, edged with lace and fast
ened at the throat by bow, will be the pre:ties.
and most useful. One in eolors will not be in |
good taste unless worn en- costume.
One OF the prettiest bonnets we saw yester.
day was pearl gray cut velvet, trimmed with |
a cluster Of three small double multiAora roses,
exquisite IN shape and hue, with buds and ten.
GIRLS dropping from it, and strings of pearl prav
ace, caught at the throat with rose and leaf.
or or avsping bonnets the uncut velvet in white,
blue and rose, Trimmed with blond and tnf,s ~
feathers, the beautiful crysrsifsed s.sv..
nO"eIs' are the mO5t elegant. They are still
worn with high coronet in front.
In trimmings almost anything you choose 70 |
use will do, but bias satin folds or bias silk
folds OF darker shade than the dress is the
most recherche, we believe, though fringe OF |
every variety of length and thickness is becom.
ing very fashionable.
The high, buttoned. polish kid boot, is the
neatest and most agreeable for street wear. |
though net quite so servicesole an those made |
81 morocco. The curved heels are still worn.
.hough undoubtedly Injurious to the ankle, and
dangerous to walk in. We saw one or two young
aides OF suffcient1durdiS g0dtto be- on the street
With broad gilt buckles on their walking boots.
All large bows or buckles, on the instep or toe
of the shoe or boot, make the foot look large,
Ind ladies should not patronize them when they
rave regard for slender foot, a great beauty
n woman.g 1t is much prettier TO have long
LENDER foot than q short thick one.
Gloves are worn in all colors, though a strict at
ention to the dictates Of the grdnde dame, Fash
on, would say contrasting colors, or black. |
dtched and bound with colors TO match the |
ress. The two-button glove, with welt and bind. |
ng of white, is the most suitable for street cos.
ume.
But enough for the present. Next week we
viii discuss the spring fashions and home toettes.
Nth chance remark thrown in here and there |
~ Wav of diverson-