The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-21
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written for the Sunday crssesa.I

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Once on time with us in the Sunny South
winter was of but short duration, or rather win
ter was lost in one long delicious spring, with
only cold day now and then. But seasons seem
to have changed Is well ss times, and Winter not
only asserts his own prerogatives, bat usurps oil
the rights and privileges so long claimed by his
fair sister as her own, and holds her so close in
dursnce vile. that II she ever escapes his bonds
she will no longer be the delicate maiden Spring.
but have expanded into the blooming matron
Summer, and all use for spring costumes will be
lost in the necessity for the loose, flowing robes
that ardent mstron loves so well.
Silk, poplns and light cloths are certainly more
in use this season than they have ever been be-
fore. Usually by this time goods of far lighter
material were in service.
In silks there are all the delicate shades 90 suit
able for this season Of the year-lavender, gray
in its various shades, green, blue and brown, in
every conceivable tint peculiar to those colors.
But all Of these are either In stripes, checks or
tiny bouquets. If the silk s not of this descrip-
ton, it must be the chsngesble or chameleon.
The checked silks serviceable, for they can be
cleaned and made over, and they are not costly
dress. We saw new style Of fouard one por
ton of the dress In stripes Of two colors, the
other portion in stripes Of all the prismatic
colors.
sThsss some exquisite percales and piques in
delicate colored grounds, with bouquets Of small
flowers or small figures, stripes, and wresths.
There are few dresses more elegant for spring use
than these, and they are deservedly very popular,
as they are not high priced and are servceable;
if you have good laundress they are always
mar H. e. -
Dollfus, Meig & Co.-said to be the best make in
the trade-that for delicscy of color and beauty
of design we have never seen surpassed. Among
the percales we saw some in checks of two colors,
the checks SO exceedingly minute that at the dis
lance of six steps the goods looked like solid
colors Of pink, green, buff, or blue. The per-
Gales are from sixty.two and half to seventy.
five cents the yard, and are quite good width.
Either for walking suits or home dresses z hing
can surpass the pique. Being heavy goo IL
should always be made gored, or in fashion, o
style, fitting quite tight to the figure. There Is
great variety of trimming braids for these goods
but the white is preferable, and always should be
in cotton, ss wooden or silk trimming would spoil
in the wash. Made tight Gabrielle, open in front,
with the large pearl or snaked pearl button 10
fasten with, it can be worn as q morning neglig6s
or, with the addition of cape, can be worn on
the street, These figures cost from one dollar to
one fifty the yard. In the spring poplins the
style called rImperatrice would make an ex-
cellent travelling suit. 1t is really nothing bat
good, strong gingham, in stripes of two colors,
one Of the stripes being corded. AS it washes
well and is fresh each time it comes in from the
laundry, and damp or rainy days could not affect
IN NJ veil for tran lima
walking suits much better than the mixed wool
and cotton goods that are spoiled by damp no
matter how pretty they may look when new. 1t
is very poor economy to purchase mixed goods of
any description. Let your material be all of one
kind; if silk, let it be sk if cotton let it be COT
ton. and if wooden let it be soool aud nothing but
WOOL for any of the mixtures are bad.
The walking suits will remain in use, though
made little longer, just escaping the ground.
Muslins percales, etc., do not look well m sde short.
From all we can learn, the panier will be con.
tinued. by those who admire the style, in all the
spring goods that are firm enough to keep we'll In
fold, and are formed generally by sash tied in q
bow.
Two, and even three skirts, will be worn. A
very pretty and decided change in the dresses in
striped goods can be made by cutting the lower
skirt bias, the upper one straight; il gives quite
stylish appearance to the dress.
The polonaise is still worn as part of the walk
ing costume and il Is prettier and more graceful
article Of dress than the fantascal capes now be-
coming so fashionable. These latter are made
pointed pelerine, or with a pointed hood or
Topped up on the shoulders or in the back; or
are made three capes, round or pointed, but grad
uated in SIZE the upper one being but little more
than collar. In fact, if your memory can go
back some twenty-five years, you will recall
pretty much the kind of cape that is now coming
in.
Trimming of narrow, cross-cut folds, of the
same material, with piping of some other color
as finish, looks well, and is much In use-silk
fringe, some of which in light plaids, and made
to draw up on thread in folds, comes as high
as two and half yard, making the trimming
Of the dress often much more expensive than
the material for the dress itself. The bows and
long sashes are not SO much WON. What they
call psnier bows, being two and three puffs with
short fringed ends, are worn instead OF the bow
and long sash or the rosette.
The sleeves still remain coat In shape, but are
loose, and for dresses of washing material are
trimmed with narrow puffs or double ruffies that
run round the hand and up the entire length of
the outer seam of the sleeve. reaching to the
shoulder. very pretty sleeve for grensdine or
silk is made with large puff at the elbow. The
top Of the sleeve and the bottom are plain,
trimmed with piping, which also finishes the puff
at the top and bottom.
In goods not to be washed. pulls from the
shoulder to the waist will be worn, making the
upper pufis deeper than those nearer the hand.
But as yet the coat sleeve is the dominant one.
In thin material make POUR corssge French
waist and open, heart shape or surpice in front;
in heavier goods plain and high, or cut square.
Marie Stuart style, to be worn with chemisette-
the skirts of thin material; If you tired of two
skirts, you can flounce ad hbituns. Use your own
pleasure as to the number you put on, only let
them be narrow. AS many as thirty can be worn
IL you so fancy, and when set on well make rich
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In petticoats you see butnrueembroidery. Per.
pendicular tucks inserted between rows Of hori-
zontal tucks, are the most fashionable, and If
made with care DO up quite as we'll as those tuck.
ed only horizontally. Two or three narrow rufflss
just above the hem are quite pretty.
The corssge worn square, or heart shaped.