Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-04-24
THE FASHIONS.
A Decided Change I'm the shape Of
Dresses, ChignOns, BOnncts,
Walking Costumes, &c.

1
From an .X1zdvance Copy of the Englishwo
| mans Domestic.
There Is a very decided change in
the Shape of dresses since last winter
The skirt Is no longer entirely gored
SO as to be scant and narrow ut the
top, and yet to be long and ample al
the bottom. Now the front part alone
of the dress isgored; in wide materials
one width i'm narrow, three or, again
one whole width, with one half or
either side. This front part is slanted
off from about half way up the skirt
to the top; all the other widths are
cut straight and gathered at the top
the gathers being larger at the back
This gives the proper fullness for the
puff, which Is made, as we explained
last month, by drawing strings
through rings sewn on upon the
wrong side of the skirt.
Whether or not o seperate puff IL
made upon the dress, it Is always fully
gathered at the back, and the Marie
Antoinette tournure Is now adopted by
all ladies of fashion.
In evening dress the court train ot
satin or velvet is frequently fastened
under the puff, which is trimmed
with lace, so that the fastening on
of the train is quite concealed. This
Is quite the style of dress now worn
at the French Court. Sometimes,
however, there is still closer imita-
ton of the fashions of a century ago;
an upper-dress, open in front and
train-shaped at the back, over an un-
der-dress of moderate length.
For lady to be truly elegant, she
must always appear at least to have
dressed her hair herself AS soon as
professional hand is recognized In
the coiffure, the spell is broken, the
charm has vanished; let us then,
give up forever all elaborate hair.
dressing. In the daytime the hair,
simply braided, will be confined with.
in the meshes of net, and far from
assuming pyramidal shape, will
rather fall loose, Niobe fashion; for
the evening will be sufficient to place
a simple wreath upon the head, a
garland of roses, sweet-briar, or cle-
mats. All beads and gliding must be
discarded; the artificial hair must re-
turn to its proper place--a some.
times needful help, but always con-
Sealed, and not, US 1t has too long
been, the principal, not to say the
sole ornament of the head.
Such are the ideas of our reaction.
marie ladies upon the female head.
Dress but SO far these ideas do moi
prevail with the female community
en- nlasse. Chignons are not much
smaller than they were, but we must
say that the long curls of which they
most frequently composed--especial'
ly for evening dress--render them fal
more graceful than the smooth round
customs of last year.
The frizzed chignOns fall over the
shoulders and almost down to the
waist. Some eccentric beauties, in inn
itation, no doubt, of the Chinese En-.
bassadors now in Paris, wear one long
tpieitofhair which escapes from a CHG
non of loops and frizzes, comes down
almost to the heels and Is Ornamen-
ted with flowers or jewels. This plait
is too strange and too Chinese to bt
really pretty. We prefer the one
long curl which, in some cOiffures,
falls down over the back, from the
midst of quantity of frizzed ones,
though even that is neither natural
nor tasteful.
A diadem of tortoise shell fastened
the plait or curl upon the top OF the
head. The diadem of light-coloreC
ecaile is supremely elegant, and as
becoming to the blonde as to the bru'
nette.
All faces, however, do not look well
under the Gadem. A mere bandear
of tortoise shell Is better suited to
laughing Hebe-like countenance.-
The diadem is always grand. 1t re
quires the full dress toilet, the cOurt
train, aud q statuesque figure. The
tortoise shell bandeau may be worn
with q short toilet. Such details
must be noted. The great art of ap
pearing well dressed Is to dress in
manner suitable to ones age, style o
countenance and figure.
Thus in bonnets there are various
models among which a lady may
choose that which suits her best
Small bonnets, are, generally speak
ing, more becoming than large ones
but the round shapes do not look 81
well on some heads as the fanchoI
does, and the Spanish vOilet or capu
; let, while 1t suits some countenances
Is to be avoided by Others whose piq
uant expression would be much en-
hanced by the coquettish chapea'
russo,
The capulet, the shape of which w
j described i'm a former number Is mucl
worn with theater toilets and look
; very beautiful either in Chantilly o
point lace, or i'm white, light blue; o
, rose colored crepon de chine. 1t i
also adopted this spring with prone
made dresses, and Is to be seen In tn
most elegant costumes.
4 Spring bonnets are diadems or fan
, chons of light-colOred Grape, or tull
and satin. Among the newest mod
. els we select the following specimens
, Diadem formed of standing-ul
ruche of green satin; n beautiful
white ostrich feather Is turned bacl
over the diadem, and a tiny hum
{ ming-hird is placed In front. At tn
back, fall of black lace, continue
/ into lappets, fastened in front unde
| cravat bow of green SATIN
= Diadem of mauve Grape, compose
| of a ruching of Grape edged with sati
} of the same color. Just in 'front.'
. garland of white roses completes Tn
\ diadem; one large bunch OF rose
r without foliage is placed at the side
r Fall and lappets of white blonde wit
bow of mauve satin.
Q Fanchon of white pleated tull'
, with cornet of white pink azalea
; with tinted foliage and q bunch {
: the same flowers at the side. Fal
and lappets Of Michlen lace, with
bunch of flowers TO fasten them |
: front. A trailing spray OF buds am
: foliage comes down on the outside
4 and falls on the neck. Narrow ribbo
e strings are tied at the back. In som
1 of the small fanchon or diadem boi
I nets, the narrow strings are replace
G by an elastic.
e For n young lady, a Vatican hat
c lpearl-gray satin, Hat oval crown
G brim slightly turned up on either sid
4. .ls.ss