The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-21
Written for the Sunday Crescentl
4 WORD OR TWO ON THE FASHIONS.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy; rich, not CANDY,
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

Il -
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
i But not expressed In fancy; rich, not CANDY,
For the apparel oft proclairns the man."
We are certainly living in an age of bizdrr,
fashions, and the more fantastic one dresses thu
more one seems to be in the mode. We do mo-
admire this, or think going into extremes in dresI
good sense; yet as we cannot utterly ignore thu
mighty goddess who rules the world. awe will pay
our devos at her shrine, and lift the veil, drapins
the mysteries of her temple. even should we NEE
the fate of "Peeping Tom of Coventry" and oul
dazzled eyes be blinded as the penalty Of our Gu
riosity. In following fashions, people of goot
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-
sented as conlnae fdut, avoiding the grotesqus
exaggerations that are only seen upon women o.
unrened taste or the pdruer1u, and the perfection
of good taste in dress is displayed in the choice
corresponding colors and suitable material for thu
occasion when the dress is to be worn. The
changesbleness of our climate makes dress q mucl
more difficult matter with rs than 1t is in more
settled sttudes, and IT is impossible for lady tc
| attempt keeping up with the fashions unless hel
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 viii at once attempt IT, hoping for the
fEs nodistes tel Us that he psnier Is certainly
| going out, although they do not tell US what is
coming In, and we still see all stylishly made
skirts worn over tournure and made very full
behind. The new crinoline, LA Grande Vic.
TORE" is made with straps to adjust the hustle or
| 10 dispense with it ct the option of the wearer.
We zee among the ultra fashionables TWO or
| even three successive upper skirts, draped in
| the most intricate style imaginable the under
skirt in all cases being gored and worn az
| scant as possible, and il almost every instance
| the lower skirts are bordered with founces that
are put on in fiat plsits No one is wearing the
skirt gored behind now. The back widths are
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 case Of extreme necessity would we
think of advising the purchase Of such dresses.
Much better get the material by the yard and
make 1t 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.
1t is excessively bad taste in ladies' to make
1cdlklng dresses Of velvet and shows q shoddy
proclivIty IN the wesrer that is amusing to those
better posted. But, when that velvet is cot
ton, oh words fell, 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 hdH ton Of Europe.
We saw very elegant dress az one Of our fash
ioDable modises, Canal street, yesterday; II was
one OF several very pretty robes in bridal uous.
seau-a silver'grey Irish popln, front and side
widths gored narrow flounce pulled on, not too
full corsage plain, and very high in the throat
The upper skirt Of rich mszarine blue silk, cut
hve deep vandyks not Topped, the edge trimmed
with narrow founce of same silk quilted on bod
dice waist, with breteles, belt, fan-bow and sash
OF the silk, and trimmed with a narrow ruche to
correspond with the skirt. There was in the
trousseau travelDg-dress Of gray empress cloth,
made perfectly plain in the lower skirt, with
coubie peplum; 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 IL The fashion 10
bonnets; they are still as mere apologies for the
articles worn by grandmothers as IL is possible
10 conceive of. Yet, when we compare them with
some of the hdeous-looking things worn then, we
cannot but confess that fashion has changed for
the better In this respect, so far as looks go.
However, itmay be for health and comfort and pro-
lection from sun and wind. There ia a combination
OF bonnet and round hat that ia just peeping at Is
like tmi6 maiden, too bashful to make full az.
pearance as yet. We SHALL no doubt, find il |
grown holder soon, as said maiden often does on |
closer acquaintance. 1t is without diadem. fits
the head close above the ears, and is very high |
penlnd. The one We saw was of dark blue velvet, /
ia pulls diyerging from the center to the edge; |
sprays OF pearl, seved on white tulle, fell over /
each pull down or the front hair, which was worn |
IN little pulls. Larger sprays Of the pearls fell |
over tne enl9non, and on the top and center was /
magnificent rosette of white ostrich feathers; 1
broad strings OF blue net, edged with fanciful /
trimming of down, tied on the side and floated |
over The shoulder, narrow ribbon securing it under
the chin: The lady wearing ii was handsome /
blonde, IN the prettiest street costume we have /
seen this winter, the under dress thick being black
SILK, gored and untrmmed; over this half fitting
basque, square and short in front, rounding long
behind, bordered with fat ruche extending up |
the front, round the neck and arm holes and wrists
collar and cuffs Of very fine and rich French work
II you wish q rich bonnet and at the same time
a servicabe one, that will correspond with any
handsome street toilette. black velvet trimmed |
with lace, ostrich tufts on q large rose with trail.
ing vines and buds placed on the side, narrow
strings OF bias velvet, edged with lace and fast
eneo al the throat by bow, will be the pre.tiest
and most useful. One in colors 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 |
q cluster OF three small double multihora roses.
exquisite in shape and hue, with buds and ten.
LIS LIE cropping from It, and strings Of pearl gray
s si ,avspang bonnets the uncut velvet in white
plue ana rose, u,nmea with blond and tufts of |
SoAHSA5, OK INC Dchulllul CIyEr1n1cu and /
lowers, are the most elegant. They are still I
worn with high coronet IN front.
In trimmings almost anything You choose 10 |
use will do, but bias satin folds or bias silk |
folds Of q darker shade than the dress is the
most recherche, we believe, though fringe OF |
svery variety of length and thickness is becom.
ng very fashionable.
The high, buttoned. polish kid boot is the
leatest ana most agreeable for street wear,
ho7gh net quite so serviceaole an those made
u 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 sufficientmGurdis godtto bs on the street
With broad gilt buckles on their walking boots.
All large bows or buckles, on the instep or toe
VI the shoe or boot, make the foot look large. |
md ladies should not patronize them when they
ave regard for slender foot, great beauty
? a woman.g II is much prettier TO have a long |
lender foot than q short thick one.
Gloves are worn in all colors, though strict at
enton to the dictates Of the 1rdnde dame Fash
on, would say contrasting colors or black |
titched and bound with colors 10 match the
ress. The two-buttou glove, with welt and bind.
ng OF white, Is the most suitable for street cos.
ume.
But enough for the present Next week we ,
ill discuss the spring fashions and home toilettes
nth chance remark thrown in here and there
2 Wav of diversion