Evening star., 1870-02-01
THE WORLD OF FASHION
New York and Paris Styles for February.
PARTIES AND RECEPTION.
IFrom Our O,ca correspo.den..l

great entertainmentsn IKE those You read about
are falling into disrepute they cos. so much, and
are worth 50 little. Fifty people make q jam In
our small brown-stone houses which are as alike
as two peas, and jams" are inconsistent with
comfort and trained dresses or course, there /.
much visiting and entertaining, but IL is gradu.
ally assuming a different and more sensible
form. "Evenngs," !" small recherche dinners and
receptions" at which some characteristic en-
tertainment Is provided are the vogue, and are
altogether more a agreeable than the mere crowd
where one loses ones temper. ruins ones dress
and cannot exchange a word with single per-
son that one knows.
Ordinary "parties'' have indeed nothing in
the world to recommend them, except the fact
that almost everybody can give one, and that
they enable people to clear of all the old scores
Light, warmth, a certain amount OF space,
music. and something to eat are all the
requisites for the entertainment of one
10 two hundred persons, but an elegant
little dinner is q very different affair. This
requires perfection Of detail. chef de caisiae,
trained servants in every department, and that
thorough system and order, which cannot be
sent like the Charlotte Russo, from a confection-
els. but must come from habit.
Exceptions are a furore, and are of all
kinds. There are the regular weekly receptions
OF persons, who receive the whole season
ceptions and wedding receptions, and art recep-
tons, and club receptions, at all of which II Is
understood that "dress - i'm the society sense, ie
not required, that ladies can wear a morning
out losing caste or being subject to observation.
GRAND ToILErrEs.
The robes of ceremony this winter are neither
satin nor mOire antique, they royal velvet, in
the most striking shades of ruby red, assyrian
purple, emerald green and amethyst blue. They
are often made plain, with a narrow double
quilting OF corded silk for trimming, or piping Of
satin, and toilette completed by ruffies and COLA
rette OF point or valencienne lace. Sometimes,
however. the removable train added, and
then the costume becomes really magnificent.
At wedding reception recently an amethyst
velvet dress was worn, with a removable train,
which turned back from the sides, and was
Joined together its entire length by butterfly
bows ofthck satin ribbon, the color of the vel
vet The lining of the train was white satin, the
chemisette inserted in the low square bodice
was white satin, and the sleeves were white satin
divided into puffings BY bands Of amethyst vel
vet.
For ornaments, diamonds are always worn
with full dress. American ladies' are great on
diamonds. French women will adopt any sort
OF trivial ravure that happens to be the vogue.
English "cmen will descend 10 limitations, but
Americans who can afford one handsome dress,
always manage diamond breast pin and ear
rings to wear with it.
Flower praures and other STYLES of fancy eve
ming ornaments have always been failures here,
because American ladies do not consider them
selves essed without their diamonds.
Besides the gorgeous tropical splendor OF
velvet and satin, silks sink into insignficance,
nevertheless some very beautiful toilettes are
composed of thick gros grain and lustrOus poHlt,
worn with chene Grape tunics or covered with
Overdresses of white muslin. enriched with
needle work and lace.
The Partisan method Of trimming lilac and
emerald green silk with fiounces OF white mus
lin, supplemented by tuni9ue oyerdress of the
same, has been largely adopted here, and is
even used fer rich black silks. In the latter
case, black velvet bows or loops and ends are
used for ornaments.
Among the contents of a box received last
week by a lady from Paris was a tunique or
corsage of coral colored China crep. Ii was
open in front and large oriental sleeves,
bordered With silver ana fringe. There was a
ba dress of tulle dotted with silver and trim
med with white Spanish blonde and white
satin ribbon, but this seemed less desirable
than charming robe de okdmbre of soft
crei m-tinted cashmere, faced with blue satin;
the facing striped and diagonally, with narrow
bands Of black velvet. The sleeves were open
and lined with blue satin, displaying the coat
sleeves Of blue satin, worn beneath collar, and
levers of satin at the throat.
plain high dress of black or blue 7ros grain,
with ruff1e OF lace at the throat, and ornaments
Of dead gold, in the best possible taste, for Ia
dies who do not wish to appear in exp eissiye or
elaborate toilets. Gold jewelry, plain but mas
sive, stands next to diamonds in fashionable es-
imation, and il most desirable, as being exceed
ingly effective, always retaining its value, adapt
ed to any dress or occasion, and becoming 70
ladies, both fair and dark.
FANCY DRESSES.
Masquerades and fancy dress balls are discou-
ragged this season. and have given place in pri-
vate houses to charade parties and the like; but
there are many inquiries for fancy costumes,
and as they may be useful tS some OF my readers
will indicate few.
winter" requires light gray tnlle or taria-
tan dress, dotted all over with bits OF white
swansdown. The hair should be left floating
and thickly powdered with is.agi lss OF diamond
powder. A robin perched On a snow-covared
twig ornaments the hair, and another is used
upon the corsage or to loop up the folds Of the
dress.
,"Butterfiy" is white tulle dress made with
three skirts, striped with very narrow green
and gold satin ribbon; black and red NAV also
be used to alternate with the Others if preferred
Wings ornamented to match are attached to the
back.
'Night" is always a black tulle dress covered
with stars and shadowed by long flow ing veil
starred also, and attached to a silver crescent
worn upon the head.
"Cndine" requires a dress of Nile green tarla-
tan over white caught up with sea-weed TO
which little white shells and bits of coral are at
tached. The bodice should be low, and ar
ranged i'm grecian folds, the sleeves long and
open, the blonde hair floating and ornamented
with wreath harmonizing with the decoration
''Old Mother Hubbard" is very easily m manaped.
The dress consists simply Of a skirt and short
gown OF large patterned, old fashioned chintz
The skirt very much punched up. the short
gown belted in. A tall conical black velvet hat
the shape exactly of the black felt hats; The
Welsh men and women wear ii indiscriminately
only brought to point at the top is the featnrr
OF the costume. The old lady must no verv
much bent and walk with a stick.
An Irish dress Is pretty and cheaplv oo,tar
up. 1t consists Of q red woollen petticoat and a
green overskirt open in 'front.' drawn hack and
pinked together. A jaunty little can OF White
muslin perched on one side Of tie head and or
namented with q sprig Of shamrock
A very handsome Scotch dress is made Of
white alpaca. A genuine tartan plaid ribbon
round the skirt, tartan scarf fastened TO the
left shoulder with Scotch broach and knotted
under the right arm, and Glengary velvet can
with plume of feathers.
The Spanish dress is always made in pink or
maize coiored silk, covered with two wide black
lace founces; body low, open with q chimisette,
and trimmed with black lace. High comb,
with black Spanish lace veil falling nom IL so
as to envelope the shoulders. A rose isfastened
coquettishly on one side Of the head. These
national costumes are all short, and only lust
long enough to touch the ground.
The NeopOlinn dress, like the Spanish, Is
very becoming to brunettee. It consists Of
wooden pettic0at, trimmed with two rows of
black velvet. Buff b Q good color. A corslet
body of black velvet, laced over a high frill one
OF white jaconet. A small, clear white musiin
apron, striped in Roman colors, with marrow
satin ribbon; square, dat headdress Of muslin.
striped with narrow ribbon near the hem and
several strings Of gold beads around the neck
The dress Of Evangeiine is very simple And
pretty. 1t consists Of blue skirt, square. black
velvet bodice, and high, white chimisette. A
large, old-fashioned cross is suspended from the
neck, and the head Is surmounted bv : bics
Normandy cap Of Victoria Lawn. "oueen