Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-07-07
IFroyn Our Otcn Corr espons7,f. I

md ON the Bo;s de BoIogne.
[Fro,n Our O,cn Cor esponde7if1
PARIS, June Is, 1871 Last Sunday was
The Grand Pfix, the ycte day of Longchamps,
when all Paris turns out in its best, rides TO
the races, and sets the fashions for the next
SIX months. The day was exceedingly warm
and dresses of light texture were therefore
almost necessity, but saw myself but lit
lie difference between the toilettes that were
displayed on this important occasion, and
say Union League Club reception AT home.
For the delicate colors, the shades OF pale
blue, tleull, stone grey, and milky white
called "watered" milk, were SO gen eral as
10 give one the imprf ssiou OF d grand eve
nlhg RECEPTION, IA yner than an out of door
display. The styles were almost identical
with what we have been accus tom d TO see
al nome In the best circles during the past
winter. Closely defined forms, long prin-
c. Sse, robes, with but tile drapery, selftrim-
m'nss, aud bodices cut high, but open in
front Ia variety OF ways, which suggest
themselves To the experienced AID tasteful
mCdlste. TIE sleeves were very close. so
much SO as Ice require the fultness at the
elCOW, when was characteristic OF the old
coat sleeve, and which has been revived
but they were generally only half long, and
finished with exceedingly me plisses, Glled
on the IL side with delicate laceS or plea IngS
of crepe lIsSe. Trimming consisting OF lows
OF SIX III two cOlorS, such as pale Olue and
olive, store grey and pink, pale ecru and
Ike, are used IA connection with white or
black tOlleites, although some very hand
some ones were all black AID white. Bon
nets, for example. with a binding of black
velvet, are rage. Tie shape L. rather
small ard oval; the fabric fine deal white
chip; the trimming white flowers or feather 5
on the outside, covering or wreathing the
bonnet; and plain white ruche against a
white or tinted lining and velvet edge in
side. The two most stri king features of the
French dressing consist OF their attention
= I'M hl
is clean and fine, the trimming harmonious
and there is not too much. These rules are
the same as those which guide the best Anne
r1can dressing, but they are in striking con-
trast with the modes of English women.
SOURCES OF FASHION.
IT is rather curious that, while the sources
OF fashion in London and New York are
almost precisely The same, the result should
be so different. New styles forexamp pie, the
BretOnne and the Princesse, come o IL al most
simultaneously in Paris. London and New
adopted at once and seem Old in six weeks,
In London they are only exhibited as the ex-
caption In few large shops and creep along
so slowly In public estimation that they will
die and be superseded, aud many we'll do
women never know they have been in exist
ence. Ideas in style cost money as well as
mere gloss material, but the average Eng
lish woman prefers TO have her moneys
worth in the gross. Her eye is not trained To
form, and she is thrifty, and therefore not
only wears her clothes a long time, but
wants q good deal OF balk for her invest
ment. Her toilette is therefore patchy and
fncOngruOus. Over thin dress sine will
wear h wide, old fashioned Jacket or mantle,
and crown the whole with a bonnet too small
for her somewhat ford face, but showing q
motley group of ribbons and trimmings. The
young women of the higher classes are sub
dued in tone aud much more refined i'm color,
but am speaking of the ordinary English
women who have money 10 spend, as they
! appear on the street and IN tie shops. Ii
| an.aZes American women on reaching Lon
IN Loose nd ll-cu oar
menfs of several years ago still doing duty
upon the promenade aud even in the " Row"
lne long-shaped garment, The high, tailor
| cut from the shoulders, strictly defined out
lines, are the exception. Even new costumes
| will sometimes show the same old shape of
| he top of the arm, the same loose and baggy
appearance about the waist and site-forms.
| and this reason is partly the cause. English
| women do not want To pay for a first-c class
cut, partly because they have prejudice
| against the high shoulder seam, believing
the slope 10 be 'graceful'-and better adapte1
| to full form, q most mistaken opinion, for
| high, cleaL-cut outlines somewhat too
| tull form finely, and reduces its apparent
| size without in the least COMPRISING il. In
| Paris there is no strain by the Parisians
| after new styles, for the modern varieties
| and complexities of fashion seem tn be made
| more for Americans than the PdrisianS
| themselves.
| But there is q universal tendency 10 the
| correct cultivation of form and the subordi-
nation of minor details TO the general effect,
| which renders a costume at least unobtru-
| sive, ar ID indicative OF good taste when IL is
no longer strictly fashionable. High fash.
| ION Ia Paris is not seen upon the street; per-
| bars IL may be said ii is not seen upon the
street any where, for when a style has be-
| come common upon the street IL is quite
true indication that Ii has been discarded in
| the best circles. But there is difference
| English, and especially American women,
| co walk ard do wear their nice clothes when
| walking, much more than high Glass French
| worm; and therefore, in the streets OF Paris
| il is very rare to see anything but neat. trim
dressing Of the shop-girls AID women; the
short, solid, serviceable, never-changiug
costumes of the market and laboring wo-
| men, and the stylish outfits OF our country
women. One can wear ones old clothes
backwoOds OF Pennsy ivania, aud know at
least one woman who wore one dress, made
two years before in New York, during the
Ssons 81 o GeT stay IN except on two
| one is acquainted with good Partisan
| dressmakeT, moderate In her charges, and
one IS am happy to say found l would
advise ladies TO get all the Clothing they
need for wear prepared before they
FOR it is only by the rsrest ae
made in the great shops that a lady
would Ike 10 BUY or wear Readymsde
dresses are disjointed aud incongruous arti-
| clcs. moi as they are at bone. Sometimes
one finds q garment or costume which is
| handsome. and reasonable in price, but
usually they are costly, and mixed or incon-
Paris shors are fond of having, afford an OPP
pOrtunity for the purchase of silks in rem
| nants large enough for dresses and costumes
| which are not 10 be despised; and a good
| Paris dressmaker may be obtained at a very
| reasonable rate OF charges compared with
| the prices We are accustomed 10 pay a. home
Moreover, their charges are inclusive; al
| least this was the case in one instance
| which could not have been specially excep-
! tlonal, for the customer was q stranger, and
tie mOdisfe We found entirely by accident,
| who only had five days after receiving the
| fabrics in which to complete four dresses and
costumes, yet they were home within ten
minutes OF the time promised, without an
alteration being required, and with not a sim
| gle charge beyond the stipulated sum, which
| was no more than very ordinary dress
| maker would have asked in New York, with
| an additional charge for the lining, silk, but
| tons, and the like; all of which were includ-
| ed in the price. Dresses purchased and
made in this way cost not much more than
Ole-half what ready-made dresses COS. in
the large shops, with the advantage OF being
| Infinitely more select and salts factory. But
there il The risk Of not being so fortunate In
| finding a good dressmaker TO make up your
goods. Orders sent to Paris 10 dressmakers
who furnish the materials are filled at high
cost. Seven hundred and forty to twelve
hundred fras cs is the usual range for cos
tunes of silk or silk combmations-that is,
| from Sl50 10 S240 or S250-with the duty ad-
| 0lt1OnaI when sent to America. The STAN