The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-16
Vanity Fair.

"A tashlonable Paris ball robe trimming has
the insinuating title, 81 would climb and die
there" 1t is sort of ladder of satin bows.
Cream and coral is much favored, The
cream is very deep shade, aud it is of this
that the costume is made; the ''corar' is used
merely for piDings, and when employed with
discretion, it IS absolutely surprising how pleas
ing the effect produced may be.
The furry hats with wde-awake brims are
much affected by young girls of the student and
artist class, but young society women prefer
the high peaked crowns and narrow brims,
la Stanley, or berettas made or covered with
feathers.
do you take tea a Ia Russo? No tea tray
sent into fashionable New York dining room
is complete without a small glass dish contain
ing sliced lemon, cut with the rind on. No
cream allowed. The smallest sized lump Of
sugar is dropped into the cup, slice of lemon
is placed on the sugar, and then the tea is
poured on.
"A new combination for blondes is absinthe-
colored velvet and pale azure. Absinthe is q
murky green with yellow tlnge, the shade of
dormant ponds that run deep. A very blue
eyed maid should try the combination without
0cidyt Uue IL cuC AofO a1ICduy iuN6sleu III
linden or white plush she might attempt an
absinthe headdress, and select for the purpose
grasses of the color above mentioned, in which
she will entwine sprays of forget me-nots.
Notices are in vogue in Paris on every
thing that will admit OF their use; stationery
being favorite place. For example, paper
for the use of widows during the early days of
their bereavement, in the design of dying en-
bers round which flourish in the faint smoke
struggling upward, Latin text that, literally
translated, becomes, 81 weep because be died,
while must live" A lady, celebrated alike
for her beauty and her INCONSISTENCY, has had
her lemon-colored note paper engraved with q
weather-eock in one corner, about which are
assembled the four winds, while the shield be-
low pithily remarks, in Latin, eff the winds
did not alter, the weather-cock would never
change" Another young lady has selected for
daily use flying swallow bearing the scroll,
"Pour chercher mieux."
Fashionable houses In London are like
miniature courts The guests are divided into
classes. First come the visitors proper-the
kings and queens of society, who are invited
to have magni6cence psraded before them,
which, excelling their owp, shall humble their
pride. Then come the courtiers, who are
merely good-looking and well-bred ladies' aud
gentlemen in waiting. Then come the bards,
which include those who are inv ted on account
of their talents, musical or other, and the
tellers of good stories. Then come the foels
and clowns (the funny men of society, and
finally the tame cats aud pet dogs. 1t is best
to ascertain on arriving at the house of friend
to which of these classes the intention of your
host has.assigned you, and then contentedly to
try to fulfil your duty in that state Of life to
which you are called, or else find an excuse fer
leaving at once. Unless you distinctly UNDER
stand under which category you fall, you are
sure to come to grief for the duties of one class
may be the crimes of another, or Uice versa.
French taste, so writes Mrs. Hooper in the
New York World, no longer possesses that
innate sense of the ftuess of things which once
distinguished it. Look at the long skirts and
the innumerable ruffisd pettcoats trailed
through the liquid mud Of sloppy streets; at
the pointed hats bristllng with feathers: at
the balldresses, gored and strapped back,
sleeveless and well-nigh corsageless, so that
that the form of o fashionable dame is as
much revealed to the world as was that of
Mile. Joliejsmbe, in the role of the queen of
Cannibal islaads in the last fairy spectacle.
And it is of no use to say that these fashions
are exaggerated in America. In the matter of
the close-ftting gowns, that would be impossi-
bic unless the fair wearer we're to adopt the
dress of the demon ballet in the Black Crook
at once-a suit of tights and ribbon. Nor
will it avail either to say that the best people
I! in Paris do not dress in that manner. They
all do that is those who go In for dress at all.
Of course there are many, in the aristocratc
set especially, who with sublime snobbishness
| 90 about in shabby clothing