The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-17
from Harper's Bazar.]
French Fashions.

The generality of the Partisan ladies wear
dark street costumes this winter, the color
most in vogue being bronze green. Every thing
conspicuous, however, is carefully avoided in
walking suits, under penalty of being mis-
judged; the ladies indemnify themselves for
this austerity, nevertheless, when they 60 in
their carriages to promenade in the Bois de
Boulogne, which at this season is transformed
into vast drawing-room, where none are seen
but the idlers of the fashionable world of
Paris, who consequently are all acquainted
with each other. Here the leaders of the ton
wear, with their dark garments, white un-
dressed kid gloves and little mask wells, or very
light-colored costumes of coarse winter fabrics,
or else of velvet. The colors preferred are sill
yer gray and light chamois. These light CO.'S
tunes are trimmed with several bands of thick,
very dark fur. The bonnet is entirely covered
with feathers; or, if the dress is trimmed with
fur the same fur is used for the trimming Of
the bonnet. The muffs are SO small that it
seems impossible for them to hold both hands
at once. Many of the gloves are furnished
with eyelets, laced, like corsets, with a cord,
which is trimmed on the ends with small fluffy
ldSS6S VI SilE, COmUeu duu CTiup6us
The extremely long polonaises tend more and
more to cover, and consequently to suppress,
the unoer-skirt in carrisge and visiting toleties
In these cases the polonaise is simply a
princesse dress looped or slashed over a skirt
more apparent than real. The skirt, in fact, is
composed of two or three breadths, matching
the pOlonalse in color, but of different fabric !;
the other breadths of this skirt, which would
be hidden by the train of the polonaise, are
suppressed; that is to say, they exist only in
name These breadths are trimmed as if they
formed part of a real skit, and are fastened
under the skirt of the polonaise, which is
draped over this false und-r -rskrt which, in
fact, is nothing more than tablier. Two years
ago the tablier was worn OUer the dress; now 1t
is worn under it. 1t is in this manner that our
modistes devise novelties, and succeed in chang
ing the fashion of our garments
Novelties are also shown inicravats and fichus
of open-work silk, or in cravats half of one col
or and half of another, of navy blue and red,
pale blue and bronze, vert-de girls and red,
tileul and pink. Iu tying the bow great care is
taken to make the two colors come contrary
wise, that is, in tying blue and bronze crsvat,
to have the first color come at the top in one
loop of the bow. and the second color az the
top in the other loop
For evening toilette the prncesse dresses are
made of black or white lace, the latter by pref
of white satin or faille. These dresses are very
little draped, care being taken to show the pat
tern of the lace. One side only is draped, a
little behind the arm, with cluster of feathers
or aquatic foliage.
We must next speak of the princesse dresses
made half of velvet and half of faile of the same
color, either the front or back, according to taste
being made of faille. When the front of the
dress is of velvet, the upper part of the sleeves
is of the same material, and the lower part of
faille. The inverse arrangement is adopted
when the front OF the dress is OF faille; in this
case either the whole sleeve is of velvet or the
upper part of faille and the lower part of vel
vet.
These mixtures, which permit the introduc-
ton of great variety in the composition of toll
cites, extend to every thing, and are economi-
cal rather than onerous, since new dress can
be made of a couple of old ones Wrappings
of velvet are also seen, with pleated backs Of
faIlle; in this case tie same mixture is repeat
ed on the sleeves, the upper part being of velvet
and the lower part of pleated faille. But the
most striking feature of the fashion is still the
extreme flatness and closeness Of garments of
whatever kind, dresses, skirts, polonaises, pal
etots, and mantles, all of which incase the
vearer in the tightest possible manner The
more closely lady OF the present day resem-
bles ead-pencil, the more she is in the fash
ion. EMMELINE RAYMOND.