Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-25
CAPTIVATING TOILETS.
Some of the vagarles Of Fashion at the
Paris Distribution and Concerts.
Paris Letter in London Truth.


Paris Letter in London Truth.
At the ceremony Of the distribution
of prizes in the Champs Elysees, and
at the concerts this week at the Tro-
cadro, | have noticed a few novelties
in dress. The different red tints and
blue and green colors in all shades are
great favorites, and plush, Watered silk
and satin are most fashionable for ele-
CANT dresses. Waistcoats, which are
very much worn, are now very often
made in velours cotele, a kind of
striped ribbed silk velvet on a satin
ground. This handsome, rich-looking
novelty is also a great vogue for trim
ming dresses and mantles, and as the
price of velours cotele, like plush, is
rather high, it will not very soon be-
come common. This new material is
sometimes made in two colors for in
stance, blue velvet stripes on green
satin ground, caroubier red on gold
ground, or soldiers blue on Egyptian
red satin.
At yesterdays concert one Of the
most elegant costumes was a myrtle
green plush, princess shape, over a
satin skirt of the new willow-leaf
gray-green color. | also noticed a
dress of sapphire blue cashmere the
skirt was round at the bottom, with a
fat, draped founce. The second
skirt, drawn up at the sides, was Dor
dered by a fiat trimming of velours
cotele. These dresses we're made a
little fuller at the hips than a few
weeks ago. AT the balls last week at
Versailles, and at the ministry of ag-
riculture, it was impossible to see any
thing of the dresses on account of the
crowded rooms, but at the ball given
at the ministry of foreign affairs | saw
a great many pretty dresses; they
we're of the close-ftting fourreau
shape, and generally white, pink, blue
and light green satin trimmed with
lace. One novelty, rich and elegant
looking, was a pale pink brocade, with
figured pattern of silver and gold; the
bodice was curiasse-shaped trimmed
with black crepe lisse and black lace.
| also observed a close-ftting f~ourteau
dress in sapphire blue satin, opening
upon a shirt of pale le%mon-colored
satin, which was richly embroidered
with small bouquets and garlands of
flowers the bodice was half low, en-
ceur, or heart shape; the lady wore a
triple necklace of pearls, her head
dress being a net with pearls.
Tartans are certainly still much
worn for walking dresses, but l con-
slider they will not long be fashionable
cashmeres and other plain woolens and
cloth will be certainly much used for
the winter. A great many useful
jackets and paletots are made much in
the style of gentlemen's overcoats Of
the last century, and the pockets and
collars are either of the same material
as the jacket or trimmed with plush
and velours cotele, to match the shade
of the garment. These jackets are
often black, the other chief colors
being blue, green and drab or plum
color; the buttons are bone, wood,
blue steel or nickel. In fancy iewelry
the newest thing is a cross, said to be
a copy Of one worn by the Princess
Of Wales. There is also a ring,
called the engagement ring, copied
from a Danish antique; it is a
double spiral cord ring, with open
ends, like the fashionable bracelets it
is called the Bernholm ring. The
newest Porte-bonheur bracelet is
composed of three rings chained to-
gether one ring is made with opals,
one with turQuoises and the third Of
rubies. BOnnets are made small.
The s~o-called Bebe shape is a favorite,
with peacock feathers, or often seal
skin as border; some of this shape are
made of silver gray plush, with Alsace
bow Of ribbons old gold color. The
panier, or basket-shape bonnet is also
in fashion, being generally of plush
color of the dress; blue, pink and
ruby colored plush bonnets are much
seen.