The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24
Two Pretty Dresses Seen In
 Champs EIysees
DESCRIBED BY DE CARL
White Spotted Creation Batiste and Newest ShaFG Soutache Coat. Plain Black Skirt With
 Buttons Up the Side.
BY COUNTESS CARLO DE oARLI.


 Paris, May e8-That fashion has come back to Paris one can see any day in the Rue de la Paix, the Avenue de lOpera, and the Champs Elysees I have chosen two of the pretty dresses worn at the lat ter named resort to describe.
 The first is a white spotted tulle termin- broidered batiste trimmed with two lace insertions over an extra width of white embroidered batiste trimmed with iace and frills, which form the lower part of the skirt The high waisted bodice. also richly trimmed with lace, opens over guimpe of tucked batste The short sleeves are edged with two frills of lace to match the skirt Over this is thrown a lace coat in beige tulle, thclxly embroid- cred in relief with a pretty flower pat tern. The long pointed ends at the back and the two sides are finished off with a passementerie tassel, as are also the sleeves. Hat of fine straw trimmed with black and white feathers.
 The second Is the newest shaped sout- ache coat with the long knotted ribbon at the back. Plain black skirt, trimmed with. buttons up each side. Hat in black chip trimmed. with feathers.
 Black silk and satin jackets, with beau tiful passemehterie buttons, richly sol- cached and embroidered, and worn with the high waisted effect over pretty fancy waistcoats with basques in Louis XIV style are much met with in the Bois ;n the afternoons or in the fashionable tea rooms. of the gay city. They are worn with plain black skirts, cut very long at the back and trailing on the ground or with the everlasting black and white stripes and checks.
 l have already described the "sheath" dresses which have agitated Paris let me now describe the very newest style for making long skirts whether for afternoon dresses or for costumes. It is to have the front and two side gores quite unlined, which allows them to fall quite fiat, while the back gores and the long train are lined with heavy silk and the inside of the train in much trimmed with tiny fiounces. The weight pulls all the fulness of the skirt to the back. With these skirts on underskirts are permitted.
 But if skirts are so made as to reveal the contours of the hips and lower limbs. the same cannot be said of the newest style bodices. These are still worn short waisted, that is, where the waist IS indicated at all, for in most cases the
 
 determined. By these means the lines of the bust are quite hidden.
 With the advent of spring days and bright sunshine the Parisienne has ap- peared with her sunshade.
 In the Bois, at the race meetings, as well as in the best shops, I have seen some very beautiful specimens. Great lux try is shown in the handles, many of them being veritable works of art.
 There are handles with lovely little min iatures let in at the top, or composed of small pearls forming a design and framed in gold; others are painted or encrusted enamel or porcelain in carved ivory, in beautifully carved wood, in malachite, not to mention the great number there are in tortoise shell, chased silver and gold; in jade, onyx or other precious stones. The handles are not decorated with either tas- sel, "chou" or ribbon, but are quite plain. The cover is made in all kinds of ma rerials The very rich ones are much en1- hroidered and trimmed with frills and tiny tucks, encrusted with motifs of lace or embroidery, or richly soutached 10 match the long soutache jackets.
 The ruffles made in tulle tied at the back of the neck with large satin bow of the same color are having an enor- nous vogue. This has given rise to a Lew invention, and we now see large ruched ruffles in soft liberty or taffetas of the same shade as the costume or the dominating tone of the hat. These are not tied at the back, but at the side.
 Very pretty are the new styles of Charlotte hat to be worn with the com ing hot days Indeed, many of them are to be seen already, but at present they are being made in black or dark colors, while later on they will be made in lace and embroidery. They bear no resem- blance whatever to the old baby shape of Charlotte. Very full and with tucked crowns punched over series of lace- edged brims. they are finished off with band of black velvet ribbon so long that it is crossed under the chin in front and then falls almost to the edge of the skirt. This style of hat is particularly effective if worn with an Empire dress and one of the new lace cutaway coats dyed in the l same shade. is still, except in rare cases, the snakes | -1..-- l.