Year: 1868

sures is now fairly unfolding its charms to our de-
lighted senses. A balmy atmosphere, gentle
breezes and bright blue skies overhead are Ger.
tainly enjoyable luxuries after the long, dreary
winter; but the mud-the abomnable mud under
foot-forces upon US the unpleasant conviction
that blue skies alone cannot make US happy, any
more than "greenbacks" can make street con-
tractors fulfill their obligations. Short walking
costumes did not come into vogue day too soon,
and we thankful that fashion, in the course Of
her tergversations and vagaries, actually invented
something that for once proved beneficial
to her votaries. In former times, when
trains were worn, many of our fashionable
ladies were converted into animated street
sweeping machines and much dirt was daily car
ried from off the sidewalks upon the most costly
materials and deposited upon elegant carpets in
princely salons. Then everything suffered when
the streets were in neglected conditions dresses,
skirts, shoes, shawls and cloaks were all plenti-
fully bespattered and bedraggled with slush and
mud, and whenever lady essayed to cross the
crowded thoroughfares she was invariably loaded
down with weight of woe, in the shape of both
arms full of dimity and silks, which rendered the
perilous passage feat to be facetousy con-
templated, rather than disagreeably performed.
But under the new regime change decidedly for
the better has taken place. Now our women in
S,d aee tine eoon muddy dy Of the
filthy slush and dirty snow, and with their
comfortably abbreviated walking dresses and
healthful shoes, trip cleanly and unencumbered
over the filthy crossings, leaving the accumulations
of dirt and garbage remaining upon the sidewalks,
instead of carrying it about upon their garments
80 much in favor of short dresses now for some
thing pertaining to the spring styles.


Several novelties in CLOTH lace and other mate
rials have made their appearance with the advent
of spring upon Broadway; but of these we shall
speak more fully next week. Jet and fur trim
ornaments are apparently gaining frmer hold
upon our elegantes. Braid, fringe and galloon
are now the rage, while bouauonnes are daily
growing in favor. Crinoline has had its day, and
is now quietly being reduced or discarded alto
gether. The tight skirts gored to the figure are
less frequently seen at evening receptions thin
materials being sufficiently puffed and trimmed to
obviate this trying appearance. We are told that
bonnets are made trife larger but this charming
strife" is scarcely discernabe. Beautiful yellow
and other straw goods are to be the materials for
the next generation of bonnets, as is also fancy
CHIP; and the bonnets themselves are as general
thing to be trimmed with broad plating, erect
around the front. The new style bonnet is likely
to superse de the small. unmeaning pancakes that
costume seems likely to be worn this spring more
than he fofore, especially as the under skirt is
not az It as petticoats usually are, but
R OF tie length and of the same ma





double The newest patterns in mantles
are the rcular cape, looped up twice in
the bac 1settes, and the Marie Antoinette
mantele JOut the same shape the fchu of
that mar ut in larger proportions crossing over
the bose front and tied in sash lapels at the
back. th these may be made OF the same ma
teria the dress, or OF different one if pre-
ferred. The Marie Antonette is exceedingly |
dressy i1 black gros grains silk, and the circular
cape, if made of checked tartan. can be worn |
with any dress. Dresses, though gored are to be |
worn muoh fuller than they were during the |
winter. They are plain in front, but at the
sides and back are gathered or plated. White
muslin for evening tolettes is very fashionable
and pretty, with the skirt made plain, with
of colored silk of the same length. This
dress sho uld be completed with low corselet Of |
satin, OF the same color as the underskirt. Egyp-
tan necklaces again making their appearance.
They are formed of many rows of large beads
some ha wing as many as fourteen rows falling
down ne arly to the waistband and are to be worn
with eve ming dresses. Believing that the ladies
are interested in everything relating to the spring
styles, append the following descriptions of
some OF the new dresses:-


In the way of evening toettes we have pink
silk dres s; the skirt bordered with silver cord and
the tunic with deep silver fringe well silver
cord, and silver tassels decorating the upper |
part Of the tunic. An Agnes Sorel bodice, |
with short sleeves ornamented with bows
silver cord. very thick silver cord serves for |
waistband. 1t is looped at the back as to form |
links and terminates below the tunc with hand |
some silv er tassels A net chemisette bouillonne
in perpe ndicular lines, and edged round the top
with bonde. very pretty evening toilet for a
young lady is composed of white tarlatane,
spotted with gold. the lower part of the skirt
trimmed with bouillonnes of tue and edged at
both sides with white satin roulcau. low, square
bodice, with white satin braces, sash to match,
fringed with gold and a wreath of white tulips,
with gold leaves, for headdress.


Prone made costumes can be OF almost any color,
but pale green at present is most fashionable. A
very line effect is produced by dress deun
2upes and paletot en- SUITE, OF mauve or lilac pouit
de sole. The lower skirt should be rather short
and trimmed at the bottom with three bias bands
OF satin to match in color. The upper skirt must
be trimmed to correspond with the lower one
The front opening is cut in large point which
extends from the bottom Of the skirt to the waist
and is bound with bias band OF satin and
trimmed by row of satin tales Ia nlousque-
tdtre. This point IL arranged so as to have the
effect of laying over the other side Of the skirt,
and il trimmed at the wrists with bias bands
OF satin. Other suits of the same style in brown
are scolloped OFT at the bottom and bound with
the edge, the scollops being somewhat smaller
than those on the shirt, and s cut up slightly
at each side, and IL bound all round with
black silk, the top Of the side openings being
trimmed with rosettes of black satin. The sleeves
scollopcd from the shoulders to the wrists and
bound with black silk; the front part cf the sleeve
wrapping slightly over the back part, has the
effect of being fastened 10 it by row Of either
fiat black or gilt buttons, one of which is placed
In the centre of each scollop.


Indoor dresses have suffered no material change.
We will conclude this article by giving descrip-
tion Of tn latest alterations in mat quarter:Dress
q deur ilpes, both skirts of pale violet silk. The
lower skirt is trimmed near the bottom with am
Der satin ribbon arranged SO az to represent long
pointed tabs, which lie each other and disap-
pear beneath the upper skirt, which is also edged
with amber satin ribbon. This upper skirt Is slit
up on the LEFT side and the edges of the opening


(which extends about halfway up. the skirt)
are trimmed with amber satin ribbon.
Above this opening the skirt is caught
tab, which i carried up to the waist.
This tab Is of silk like the dress and Is trimmed all
round with amber satin ribbon. A row of amber
buttons Is carried up The front of this skirt and
continued up the body, which is quite plain and
tight fitting. The sleeves (which are also tight
ftting) trimmed at the top by small pointed
epaulette, edged with amber ribbon; and at the
wrists by narrower band Of similar ribbon. The