Year: 1878

lFRoN OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.


NEW YORK, April So


EASTER COSTUMES.


Perhaps it is because the times have been
hard, and old, or made-over clothes the order
OF the day, that there is rush for fresh
Easter costumes. There is, of course, always
an effort TO honor Easter Sunday with a new
bonnet, irreproachable gloves and a pretty
necktIe OF the latest style, whatever that NAV
be, but this year more than ever the dress
makers were run down with orders for COM
plete suits, and more or less elegant toilettes.
which must be completed within the given
time under penalty of absolute loss. Among
well as very pretty. An elegant costume. for
example, is OF dark moss green camel hair,
made with killed skirt, and sash draped upon
lhe Slde ana embroldered upon the ends,
and green, the shade of the cloth. Bronze
beads are also introduced into the design,
which is repeated upon the yisite which forms
the outdoor garment of the costume. The
jackets are cut away, the vest silk of the shade
OF the suit, and the buttons silver, small and
plaln. Another costume is of mas;ic cloth
of dark chocolate satin. very rich EN-.
broldery bordered the front and ornamented
The sides, cuffs and pockets of the over
dress executed in three shades, of maStic. Old
gold and chocolate brown, with this costume
IS worn bonnet of duh gold straw, edged
with brown pearls and trimmed with a mix
tot, tuIe OF old gold. pale mastlc and chocolate
feathers. Satin ribbon form loops which
matches the chocolate in color, and shows the
maStlc shade on the reversible side The loops
are fastened with very rich ornament of Old
Hlagreed. simple dress consists of q Prin-
cesse polonaise of plain diagonal surge draped
over brown faille, the small train showing nu-
merouS peated rOunceS. In the center of
the back, Strait-plaitingS of silk are inserted
terminating in large bow made double but
without ends. The fastening is effected upon
the side straight down from the throat to the
knee, where the tabler is caught up with an
other large bow. The buttons are of Japanese
ivory, the figures being executed i'm black
NiellO work, a pretty Easter reception dress
M6ite tSP payeiRsg yGging MSycn lady is of the new
kind of bunting, nearly as fine and deli
cate as berage, but with more body. This was
made IN The Prlncesse style and trimmed with
some dress of black failleS was trimmed with
very narrow plaitingS of dark maroon


he SILK was cut out over these in leaflike
forms. and edged with fringe of mixed
bronze beads. The mantle to this dress was bor.
dered to match land had a solid bead trimming.
which was accentuated to a sharp point down
on the back. A dress of prune- colored silk
amber plating covered by. yandykes of the
SILK and mixed fringe of dull gold, amber
clair de tu1ee beads and silk of the shade of
the fabric.


Fine shaded muslins are revived this sea.
son, and are charming in pale peacock blue
and lemon tlntS, the leaf-like designs giving
all the shades of the delicate colorS The
trimming is always Nalenciennes, tOrchon or
Irish Lace, and the bows, loops and con
Meeting bands OF ribbons are i'm the lightest
and darkest tintS OF the muslin. The mixtures
oil SILK and wool with the fancy bourettes are
very popular, but have been initiated i'm such
cheap materials that they are fast losing their
prestige. They make very pretty Costumes
however, and combination suit of mixed
SIX with bourette, accompanied with a soft
chip hat trimmed with a chenille scarf i'm
Which the cOlOrS of the bourette are repeated,
Is Is seen more frequently than any other style
Though il will not probably last longer than
the present season, still all the signs are i'm
favor OF rich and figured fabrics.


international exhibitions stimulate skill and
ingenuity in the manufacture of rich stuffs
and though ordinary people may be content
with the one dress of black silk once i'm two
OF three years yet there is every evidence of
a decided effort TO revive the magnificent bro
cadeS, the gold and silver cloths, and the
hand-Wrought vestmentS, which lent splendOr
to the fashions OF ancient times


All The talk IN regard to modern eXtrava-
Sance is wild. and not at all borne out by facts,
We know nothing about the cost i'm dress as il
formerly existed. The extravaganza of Amer
lean women consists in their frequent change
OF base, and in the waste of clothing of deli
cate texture upon the street. The simplicity
OF design is sure indication of the added
richness OF fabrics. For splendid brocades
thick figured velvetS and Satins, and masses
of embroidery cannot be cut and gathered
and puffed and plated like a plain Surface
and we are therefore safe i'm looking forward





for some time to come.


SHOPPING ABROAD.


Most OF the ladies who have gone abroad or
who are going during the present season have
simple outfit, inclusive Of nearly all the % articles
they would be likely to need during a trim
abroad: Inns Is really very important to thor
ough enjoyment, for it is much more difficult
to lind Just what you want abroad than it is aft
nome; and time being occupied IN Sight-See.
ing, there is less opportunity to waste it than
In searching the shops for articles needed, as
well as of additional in not being acquainted
with their SpecialtieS. large number of
dresses is not required-in fact are only i'm
the way; But every lady visiting Europe
beforehand with a woOlen steamer dress a
complete travelling dress, which would also
serve for costume de rErposition, and
VII Which should iop be short and made of light
and tartanS are used for these dresses this
season But American ladies will generally
prefer plaln belge, summer camels hair, or
dress short cannot be estimated without the
experience of being obliged to take care of a
long one The eternal lifting of skirts in sight.
seeing, seeing, IN moving ABOUT in crowds, in visiting
picture galleries and museums, and the utter
lmpoSslblllty OF getting in and out of English
and French railway carriages, Omnibuses. or
oI up INTO the SKY parlor OF tramway, with par
asol, satchel, and two or three yards of ruffied
train, Will be understood after very brief
experience. In addition to the travelling dress
VI WOOL tneT6 SnOulQ De one OF duSt-cOlOred
linen, trimmed with bands of embroidery.
This Is necessary for the warmer dayS and
Sible. w. f0"


A long redingote is the best form over a skirt
Killed at the bottom and belted in with leather.
The belt is also indispensable for European
travelling dresses. From it the fam the sat
chel and the parasOl may be suspended if ne.
cessary and the great desideratum is to have
the hand unencumbered, and not to have to
think In any way about ones clothes A
steamer dress may be old, but a travelling
dress should be new, or it soon looks worn and
shabby. 1t should also be well cut and neatly
made by hand, IL possible, so that there will be
no sudden giving way of seams or straps no
dropping Of of bows, or inconvenient loss of
buttons. One demi.trained silk dress hand
Somely made, with lace cuffs and fichu is all
that is necessary for Sundays at hotels dinner
dress, and occasional visits of an ordinary
kind. The laces, of course, il not already in
possession, may be more cheaply purchased i'm
London and Paris and Inquire of all kinds.
1t is well to take just what is necessary for the
first requirements. Lingurie i'm Paris, especi.
ally, is exquisite, and so very moderate i'm
price, compared with this country, that IL is a
perpetual temptation. The principal purchases
of all kinds should, however, be reserved
until the time for returning, for it is at home
that ladies are anxious to display their first
Partisan tOilettes; while abroad they are pret
ty sure to spoil whatever they condemn To tbe
hard service OF steamer and railway travel


Great care ought to be taken to prepare the
feet for travelling. COrns should be gof nd nf
and shoes provided, that have been t9Orouebly