FROM

OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

CHERE AMIE,

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS. April 27th, 1854.

THE period for fixing the Spring Fashions-the promenade of Longchamps-is over, and the novelties of the season have appeared; and we hail with pleasure the announcement that bonnets are not to be worn so ridiculously off the head. All shades of lilac to violet and green are the prevailing colours; and one novelty is the adoption of one colour only in the toilette dress, mantelet, and bonnet; but there are so few colours that would be suitable for this style, that it will, we think, be rather exclusive, and not of long continuance; but we proceed to remark on the different points important on the subject of spring fashions.

The jacket style of body by no means loses ground; on the contrary, we think it will be much used this summer, even in thin materials, when the jacket or basques are often double, and put on instead of being made in the body; frequently the skirt, of rich material, is quite plain, the trimmings being reserved for the revers, sleeves, and basques or jacket; those of stamped velvet being much used for them. Skirts are made extremely full, and often have a chip, or band of something stiff introduced into the hem to keep it out; they are also only partially lined to reduce quantity at the waist, where they should not look very full. Flounces are seen in every variety: sometimes a single one extremely deep, sometimes two forming almost double skirt, or three-headed, by ruches; or again, the skirt is covered by small narrow flounces to the waist, and the mode of mixing flounces of another colour is not yet abandoned.

The evening dresses, of taffetas, are with flounces of the same, covered by other flounces of tulle edged with crape border; the berthe corresponds. Other dresses have the flounces covered with guipure or lace; tulle dresses with double skirts have the under ones ornamented by a deep bouillon trimming interspersed with flowers; the upper one covered by flounces from the waist, looped up at the sides by flowers. Tarlatane dresses are very elegant, embroidered in coloured silks, with flounces headed by a ruche of gauze and

VOL. 27.

satin ribbon: some of these are of the tunic style, with body open in front; taffetas dresses are pretty with three or four flounces in a wave, edged with narrow blond, and headed by ruches.

The moires this season are very fashionable, with brocaded patterns, and pines are much seen on all description of materials for dress; those à disposition have the pines at the bottom of the dress of increased sizes; the effect is rather stiff. Checks and plaids continue to be worn, and some are so large that the skirt only admits of two squares of pattern; others again are shaded in the bayadere style, the flounces being also shaded; lilac on white is pretty, but various colours have an equally good effect if well shaded. The patterns this season are smaller in designs than those worn last summer; some of the new silk dresses form as it were shades from the body to the lowest flounce, the body being of a light tint corresponding with the top flounce, the others gradually increasing in depth of colour to the bottom; this style is prettier in some colours than others,-lilac to violet, pink to rose, the various shades of green, &c., will all look well.

The mantelets of this season are very small, some not extending much below the waist, generally of a rounded form; the fronts are sometimes square, sometimes the shawl shape. Very elegant ones are made of white silk, trimmed with guipure, or embroidered in coloured silk of one colour only, but of delicate tone, trimmed with fringe to correspond. Mantelets of taffetas are made with a single very deep frill, which gradually diminishes in front and round the throat, and is edged by a fringe headed by velvet; it is put on in fluted plaits, in each of which droop loops of narrow ribbon velvet; others have several frills behind terminating on the arm, a single one only descending the fronts: these are headed by a ruche of pinked taffetas or ribbon. This style of mantelet may be made with frills of different shades of the same colour, the lightest forming the upper frill, though the mantelets are made small, not extending below the waist. The trimmings on them are deep, generally reaching half-way down the skirt; they often close at the waist with a noud; sometimes the frills are festonnés in silk, with a flower embroidered in each feston. Mantelets of the same colour as the dress are very fashionable: a style so much in favour just now as to extend also to the bonnet, veil, and boots.

The pelisses are not much worn this spring; those that have been made were of light cachemere, trimmed with frills of the

same, the shoulder-piece being entirely covered with narrow frills alternately, with ribbon fulled; the same style is made in black taffetas, with trimmings of guipure and ribbon alternately.

The costume for ladies who ride on horseback is much less gloomy in appearance than it used to be; the jackets with deep basquines open in front, and the hat is less masculine in form, besides admitting of a feather; and the white gauntlet gloves are not without merit in giving a relief with habit-shirt to the dark colours generally used for riding-dresses.

The forms of bonnets are very little increased in size; those of crape lisse bouillonnées divided by bands of fancy straw are pretty with very small wreaths of flowers on the straw, terminating in bunches at the side. Small wreaths of crape foliage are also pretty, placed between two rows of narrow blond, a little full, edging the front. Bonnets are made of frills of ribbon glacé, with white, having fringed edge. Pailles de riz always preserve their title to elegance of coiffure; some of these are merely ornamented outside by a double noeud and ends of white ribbon, the flowers ornamenting only the interior. Many bonnets, particularly in fancy mixed straws, continue to be made with silk crowns, or sometimes a fauchon covers the crown, and is edged with ruches, which continue to be much in favour; but the single nœud on the top of the bonnet, with ends, and another above the curtain, with long ends, is rather a favourite style just now for morning or negligé bonnets. They are sometimes mixed ribbon and velvet. Wild flowers are pretty for straw bonnets, and intermix well with velvet. Lilac and violet are very favourite colours this spring, and likely to continue so during the summer; the lilac flower itself droops gracefully at the sides, or may be formed into small wreaths encircling the face. Ribbons, again, form a very generally admired mixture, with bands of paille de riz or straw. Nor is plush yet laid aside; a very pretty silk pink bonnet was ornamented by bands of plush of the same colour.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.

PLATE I.

Public Dejeuner Dress.-Robe of taffetas, ornamented with white lace flounces, headed by two rows of bouillons; the body is high, with nœuds down the front. Pagoda sleeves, terminating with a frill and noeuds rising up the whole length. Bonnet of paille de riz, with blond lace at the edge.

Walking Dress.-Robe of reps, with jacket body. Mantelet of glacé silk, trimmed with two rows of rich fringe. Bonnet of fancy straw and ribbon.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of broché silk, with jacket body. Mantelet of embroidered muslin, trimmed with vandyked frills. Bonnet of paille de riz and lace, with flowers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with jacket body open with revers, trimmed with a narrow ruche; the sleeves are of the triple bell form edged by ruches, and the skirt is covered flounces, also edged by ruches. Capote of ribbon in frills, and bands of guipure straw.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of popeline, with high body, ornamented with velvet, and the skirt has biais of velvet in vandykes, arranged en tablier. Mantelet of the shawl form, embroidered and trimmed with fringe. Capote of lace and straw, ornamented with bunches of lilac.

PLATE II.

Public Promenade Dress.-Robe of violet popeline, with plain skirt and jacket body, ornamented with trimmings of stamped velvet. Mantelet of embroidered muslin, with frills embroidered, and edged with a scolloped frill. Capote of crape in bouillons, with full edge.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of pink barege, with four flounces, edged by bands of ribbon; the body is open, with basque at the waist, and double bell sleeves, the whole trimmed with

bands of ribbon. Bonnet of pink silk and crape, with wreath of flowers encircling the face.

Young Ladies' Walking Dress.-Frock of blue popeline, with jacket body buttoning up to the throat, and both body and skirt ornamented by bands of velvet in brandenbourgs; the half-long sleeves correspond. Capote of silk and straw, with flowers.

Child's Dress.-Frock of glacé silk, the body of a square form, with jacket embroidered all round, and meeting in front with nœuds, guimpe, and sleeves of embroidered muslin. Capote of pink silk and ribbon.

Promenade Dress.-Robe à disposition or bayadere of taffetas, the jacket body and sleeves with trimmings to match. Mantelet of velvet, trimmed with two deep frills of black lace. Bonnet of fancy straw and ribbon, with roses at the sides.

PLATE III.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas, covered by flounces with scollops, edged by black lace, and bouillon heading; the body is high, with bouillons and black lace from the shoulders; double sleeves edged as the flounces. Bonnet of pink crape and silk, with flowers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of moire, with high body and basques, ornamented by bands of black velvet to correspond with the skirt. Mantelet shawl of embroidered taffetas. Capote of ribbon and paille de riz.

Morning Dress-Robe of barège, with corsage open to the waist in folds from the shoulders, three deep flounces on the skirt festonnés; guimpe of embroidered muslin, with collar and sleeves to match; the hair in plain bandeaux and nœuds of velvet.

Walking Dress.-Robe of popeline, with jacket body edged by a band of black velvet, and on the skirt several rows of black velvet in graduated widths. Bonnet of pink silk and

fancy straw.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of glacé silk, with three deep flounces covering the skirt, and jacket body trimmed with lace. Mantelet of silk, ornamented with three rows of rich fringe, headed by a stamped velvet. Bonnet of crape and ribbon, with feathers.

Evening Dress.-Robe of tulle; the skirt is nearly covered by flounces of lace, headed by bouillons of tulle, the body with drapery of tulle and bouquets of flowers in the centre and on the shoulders. Head-dress of hair in bandeaux, with wreath of flowers.

Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of taffetas, ornamented by several rows of guipure in vandykes, which also edge the triple sleeve. Small mantelet of black guipure, tying behind.

Capote of silk.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of popeline, with jacket body edged by a biais of velvet, and meeting halfway in front with noeuds of ribbon; pagoda sleeves, with white under ones of two frills. Bonnet of lace and tulle, with feathers.

PLATE V.

Chapeau composed of white ribbon and blond, trimmed with bows at each side; it is lined with satin, with a wreath of white roses placed amid puffings of lace.

Second, of black lace and pink ribbon edged with green,