DESCRIPTION OF STEEL FASHION-PLATE FOR JULY
Fig. 1. — Dress of white grenadine barege, spotted with purple. One deep fluted flounce is on the edge of the skirt. Over this is a narrow fluted ruffle and a rose quilling of purple silk. The corsage is low, in order that it may be worn with a lace, or muslin guimpe. It is made high in the neck by a fichu of the grenadine barege, trimmed to match the skirt. The sleeves are made with a cap, which forms a short sleeve if desired.
The long sleeves reach neai’ly to the elbow, and are finished with one deep fluted ruflle. The sash is of broad purple ribbon. The hat is of Leghorn, caught up on the right side, and drooping very low at the back. The trimming is a wreath of myrtle with blossoms.
Fig. 2. — Mauve grenadine dress, trimmed with two bands of white silk covered by French lace. The corsage is low, and trimmed with a band of lace. A pointed fichu, crossing slightly in front, is trimmed with a fluted ruffle and insertions of black lace over white silk. Straw hat, edged with a fall of black lace, and trimmed with a lace scarf and a tuft of deep red roses.
Fig. 3.— Boy’s costume of buff piqu^, braided with black. The skirt is laid in heavy box plaits, and a braided sash is fastened at the left side. The waist is a Zouave, worn over a very full white Garibaldi shirt.
Fig. 4. — Dress of v!h\ie barege, trimmed with five narrow bias ruffles, edged with black velvet and black lace. The corsage is plain, and trimmed to correspond with the skirt. A short pelerine of the barege crosses in front, and forms a sash at the back. The coiffure is one of the most approved styles.
Fig. 5.— Dress of striped pine-apple fibre, made with fluted ruffles on the edge of the skirt, and np the front in the tablier style. The scarf is of the same material as the dress, and perfectly plain. The hair is arranged in crepe bands in front, and caught up in a waterfall at the back.
Fig. 6.— Misses dress, of a very thin pink Mozambique. The skirt is trimmed with four ruffles bound with silk. The corsage is square, and worn with a guimpe. A wide sash of pink ribbon is tied at the back.
ORGANDIE DRESS.
From A. T. StewarVs Establishment, corner of Broadway and Tenth St., New York.
(See engravings, page 17.)
Back and front view of an organdie dress. It is a clear white ground, dotted with purple. The bands bordering the skirt, and extending up the front, are of purple, and the design below the bands is to represent black lace, which it does admirably. The sash is also of organdie, stamped with the same design which ornaments the skirt.
COIFFURE FOR A YOUNG LADY.
{See engravings, page 20.)
The front hair is in three heavy curls, arranged to look like rolls, and kept in place by small combs. The back hair is tied very low on the neck, and the comb stuck in. The hair being made very smooth, has a fancy colored ribbon trimmed loosely round it, and then looped up to the right and left as represented in our plate.
HEADDRESS.
(See engraving, page 22.)
Hair turned off the face, and both back and front arranged very loosely over frizettes. The wreath is composed of large pink roses, with their buds and foliage, also fancy grasses.
THE MARIA THERESA CRAVAT.
(See engraving, page 22.)
Silk or velvet may be used for this cravat. The ends are embroidered in silk and beads, which should be worked bffore the cravat is liiied. It measures thirty-one inches from end to end, and each end at the widest part is four and three-quarter inches, which is folded in to the width of two inches. The ends are trimmed with three rows of lace, as well as round the neck. In the trimming round the neck a piece of net should be cut, which should be trimmed with lace before it is attached to the cravat. Four yards of lace are required for trimming.
FANCY COIFFURES.
{See engraving, page 23.)
Fig. 1.— A fancy coiffure, made of ruby velvet, gold cord, and a white plume. The small cut refers to the coiffure without the plume. This is one of the most desirable styles.
Fig. 2.— Butterfly coiffure, suitable for a young lady. It is for the back of the head, and made of black velvet and gold cord.
CHITCHAT UPON NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA FASHIONS FOR JULY.
“We think we cannot chat this month upon a more interesting subject than riding habits.
Riding, we are glad to see, has increased in favor all over the land. A fine horse is at all times a pleasant sight ; but the finest horse never looks so well in our eyes, as when he proudly bears a fair lady, with her flowing skirt. The Empress of the French, besides being the most beautiful woman, is the most admirable rider in her dominions. She sets the fashion for all the world.
If it be to her influence that we owe the fashion of riding on horseback, she has rendered our ladies an excellent service.
Fashion has changed very little, in the way of riding habits. All seem to agree that it is rather a conspicuous position for a lady, and consequently her dress should be plain, at least in the city. At a fashionable watering place, fancy may be allowed more liberty.
The main points are, that the habit should fit well, and the skirt be long and ample. But bear in mind, dear readers, that there is such a thing as a ^^ juste milieu.^*
If the skirt be too long the fair lady’s life is in danger, and if it be too wide the horse will be covered with a mountain of dress. The only rule we can give is, that the skirt must be just long and wide enough to hang gracefully.
Few under skirts should be worn. One is ample.
Indeed, skirts are generally ignored, and pantaloons, the color of the habit, are now donned.
Though a cloth habit may be found uncomfortably warm on starting, still it is so difficult to provide for both heat and cold, that, as a sanitary precaution, we would advise a rather thick habit. For the city, we admire a dark habit, say black, blue, green, or gray, made with a deep jockey at the back, buttoned in front up to the throat, with tight, or elbow sleeves almost tight. With this should be worn linen collar and cuffs.
The Byron is a pretty style. The tie can be of white muslin, or of bright ribbon, either of which, however, must be without streamers to fly about. The hair should be done up closely in a net. The invisible is the best style.
In New York, the steeple hat is much worn, and when the lady is short, and has a well shaped head, it is becoming. But the steeple hat, besides being very warm, does not soften or conceal defects, and we would rathei substitute for it the Andalusian, Francis 1st, Henry 3d, or some other fancy style, to be found at Genin’s on Broadway. The best style of veil is the Loup or Mask veil, which we described in our January Chat.
At the watering-places we see habits of every variety.
There are alpacas and merinos of every shade, trimmed fancifully with silk, velvet, and braid ; also gray, buff, white pt^wes made up in the most varied styles.
With these fancy costumes, of course the hat should correspond. The most stylish of the season is of whita felt, with rather high crown and trimmed with a black lace scarf tied at the back. The contrast between the white felt and black lace is striking and beautiful.
A handsome whip and well fitting gauntlets complete the equipment of our equestrienne, and so we leave her.
Mme. Demorest has just brought out some entirely new styles for thin dresses. One dress, the Walewski, named after the countess of that name, has three bands of silk or ribbon, sewed on in points, or herring-bone.
The lower band extends from the edge of the skirt to the top of hem, the under part of the hem being cut out between the points, which gives a light and novel effect.
The same trimming extends up the front and trims the waist and sleeves. A scarf mantle of new and graceful form accompanies this dress. The Senorita — called so, we suppose, from its Spanish appearance— has three ruffles, headed by thick ruchings of silk and caught up in festoons by black lace rosettes. The same style of trimming is on the front of the skirt, the corsage, and Skirts are still plaited, the prettiest style being one large and three small plaits.
The newest body has a jockey half a yard deep, formed of three box plaits, each plait being pointed at the end.
For misses, Mme. Demorest is tucking the skirts, and binding each tuck (which is only one inch wide; with a tiny ribbon or velvet.
Nor have the juveniles been forgotten. From the host of pretty things, we select two for description.
One, a dress for a little boy, consists of a vrhite piqui skirt elegantly braided, and laid in heavy box plaits.
To this is attached shoulder braces, connected both back and front by three bands, all beautifully braided. This is worn over a tucked white waist or shirt.
For a little girl, there is a dress open on each side of the skirt, and the space filled in with an elegantly tucked and braided side stripe. The dress skirt being trimmed all round and up the sides with a fluted ribbon. The corsage is merely side bodies and shoulder straps, sloped down to the waist both back and front, and trimmed with a ruching. This is worn over a muslin waist or guirape. The name of this waist is not taken, as some suppose, from the Sairey Gamp of Dickens’ story. There are many other beautiful styles, which we have not space to describe.
We think mothers could not do better than to visit this establishment, where every article of clothing for infant, child, miss, or lady can be had in paper, the exact counterpart of the original. To amateur dressmakers, these patterns are of valuable assistance, and there is no excuse for them if they do not have pretty sleeves, when there are so many pretty and, at the same time, simple patterns to be had.
Trimmings for dresses are now of so varied a character, that it is almost impossible to enumerate them.
Among them, however, are elegant gimp sets, made expressly for each dress, chenille fringes from two inches to one-half yard in width, and lastly, leather trimmings.
This seems at first blush a harsh material for a trimming. When we first saw the plain bands, studded with gilt and steel knobs, it was so much in the trunk style that we were ready to consign leather to oblivion.
We have lately, however, had reason to change our opinion respecting leather trimming, since we have seen them on some recently imported French mantles. The leather is pressed to resemble elegant gimps and gimp ornaments. Buttons are also ornamented to match, and the contrast between the leather and the black silk is charming. We can positively say that leather is the prettiest trimming of the season. Not only does it assert its claim to novelty, but also to elegance. Cuir eolored silk is also much used in the trimming of mantles, and with good effect.
The weather has now become so warm that light mantles entirely supersede the silk ones. At Brodie’s besides the usual variety of lace of every style, shape, and price, are the pretty white barige wraps, always fashionable, of which one never tires, and so cool and pretty for summer. There are talmas, without arm holes, trimmed with deep ruffles headed by ruchings, velvets, or braids, and finished at the neck by a very ull ruching of the barige. Then the gracefulj scarf shape, trimmed also with fluted ruffles and ruchings.
A pardessus of lace, with an application of ribbon, covered with lace, makes a light and pretty wrap.
Grenadines and barige Anglais are also made up in the most graceful forms, and will be found a most convenient wrap for the summer season.
Aprons are being introduced for home wear, made generally of black silk, or moire, trimmed with black velvet, black and white braid, fluted ruffles, steel buttons, or leather trimming. In the August number we shall give two very good illustrations of this pretty little article of dress.
The revival of hair powder has not been a success, though to some faces the white powder is decidedly becoming. But rest content there, dear ladies, and do not venture on the violet, blue, or green powders you see in the coiffeurs’ windows. This, however, may be a useless precaution, for we think few of our belles would willingly appear with purple or blue heads. Red, in our eyes, would be decidedly preferable.
Velvet necklaces are among the pretty novelties. They are a yard and a quarter long, and half an inch wide, and are ornamented with pendants, which surround the throat, the velvet being tied in a bow behind.
The white clerical looking tie is still worn.
Sashes made of black foundation lace, and covered with rows of lace and ribbon, and ornamented with beads, are very fashionable, also very expensive, when purchased, though they may be made very prettily at home at a trifling expense.
Not only are children wearing the little Red Riding hoods, but Mrs. Ellis is also making them up for young ladies. They are trimmed in various ways, some with swan’s-down, which is rapidly gaining favor.
Another pretty wrap, to be made of scarlet material, is a very full circle, with pointed hood. The end of the circle, which is finished with a tassel, should be thrown over the left shoulder. When a lady has sufficient style to wear this gracefully, it is a most charming drapery. But few, we are sorry to say, can do it.
Mrs. Ellis is making up some new styles of bodies ; some of them with square jockeys and square ends in front. In others, the jockeys and ends are rounded.
The thin waists are made without a shoulder seam.
The Pompadour or square waist has been revived, and is much in favor.
Some of the prettiest braided dresses we have seen are from this establishment. One was an ashes of roses alpaca, braided very richly both on the body and skirt with a brown serpentine braid. The sleeves were a novelty. They were buttoned from the shoulder to the wrist, and when closed, made a plain, but pretty sleeve ; but when unbuttoned part of the way, and the white sleeve pulled through, it was quite a dressy affair. A talma, richly braided, accompanied this dress. Linked rings of ribbon, silk, or velvet, arranged in different ways on the skirt, is one of the newest styles.
The most simple styles, suitable for misses, are three fluted ruffles, separated by three tucks or bauds of ribbon, or else three tiny ruffles just at the edge of the dress.
No two dresses are made alike, and it is impossible for us to describe all the fanciful creations we have seen from the work-room of Mrs. Ellis. Fashion.