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No. 3.-Evening Dress.

A round robe, with short train of claret-coloured crape or muslin; a fluted riband round the bottom of the same colour; a French stomacher front of white satin, either plain or laced with silver cord, and trimmed with narrow vandyke lace, which is continued round the back and shoulders; a white satin long sleeve, edged as the stomacher, or with a deep antique cuff of lace. A square mantle of white net, embroidered in large spots or small stars of silver, and edged with vandyke trimming; sometimes this graceful appendage is formed entirely of lace, at others of gossamer satin, edged with swansdown. A Spanish hat of white sattin, with frosted silver plume and loop. Pearl necklace, earrings, bracelets, and armlets. White satin shoes, with silver embroidered toes. Gloves of French kid; and opera fan of carved amber.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

ON THE FASHIONS FOR THE SEASON,

SELECTED FROM THE MOST ELEGANT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

SOURCES.

ALTHOUGH the walking, or carriage costume, has undergone little change as to their material or general construction, yet some few elegant novelties have been introduced, which claim, from their unique formation, the attention of our fair correspondents. The first which we shall notice is a walking, or rather carriage habit, formed in a high round robe of fine Merino cloth, the colour Spanish fly.. This robe is formed a walking length, with long sleeves, and square Spanish mantle of the same, flowing over the back and shoulders. All the points and terminations of the robe and mantle are ornamented with a fancy border of chenille in shaded greens, finished with a narrow base of black velvet. At the extremity of the throat it has a plaited winged frill of point lace, in vandyke or scollop. A small bonnet of the jockey form, composed of the same materials, ornamented with edging, and band of variegated green feathers. A short lace veil of French point, and half boots of green kid, or velvet laced with black, completes this very attractive and elegant dress.

Pelisses are now often formed with scarfs and short mantles of the same, of Spanish fly, Saragossa brown, or fine purple cloth, or gold-coloured velvet; they are trimmed with spotted ermine, or other skin, or with the shaded border of floss silk. The Exile mantle is now much in esteem, and possesses much unstudied elegance. It is composed of fine Vigonia cloth of a very dark green, lined throughout with rose-co3 v

VOL. 1.

Ioured, or amber sarsnet; and which being doubled over at the edges, forms a lively contrast to the fur with which it is trimmed about a nail beyond. This elegant mantle is constructed with a high puckered collar, clasped at the throat with silver, gold, or cut steel. It sits close to the figure in form of a wrap on one side; and on the other (which is rounded) it is folded by the disposition of the hand, as fancy or necessity may direct. The Polish wrapping coat of cloth or velvet, lined and trimmed with fur is a very seasonable article, and well adapted to defend the fair wearer from the severity of the weather. White satin mantles trimmed with swansdown, and formed in the Exile style, are considered as elegant wraps for the Opera. Large shawls and scarlet mantles are, however, still much worn on these occasions; with which the white fox, or swansdown tippet, also blends. The straw bonnet is still introduced as a winter article, in various forms, and ornamented with seasonable flowers and ribands. These coverings though exceedingly comfortable for the pedestrian fair, and simply pretty in themselves, are certainly best adapted for summer wear. It were an endless task, should we attempt to describe the various constructions which compose the velvet bonnets and hats which our fashionables display; suffice it that they are generally formed of the same material as the pelisse or mantle, and are either of the Spanish or helmet form, while some are in the small French style with full puckered fronts. They are ornamented with Chinese flos trimmings, lace, flowers, and sometimes with two short feathers. This latter article in various forms, is now a distinguishing article in full dress; indeed the dress hat (particularly the Spanish) is incomplete without this graceful appendage.

There is much elegance and novelty in the construction of both morning and evening robes at this season. By such females as are fond of the extremes of fashion, the waist is frightfully increased in length, but the most genteel and elegant women do not exceed a becoming medium. The bosoms and fronts of robes are generally much ornamented. The morning robe is most consistent and becoming when formed of white muslin, let in with lace beading in various fanciful forms in front of the bust. We have seen two of this style of robes, which remain unrivalled as to that chaste and simple elegance which should ever distinguish this species of decoration. They were each made high in the neck, and one was formed with a winged ruff in small half plaits, edged with narrow vandyke lace, and cuffs to correspond, a stomacher front laced with cord, and otherwise ornamented with lace beading, but one had a border round the bottom and up the front of the lotus in white net, the edges in tambour, with high winged collar, and cuffs of the same.

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