Page:Fancy dresses described, or, What to wear at fancy balls (1887).djvu/92

 DIAMONDS, QUEEN OF. (See .)

DIANA. Green velvet hunting-jacket, with gold zone and waistcoat trimmed with gold, or a low bodice with basques laced in front and bordered with leopard-skin; white satin tunic over short crimson skirt with stars and crescents, looped up with lions' heads; mantle of leopard's-skin, lion's head on left side. Green boots and buskins laced with crimson. Silver quiver with darts; Grecian bow and gold arrows; bracelets and necklet of silver crescents and beads; head-dress, a silver crescent; mirror hung at waist. A classical rendering would be as follows:—White cashmere skirt edged with green velvet and silver, caught up on one side; loose low bodice, sleeves to elbow fastened outside the arm with silver buttons; pointed tunic, silver tassels at points; short green cashmere mantle across left shoulder, fastened under left arm; silver girdle, bow, quiver, and arrows; hair turned off the face in a coil at the back; silver crescent on forehead; silver bangles. (See Plate IV., Fig. 14.)

DINORAH. Hair in two long plaits; light blue skirt, with bands of black velvet; lace-edged apron; white chemisette, with long sleeves to wrist; blue square corselet bodice, laced and trimmed with silver and black velvet.

DIRECTOIRE, 1795, COSTUME OF. This is a favourite style of dress at fancy balls, and admits of many good combinations of colour. After the great Revolution towards the close of the last century, women launched into all kinds of eccentricities. Wonderful head-dresses were originated. The bonnets stood up boldly from the face, like a spoon. There was the bonnet a la folle, with a tricoloured butterfly bow at the top; and the casque hat, round without brim, worn over a Charlotte Corday cap. The hair beneath was inflated with steam. The following are dresses in the Directoire style:—Skirt of striped silk with one deep flounce; green pelisse scalloped at the edge, double-breasted, having pink cuffs and revers, and a double row of buttons to waist; ruffles and large jabot of crêpe lisse and lace; large hat and feather; riding whip in hand; eyeglass.—White satin dress, with paniers formed of loops of ribbon, with two pink satin belts, fastened with enamel buckle; plaited lawn fichu; long Suede mittens; white satin train mounted in box-plaits, lined with pink satin.—Another: Long skirt with very short-waisted