Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/158



No. 5.

MAY has come, with its flowers and sunny skies, and fields of sweet smelling incense. It brings with it fashions to suit the time. Summer hats and dresses begin to fill our promenades. Rarely have we seen a more airy taste than that which displays itself, this year, in the costumes of the fair.

Our plate of costumes for the month presents a walking, and two evening dresses, all of the latest and most approved styles.

Fig. 1. A WALKING DRESS.- Pale pink crêpe, trimmed round the bottom of the skirt, with two broad tucks of the same, and decorated with folds down each side of the front in the form of a robing; and having nœuds of ribbon gradually enlarging from the waist to the top of the second tuck, from which nœud depends three long ends; the body low and draped round the bust with deep folds of crape, attached in front with two small nœuds of ribbon; waist à point; sleeves long, but formed above the elbow by three folds decorated with a bow of ribbon.

Fig. 2. AN EVENING DRESS .- A l'Espagnol, composed of a rich pomona green satin; the skirt immensely full, and ornamented with three broad volants of white lace d'Angleterre, each volant being attached in the front with pretty cocardes of pale pink areophane; low body à pointe, trimmed with a rich lace berthe, attached in the front with cocardes similar to those on the skirt; the sleeves very short, consisting of a double fold, and edged with two rows of rather narrow lace, the folds attached in front of the arm with a small pink roseatte. Coiffure, composed of a guirlande of roses, the leaves in velvet.

Fig. 3. A BALL DRESS.-Dress white crêpe lise à double jupon, each jupe being trimmed round with a broad hem, through which is passed a broad pale pink satin ribbon, the under jupe being slightly raised on the left side, and caught with a bow of pink ribbon, the upper one also raised and attached with a splendid guirlande of shaded pink roses, the leaves of a beautiful pale green velvet, and gradually diminishing in size upward to the point of the waist; the top of the corsage ornamented all round with a double fold of the same, having a beautiful rose in the centre of the front; short sleeves decorated with reverse folds of the same, finished with a rose en suite; coiffure à Daphne, the back of the hair being nearly concealed with a cluster of roses panachées.

We annex descriptions of various styles of headdresses, evening dresses, &c.

CAPS are now being mostly made in lace; those in point lace are considered most récherché, trimmed with nœuds of grenat velvet; those in blonde are generally made in the following style: the cap is composed of a double barbe of blonde, the two ends being re-united on the left side by an agrafe of drooping roses; the laced edge of the blonde falling over the front, throws a becoming shade over the forehead. Another style of cap, less becoming, perhaps, but still of a most graceful form, having the front separated in two distinct parts, is also a great favorite with our élégantes; the one part, which passes over the forehead, is composed of a rouleau, upon which is placed a kind of wreath of very small flowers, the second part falling over the back part of the head in the Grecian style. The cap à la religieuse is also much worn, all in blonde or point de Venise.

EVENING DRESSES.-The most fashionable materials for evening dresses are the following: Brocart royal, satin Pompadour, and particularly des forêts vierges: the designs in silver, upon a ground of pink or blue. Nothing can be prettier than those dresses made in satin rayé, green and pink upon a white ground; the corsage plain, and à pointe, half high; the sleeves plain, and a pelerine cardinale, formed of five rows of English lace falling over the shoulders. We cannot omit mentioning also those dresses of satin, oreille d'ours and green; the one trimmed round the skirt with a broad flounce, surmounted by a second, which is slightly raised in the

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