Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1874 — New York Fashions. [ARTICLE]

New York Fashions.

FRENCH DRESSES. The small details -that go to make up the style and beauty of French dresses are fully displayed at the late autumn openings at the more exclusive houses. The general designs were heralded early in the season, but these stylish features and minutiffi of the toilet are decided by the latest importations. The basques of handsome silk dresses —either black, dark-colored or light toilets for evening —are far more fancifully made than the plain corsages of street suits of wool stuffs. The front of the basque may be rounded, pointed or cut in two or four long, square-cornered pieces; its edges are merely piped, corded or else simply lined. The sides of the basque are not slashed and extend over the hips, though not so deeply as in the cuirass pattern. The back has from three to five seams instead of the plain French back with one seam; the seams under the arms are placed very far behind, as also are the short. high -shoulder scams.—The back., and side forms widen below the waist, and instead of being laid in flat postilion pleats are arranged in various devices. A fancy of Worth’s extends each of the four forms of an English back in a loop of the silk doubled, and four other loops are placed under these, making eight loops each 1 about a finger-length deep. A second basque has the side bodies widened below the waist, trimmed on the upper edge with jet galloon and below with fringe, then tied in a broad bow r that rests on middle forms of the basque; this bow at the back has a pretty bouffant effect, and is repeated in various ways. A third English back, also from Worth’s, has the middle forms broadened to half a yard below- the taper of the waist, lined plainly with the silk ofThe dress, and held in a square, slightly-pleated basque; the regular side bodies are longer than the middle forms, are over a finger-length broad, fringed on the edge, and arc draped or festooned on the square basque, where a single strap of silk holds them. This simple device makes the most beautiful basque seen on the new dresses. Darts of the basque front are quite low, and tlie high shoulder, seams do not stop abruptly against the neck, but are curved upward- in order to give the high neck of dresses now in vogue. Standing collars of silk or velvet, made flaring or else in the English style, with turned-over points, add to t e height, and are found on most dresses; sometimes the back of the neck has a boxpleating like a ruff, though this is not as universal as collars are. The Marie Antoinette collar, with square, rounded or pointed revers coming low r (low-n on the bosom, is also restored to favor after its disappearance for two years. Trimmings of basque fronts follow the outline of the voluminous garniture of the neck, and there are also many vest-shaped trimmings, though few- vests are inserted. The back has flat bias hands tapering at the waist, extending down the entire middle seams, or else it is entirely plain, showing only the gracefully-curved seams of the forms. Buttons with button-holes and the new long-looped bows fasten the basque. A new scalloped front is lapped, and has long narrow scallops bound with silk lapping from alternate sides, with two small buttons in each, and loops of silk drooping under the scallops. "Sleeves of the close coat shape have also close cuffs of very simple shape and well-de-fined edges,, showing merely a piping or the silk with which they are lined. They have also a stiff interlining to hold them in shape. These cuffs are opened in the outer seems far enough to show the white frill beneath, and point downward as well as upward, and sometimes both ways, being concave in the middle, where a band of jet galloon or of ribbon, or else doubled silk, passes arouDd them and is tied in a tiny bow. -Sometimes there are two small cuffs, one of silk, the other of velvet, and in this case both are turned tfce same way. Single cutis have the outer lower edge turned up in triangular shape. Many sleeves are finished by two side-plaited frill s turned downward toward the hand and headed by a “ bracelet” of the silk tied in a bow. This fashion is pretty for pinked ruffles edged with narrow lace. A demi-trained skirt accompanies the basque just described for hbuse and carriage toilets of silk ; and we may add here that these suggestions are made after inspecting large importations of black silk dresses from the best Parisian houses. One leading modiste has a room filled entirely with black silk dresses, and the stylish black is formed in toilets for all occasions, from handsome mourning wrappers of black lustrous taffeta up to"rich heavy black failles for. full dress, trimmod with jet embroidery and lace, and having the new transparent sleeves,,of lace. To return to skirts — the trimmings on the bottom are elaborate in front, while in many cases the three back breadths are plain on the edge, or else form a fan train of boxpleats, or perhaps have a deep Spanish flounce edged with pleating; a few have three straight, scant flounces, with knifepleating on the edge for trimming back Front flounces vary in depth according to the tablier above them, and consist mainly of knife pleatmgs and shirred puffs. One of Worth’s hand■Somest designs for black silk skirts has two knife-pleatings turned downward, and two narrow upright ones above, while between these is a shirring or else puffs drawn in three cords, vyith narrow, gathered ruffles on each side resting- on the side pleats. This is not especially novel, but is very effective whep made

very full. Tabliers of silk efresses are sometimes two lapped scarfs fringed on the edge ; others have lengthwise bands of bias velvet, about five in number, running into the flounces below; tabliers of horizontal folds with a row of fringe or of side pleating between the groups of folds are still liked, and there are sometimes two or three fringed and festooned aprons that are very dressy, but the single .long apron and the round apron overskirt are seldom seen in silk dresses, though most appropriate for woolen fabrics. Some black silk dresses are 'elaborate with jet embroidery, applied after being wrought in tulle, and others have jet fringe and the jet galloon made of cords and beads, though very little vine passementerie is seen. WOOLEN SUITS FOR THE STREET. While house dresses consist merely of a basque and demi-train street suits of wool stuffs retain an over dress of some kind. The long apron proves to be the favorite style, and in many cases the apron is extended to form a regular overskirt. The latest designs have a sloped seam down the middle of the apron, making it almost bias, as wool goods cling more closely and drape better when cut bias. This seam is either hidden by one of many rows of jet galloon or Titan braid, or perhaps the seam is not concealed but is ornamented by a series of four or five long-looped bows.— Harper'# Bazar. - -