Godey's Lady's Book, Vol. 48, June, 1854

The lighter silks are in stripes and plaids of infinite variety. Green and violet seem to be the favorite shades. These are made with flounces, usually three, nearly the same width, the top one measuring the same from the top of the skirt. Fringe in alternate stripes, to correspond with the silk, is used where much trimming is desired on the edge of these flounces, or they may be simply bound or pinked. Pinking is used more than of late, and, in every establishment where it is done, there are a great variety of patterns, many of them elaborate. We have seen a very tasteful walking-dress, of violet and white plaid--a "quadrilled" silk, the manufacturer calls it--made with three flounces as above, the basque trimmed with fringe (alternate white and violet, instead of being mixed, as was the style) three inches deep. This was, in turn, headed by violet satin ribbon an inch wide, box-plaited on, and continuing around the front of the corsage. The sleeves were flowing, with three rows of fringe much narrower, but exactly corresponding, also headed by the plaiting, and fastened on the inside by a knot of rich brocaded ribbon with flowing ends. This, of course, had an exceedingly elegant effect, and could only be worn by a tall, full figure. We describe it to show how elaborate and costly the trimming of dresses are made the present season, while the materials, silks, tissues, _barèges_, etc., remain much the same as the past year. Box-plaited ribbons, whether plain, pearl-edged satin, brocaded, or plaided, are much used. It is usual to allow twice and a half the desired length of the trimming in purchasing them. Bows of broader and more expensive ribbon are still used for the sleeves and front of the corsage.

For thin materials, as _barège_, tissues, etc., in all the fanciful names by which they are called, most of which are manufactured by the importers' clerks, there is every variety of trimming in the shape of gauze ribbons. They have usually a coarse thread in the plain edge, by which they can be drawn up into quillings, ruches, and even box-plaitings. So many yards are used in a full trimming, and it is so expensive, never less, and usually more than a quarter of a dollar a yard, that the trimming and making often cost as much, and even more than the original material.

No city dressmaker, with any pretence to a good style, will undertake to make a dress for less than three dollars. In the really fashionable shops, $4 75 is the charge for making a basque waist, apart from the skirt--silk, buttons, all trimmings charged separately in the bill; so that you have from seven to nine, and even fifteen dollars, to add to the cost of your two yards and a half of silk, the quantity usually purchased for a basque.

We have seen no more tasteful bonnets at any establishment than at Genin's bazaar, which, as most of our readers know, has been elegantly fitted up, and so arranged as to be nearly double the original size, thus leaving plenty of room for a large millinery and dressmaking establishment, carrying out more fully the first design of Mr. Genin. The workwomen have two large and cheerful apartments assigned to them, and the show-room adjoining is always thronged. The nursery department has been removed to this more spacious suite, and the space below the dome is now filled by rows of industrious workers, with the silks and muslins they are manufacturing for the juveniles expressly.

Leghorn bonnets are still worn, though in July and August more dress hats of silk, crape, and lace will be seen. The Leghorns are in unusually good shapes, and trimmed very simply, either with straw, marabout plumes, or plain white ribbons. We speak of the prevailing styles; of course, many tastes are to be suited, and some people would flounce a _moir antique_ with the same, if they thought it would look more expensive, and for this class of community ribbons and garlands cannot be too profuse even on a Leghorn, which, if handsome, is generally considered, like a rich silk, to "have no need of ornament." There is a profusion of plain straws of every shape and cost. We notice that they come close, or nearly so, under the chin, and the whole bonnet is a gradual slope from the brim to the crown. They are trimmed in every variety of style, ruches of narrow ribbon box-plaited on, numerous flat bows of ribbon an inch in width disposed as a wreath, etc. etc. Ribbons, as a general thing, are much narrower than the past season, and those long scarf-like strings are not considered in good taste. We have before spoken of the profusion of trimming inside the brim. Blonde caps--a narrow edge of blonde usually sewn upon a broad or wash-blonde lace--are usually almost invariably used to soften the effect of the flowers and ribbon bows that encircle the face. The flowers used are of the most delicate description, made of crape, in strict imitation of nature. Flag flowers, convolvulus, lilac sprays, field violets, and all the more delicate blossoms, are exquisitely reproduced.

FASHION.

[Illustration: Godey's Latest Fashions.]

* * * * *

+-------------------------------------------------+ | TRANSCRIBER NOTES: | | | | P. 486. 'Novado' changed to 'Novada'. | | P. 501. 'toffe' changed to 'toffee' | | P. 506. 'com' changed to 'come'. | | P. 507. 'mocassin' changed to 'moccasin'. | | P. 561. 'nna' changed to 'Anna'. | | Fixed various punctuation. | +-------------------------------------------------+