Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - November 1836 Godey's Lady's Book

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - November 1836 Godey's Lady's Book

Costume of Paris - By a Parisian Correspondent

The latest Parisian Fashions having just been received, we give then in addition to those of Philadelphia. Some little alteration has taken place in the size of bonnets and hats; the brims have increased in size, and the crowns diminished in height. Several of the new drawn bonnets are of organdy; some have a voilette of English point lace, others are lined with rose-coloured gauze, and have the edge of the brim trimmed with a short veil of rose-coloured tulle. We see several half-dress drawn bonnets composed of black crape, with the whalebone covered with blue, green or rose-coloured satin; they are trimmed with roses and gauze ribands of the colour of the satin. These capotes are novel, and as yet have been adopted only by elegant women; they are becoming only to fair beauties.

We may cite as the most novel half dress hats, those of coloured crape covered with white crape; the shade of colour thus produced has a novel effect. Some of these hats are trimmed with white flowers only, others with white flowers intermixed with those of the colour of the lining, and several with white ostrich feathers tipped with the colour of the lining.

Velvet seems to have superseded riband for trimmings of coiffures of all kinds; not only hats and caps, but even head-dresses of hair are adorned with it. Summer shawls of tulle Lara, and those called Maranas, are both in request, but not so much as the mantelets-failles; scarfs of black or white lace are more recherche than either.

Printed materials, both silk, chaly, and clear muslin, are very fashionable for robes, but not so much so as white. These latter are of Indian muslin, of a thin jackonet kind, or else of organdy quadrilled or embroidered. The demi-redingote form continues in favour for half dress, but robes are upon the whole more prevalent. Corsages in half dress are generally half or three quarter height; those in evening dress are always lower, some are square and plain, others draped. Short sleeves are now decidedly in the ascendant, they are indeed adopted even in morning dress; and this leads us to observe that there is no exact rule for sleeves: for long ones, particularly those of the spiral bouillon kind, are frequently adopted in the evening costume. The short sleeves worn in evening dress are of three kinds; sleeves quite tight to the arm, without any ornament on the shoulder; but terminated by ruffles of a full double fall: others, tight to the arm, but having an appearance of fulness, because they are surmounted by jockeys of three rows, which correspond with the lace or blond that forms the ruffle; and a third sort of the double bouffant kind. These last are not so full as they were formerly worn, but the bouffants fall one over the other somewhat in the form of a point.

The skirts of muslin dresses are generally trimmed; flounces, trimmings a la Ninon, and tucks are all in favour. The width of the skirt continues excessive. We see a good many robes a fourreaux, forming a short train, and there is reason to believe that this mode will become general among the haut ton; it will only suit carriage belles, and is therefore not likely to become common. We may cite among the prettiest evening coiffures, blond lace caps of an extremely light and pretty form, trimmed with perfumed pinks. A mixture of flowers and velvet is very much in request for head-dresses of hair. Speaking of velvet, reminds us of a very pretty accessory to evening dress that has just appeared in that material. We mean the aumenieres or little Sacas; they are composed of velvet, and embroidered in gold or silk. Some are in the form of a trefoil, ornamented at each point with a gland d'or. They are drawn round the top, and suspended by a gold chain to the waist. They are composed of either black, green, or red velvet. Fashionable colours are pale rose colour, cherry, ecru, ponceau, and different shades of blue, lavender, and dust colour.