Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - April 1836 The World of Fashion

Romantic Era Fashion Chit Chat - April 1836 The World of Fashion Elite of Parisian Fashions For the last fortnight the Opera has assembled in Paris all that we ever wish to look upon - the beautiful, the joyous, the noble and the young. Two novelties appear to occupy the minds of French women: - viz. the Valliere hat, a most coquettish coiffure, and peculiarly adapted to the countenance of a Parisian belle: hitherto they have been made in velvet, but satin, crape, and tulle will now be the materials; the hair requires to be very elegantly dressed, and the feathers should be long and gracefully drooping on one side. A second attraction consists in the exquisite blond and lace dresses, rivalling each other in the French emporiums of taste; these dresses display the most beautiful designs in flowers, foliage or arabesques; the latter interwoven with oak leaves, is a truly recherche design; all the patterns are imitated in blond gauze, and these more moderate priced robes are made up in the most elegant style as ball-dresses; several of them were worn and much admired at the first representation of les Huguenots. Hats - A demi-neglige hat, truly Parisian, will be worn this spring; the brim erect in front, comes low and close upon the cheek; there is a little curtain behind; the crown is round and about four inches deep; a feather is placed just behind the front of the brim, and droops on one side; to the back of the crown is usually fixed a lace veil. We fear that caprice will lead our ever changeable neighbours to make a too great contrast between the fashions of this season and the last. The hat brims, which used to be brought almost under the chin are now frequently cut almost straight to the ear, giving the hat more depth in front, and the effect of a higher crown: as a general mode we should decidedly pronounce it unbecoming. Artificial Flowers are worn with more foliage than of late; indeed, the most fashionable wreaths are entirely green. The oak, the vine, the gooseberry-branch - are now twined round the head of beauty, and certainly nothing gives a more piquante effect, particularly to dark hair. The white moss and blush rose are very much used for trimming ball-dresses. So many dresses are embroidered in flowers that those garlands worn with them must of course assimilate: bouquets of the forget-me-not, of violets, and primroses, are made so exquisitely, that it is difficult to believe them artificial. Wreaths of fruit are very fashionable, and some French specimens we have seen are truly beautiful. Fans - Feather fans, with a little glass in the centre, were the most universally used at the Opera last week. The stick should be highly ornamented. The antique fan, large, and beautifully painted is still in vogue, but the novelty of this month is an ivory fan, inlaid with gold and turquoises, with a medallion in the centre. Gloves - With short sleeves, the fashionable white gloves comes only just above the wrist, the tops fringed or trimmed with a satin ruche; short gloves are embroidered; silk gloves have all of them a lace pattern; the most fashionable black mittens are very open in the work, resembling the most old fashioned black lace. Coloured mittens will be worn with boudoir dresses.