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Invented kell 58 St. James's Street. Published Feb 1.1821. for La P.De. As my

FASHIONS

FOR

FEBRUARY, 1821.

EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION.

No. 1.-ENGLISH BALL DRESS. Round dress of fine net over a white satin slip; the border of the net dress ornamented with a rich folding of Venetian gauze or of gossamer satin; between the puffings of which are bouquets of blue flowers, knots of blue satin, and wheat ears formed of pearls issuing from each bouquet. British corsage à-l'antique of blue satiu, laced down the front with silk cordon. Drapery of white zephyr gauze. Wreath of blue flowers on the hair, intermixed with pearls, and brought in a point on the forehead; the ringlets arranged à-la-Vandyck. Turquoise stone necklace and ear-rings. Blue satin shoes with white rosettes, and white kid gloves. Mirror fan, with the predominant articles white and silver.

which may be said to hold its stability through the fluctuation of its decrees.

Mrs. Bell, whose elegance of taste and fancy is universally admired and patronized by ladies belonging to the higher classes, has lately had an order for the nuptial dresses of a lady of high rank and title; they comprise every thing that is beauti|| ful, classical, and appropriate for the joyful occasion.

We cannot, however, content ourselves with this general kind of notice, without describing, in a particular manner, the pelisse and bonnet of the noble bride.

The pelisse is of white Cachemire, lined with, and turning back with that unique and splendid article the Lapland moss: the bonnet is of Lapland moss, with a plume of uncurled white ostrich feathers.

For the carriage out-door costume, noNo. 2.-PARISIAN BALL DRESS. thing is more elegant than a velvet pelisse Frock of Venetian gauze, trimmed with of a fine vermillion colour, trimmed with ruby satin in clusters of cockleshells, reliev-grey squirrel, and the pelisse lined throughed by points. Border of gauze fluted à-laBouffont, confined by slips of ruby satin. Corset body of ruby velvet and white satin, confined in front of the bust by a ruby or a pearl brooch. Coiffeur à-l'Eclipse, formed of tulle, pearls, and gold ornaments. The hair confined on the forehead with a row of fine pearls. Pearl necklace, fastened in front with a ruby brooch. Carved cedar fan, and white satin shoes.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

ON

FASHIONS AND DRESS.

In spite of a remarkable dreary winter, and a stagnation of trade which we have regretted to witness during that period generally given to bustle and festivity, yet Taste and Invention still preserve their diversified sway; and Fashion, though ever changing, still maintains her throne;

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out with white sarsnet. Spencers of grosde-Naples, or reps silk, of various colours, are also much worn in carriages; but the fichu spencer of Caroline blue, trimmed with moss plush, seems most in favour. For the promenade, a walking pelisse of fine cloth of Spanish snuff-colour, may lay claim to general favour it is lined with jonquil satin; it is trimmed round the border with broad light sable; and is confined down the front with straps, which fasten with small elegantly wrought buttons. The pelerine mantlet of valuable fur is yet in favour for the promenade: this warm article requires a pair of very handsome falling shoulders to render it any way becoming to the female form.

The bonnets are still worn very large; those of black seem in greatest requisition ; and a beautiful one for the carriage of black Lapland moss, is deserving every admiration that can be bestowed on it, and is among the most tasteful articles of this

kind at the well known and tasteful Ma- evening dress. They are chiefly the Ibegazin de Modes in St. James's street, pa- || rian, or the British antique; when the tronized by her Royal Highness the former, the Spanish slashes are filled in Duchess of Kent. The bonnet is lined by very fine net. with pink, finished at the edge à-la-scie ; and is surmounted by a richly curled plume of pink feathers. Other carriage headdresses, either for the airing or morning visits, consist of college caps of black velvet with feathers, or of Caledonian caps; but the latter has undergone an alteration, which, though it renders the head-dress lighter, and to some faces more becoming, is, nevertheless, an innovation on the Highland cap, which, as it is, forms always a charming head-dress: but this slight change is the placing instead of the tartan band, points à-l'antique, resembling the ancient regal diadems.

Dresses merely for the breakfast table, are of cambric, trimmed with embroidered muslin or with URLING'S PATENT LACE; this article is also made use of in the trimming of evening dresses, and is universally and justly admired. For half-dress, or home costume, we have remarked a beautiful

French caps and cornettes are universal for half dress; the former are much worn at the Theatres, whence, we are sorry to say, full dress seems quite excluded: a profusion of flowers adorn the front of the small French cap. Ladies of delicate health, and who take their breakfast in their sleeping apartment, or their dressing rooms, wear the chamber cornette; an elegantly made little mob of very fine cambric, trimmed very simply with India muslin, beautifully embroidered. The Catherine Parr head-dress is much worn at dinner parties, it is something in the Anua Boleyn style, and is composed of velvet and pearls. The Iberian toque in scarlet velvet instead of black, is peculiary becoming to ladies of fair complexions.

The ornaments most prevailing in jewellery are pearls, turquoise stones, and diamonds in grande costume.

The favourite colours are pink, tea

Irish poplin high dress, of tea-colour, finish-colour, pearl grey, etherial blue, jonquil, ed down the bust à-la-militaire, with rich and vermillion. chain trimming, and with buttons and Brandenburghs of a truly novel style. It has a French collar of tea-coloured satin; and the mancherons of the same material as the dress, have their fullness confined by bands of satin; the border of the skirt is trimmed to correspond with the top of the sleeves.

We must not omit to mention, in a particular manner, the Andalusian costume for evening full dress. It is of black velvet; slashed in points à-l'Espagnole, round the bust and at the top of the short sleeves, in plaited white satin; two rows of which points finish the border of the skirt. With this dress is worn the Iberian toque of black velvet, with Moorish indented squares of black velvet, edged with narrow rolled white satin, finished round the front with a bandeau of pearls with a dependent tassel, and crowned with a plume of white feathers; diamonds worn with this dress have, however, the most superb effect.

Whether the dress be made of gros-deNaples, sarsnet, crape, or net, white satin bodices are almost universally adopted in

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Cabinet of Taste;

OR MONTHLY COMPENDIUM OF FOREIGN
COSTUME.

By a Parisian Correspondent.

COSTUME OF PARIS.

I KNOW not how far the gallantry of your English husbands extends at the commencement of the year 1821, amidst the various changes which seem to have taken place in character in every quarter of this globe; but the most fashionable new year's gift here, from Monsieur le Mari to Madame sa Femme, has been a lilac satin mantle, trimmed and lined throughout with very valuable fur.

But as it is not the lot of all to have such complaisant husbands, and some have none' at all, I will proceed to describe the most prevailing fashion for out-door costume. Pelisses of rose-coloured satin, trimmed with tulle bouilloné, are much in favour for the carriage, especially for short visits of

ceremony. Pelerines are much worn with high dresses, for the promenade, and are made with a standing-up collar like the wadded pelisses. Pelisses that are not trimmed with fur are generally of a purple colour. White, grey, and rose-coloured pelisses are trimmed with swansdown. Indeed pelisses now form a most expensive and luxuriant dress, and witzchouras, of a most valuable richness, are again in high favour: they are either of velvet, taffety, or Cachemire, trimmed with plush silk, or furs of every kind. A lady with whom 1|| am acquainted has a pelisse lined and trimmed with feathers of the most rare foreign birds; she wears with it a white satin hat bordered with swansdown, and oruamented with a plume of marabout feathers. It is needless to say this lady keeps a carriage; for fine as the Gallic belles are in their public walks, such a superb dress could not well be sported at the promenade.

The carriage hats are some of them of the red currant colour, with the strange association of rose-coloured linings and rose-coloured feathers. The most tasteful bonnet for walking is curled plush silk of a beautiful pink; and grey hats with flowers of the same colour, made of velvet or chebille, are in very great favour. Gold cord and tassels form a favourite ornament on bonnets for the carriage or the public

walks.

Five separate strips of satin form the chief trimming on the border of Merino dresses. On muslin or Cachemire there are the same number of full quilled narrow flounces. The dresses for walking are so long that they nearly touch the ground. Black velvet dresses are much worn at evening parties; they are ornamented with beads, with a corsage of rose-coloured or blue velvet ; and which corsage is adorned with Brandenburghs made of bugles. White Cachemire dresses, trimmed at the border with three bands of satin, are much worn at the Parisian tea parties; those parties, which I recollect so much astonished you, when you first beheld them; not only at the orange flower water mingled with the tea, but at the enormous bowl of punch which made a part of the repast. Les Thes are not much improved; and there are none but the British, and

more especially the Irish, that know how to make this refreshment a real banquet.

Dress hats for the Theatres, or for evening parties, are often seen ornamented with cocks' feathers; when the dress hat is of black velvet it is adorned with white marabouts mixed with gold ears of corn. Wreaths of flowers are the chief head ornament for young ladies; they are thinly scattered in front but very full on the temples; they are generally composed of moss roses with their foliage, or geraniums and eglantine, with little spiral white flowers, from the cups of which issues a little tuft of silk. Bandeaux of pearls are worn in the ball-room; and for evening visits bandeaux of white or rose-coloured satin wreathed round with summer roses. Gold cordon with loops are much in favour on toques, which often have a spiral orna. ment of gold likewise. Gold fringe is placed at the edges of dress hats; many of which are often ornamented with ostrich feathers of rose-colour. Ribbons cut in leaves are preferred by many ladies to Яowers, when formed in wreaths for the hair; and when these are worn at balls, the border of the dancing frock is trimmed in the same manner. A little cap of flock gauze, something in the Mary Stuart style, is much admired for its simplicity: it is ornamented with three roses, one at the point in frout, and one on each side. For full dress, the turbans are generally made of metallic gauze; which gauze, when in silver, is called the waves of Pactolus, when in gold, the same material is styled the sands of Pactolus; these two articles entwined together, have a beautiful effect in a room well lighted up; the lightness of these gauzes renders them very appropriate for demi-turbans, or for twisted rouleaux to be intermingled with the hair. White satin dress hats are much in favour with married ladies; they are ornamented with beads of polished steel, in elegant lines and figures, each finished by four or five loops of polished steel. A great demand has been made for the rose-coloured caps invented by Mademoiselle Ducroq, at her Magasin, on the Boulevards Italien; they are made of ribbon, and ornamented with gold fringe.

Instead of necklaces of jewellery, the French ladies wear Jerusalem chaplets,

they are formed of black beads, separated at long distances by beads of a brickdust colour. Coloured beads in rings, pins, and brooches are much worn; the brooches are made in an oval form; and all jewels are set d-l'antique.

Morocco leather ridicules are preferred to those of velvet or satin; though some taffety ones are sported, the bright colour of an unripe mulberry.

Scotch plaid fringes are much used for trimming: the checkers consist of rosecolour, white, grey, and the green of the mountain grape foliage.

A FASHIONABLE MORNING Divine LisettE,-Since St. Claireux has thus designated you, it would be profanation to begin otherwise; so, ma chere amie, if you can spare one moment from the enjoyment of the continual homage that hovers round you, to the morceau en petite I am preparing for you, listen to the delights of London. London! charining sound-dearer to me than even Paris; and yet Paris is dear, since it contains one being who participates in my joys, and sympathises in my sorrows. You requested that at our return, I would give you a true description of the pleasures and pursuits which diversify half a day of fashionable existence. I think I can treat you with a very fair peep at les Mœurs du Temps, by extracting an account of a day in London from my own diary.

Having breakfasted in bed, skimmed over the account of Almack's; saw my own name and Count L's together; looked at La Belle Assemblée costume; rang the bell for Mignon; and settled a most becoming dress for Lady F's

next rout.

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Exchange, and there met our dear soi-di-
sant friend, Mrs. Molineux; she was suffi-
ciently frightful when I left London, but
now she is positively the most ultra of all
ultra fashionables: her waist (for I must
give you something of a description) com-
mences somewhere about the centre of her
gracefully protuberant figure, from thence
to her very ancles hangs a waving forest
of flouncing, "tier above tier magnificently
piled." She pounced upon me immediately,
which produced a most horrible fit of ennui,
whilst she continued her string of frothy
nothings, as "delighted to see you-ecstacy
of pleasure-looks fascinating-continental
tours-deliciousness of travelling," &c.-
Quite vapoured at such a detestable and in-
sipid melange of dowager-gossipping, I drove
off and left her to finish the peroration of her
discourse to the surrounding and variegated
tribe of grinning footmen.-Intruded on the
circle of scavans at Mrs. Dieblues. I could
hardly constrain myself within the bounds
of good manners at sight of the mistress of
the house, a perfect counterpart of one of
these fat complacent-looking Chinese jos-
ses, which rest in supine security on the
mantle-piece of many an ancient spinster,
who has, or fancies she has, a taste for
collecting china. The josse nodded, and
unnoticed by the rest of the literati, I sat
down. Miss Bathos was performing (for
the variety of her gesticulations put read-
ing, and especially lady-like reading, out of
countenance) her new poem, a copy of
which, after the most pressing entreaties,
I have procured, and present you as the
luxuriant fruit of her out-branching
talent.

THE PRISONER'S DREAM.
ONCE from a prison's topmost tower,
In night's most dark and stormy hour,
Where pined and pent in the ruthless thrall,
Of the iron-girt stone of a dungeon wall,
Scath'd by the spell of his changeling fate,
Which bound him to this bitter state,
A prisoner strove to break his chain-

I dressed en Robe de Matin; pres-
sed my brother to chaperon me for the day,
threw on a wrapper de voiture; leaving
aunt at home consulting with her favourite
friseur on the most elegant mode of arrang-To riot, revel, rob again.
ing her new suit of French tresses.

My day commenced by looking in at Lady M'Scrawley's-saw some men-compliments, protestations, and adieus; heard that her intended is a black leg-poor woman! how very easily flattery imposes on some people-stopped at the Western

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Down from this eyry its inmate flung
slippery cord, and fast be clung;
But the wind was high,

A

And eftsoons the sky,

Rang with the clamour of hailstone riven, With might and main and horrid shock, Torn from the adamantine rock,

Where, they say, 'tis piled in heaven.

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