No. 2.-PARISIAN BALL DRESS. Slip of pink satin, under a pink crape frock; the crape dress trimmed at the bor der with a puckering of crape, bouquets of roses, ears of corn, and pearls. A full short sleeve trimmed to correspond; and a corsage à-l'Antique, pointed in front with rows of pearls: the corsage made partially high, and simply ornamented at the neck with a narrow tucker of blond; the pattern à-la-Vandyck. Head-dress composed of gauze, roses, and white narcissus'.Necklace and earrings of large oblong pearls. White satin shoes, white kid gloves,

and carved cedar fan.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

ON

FASHIONS AND DRESS.

fringe and tassels. The pelerine cape is pointed in the Arcadian style, each point finished by a pearl-coloured heraldic lozenge, with a tassel depending. The stomacher and openings at the wrist are superbly finished with numerous narrow rouleaux of pink satin, forming a kind of braiding. Spring transports us, in fancy, to Arcadia. With this spencer is worn the shepherdess bonnet, of an entire new form and fashion: it is of pearl-coloured granite satin, turned up in front with points of pink satin, to answer the trimmings on the spencer.

Before we take our leave of this tasteful Magasin, we must crave the attention of our fair readers to the peculiar elegance of the ball-dresses invented there-a specimen of which may be seen in our present Number. Another light and beautiful dress is a frock of fine net, worn over white gossamer satin: the net dress is ornament

pointed festoons, and finished with blue roses at each point (for whim and fancy, sometimes, will alter the appearance of the treasures of Flora); even the foliage of these roses is blue. The body and sleeves are trimmed to correspond with the skirt: an elegant finish of blue satin runs across the bust in front, edged with blond, and which has Spanish slashes of fine net. A sash is worn with this dress of blue and

It is now the season that is particularly propitious to the votaries of Terpsichore, the weather, from the latter part of Marched at the border with gauze, quilled in to the end of April, being quite cool enough for dancing, but yet not so cold as to endanger the health of the fair one, while she adopts that light and airy covering so appropriate to the agile frequenters of the ball-room. Conscious of the high patron. age we enjoy, and this being the time of year when Almack's and other elegant meetings for dancing are held in this metropolis, we have given in our Portraits of Fashion a most tasteful and beautiful Eng-white striped flock gauze; the head-dress lish ball-dress invented by Mrs. Bell, and also one of the newest costumes for dancing || now in vogue in the capital of the French kingdom.

In regard to our out-door costume, the cloth and velvet pelisses begin to be laid aside, and those of a spring-like hue, in levantine or granite silk, have succeeded. Spencers, over white cambric dresses, are also very general for the carriage, and are mostly of levantine, richly trimmed with wire-matted fringe and tassels. A carriage spencer and bonuet, lately finished for a lady of rank, does infinite credit to the taste of the artist that presides over the Magazin de Modes in St. James's-street, patronized by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. The spencer abovementioned is of a beautiful pearl white levantine silk, most elegantly finished with pink satin slashes, and white wire-matted

worn with it is the Almack wreath, pointed on the forehead with pearls, in rich rows, and blue roses clustered full on the temples; the pistils of the roses are formed of pearls. Another dress which is equally adapted to the ball-room as to the rout or concert, for which, however, it was first intended, is of fine net, trimmed with red roses and vine-blossoms, much in the same style as the ball-dress before mentioned. The body is made à la-corset, and is of pink satin, with a fluted long sleeve of fine net, braced round the arm with straps of richly figured footing blond, finished on each side by a narrow rouleau of pink satin: the mancherons are formed of rows of fine blond, fully quilled: the stomacher is finished in a beautiful and novel style of elegance; the back is ornamented to correspond, and fastens behind with finely wrought pearl buttons.

dresses at the Opera, are now as various as any where else.

Dress hats, turbans, and tiaras of diamonds or pearls, are generally the chief head-dresses at the King's Theatre.

For the carriage costume no bonnet is reckoned so elegant as the shepherdess bonnet: those of pink granite satin are much admired with white satin lining and pink points, and a plume of white feathers; though feathers are not quite so much The waists are shorter; and the bust is worn with any hats as they were two much more decorously covered than formonths ago. Next in favour to the shep-merly; we congratulate the English ladies herdess bonnet is the regal carriage hat, of on this increased attraction. black velvet, with a superb coronet plume Spring silks form the material for halfof black feathers; and the white satin dress, and slight satins for the evening déshabille carriage bonnet has a very costume of our matrons: young ladies constylish appearance: it is made very large || tinue to wear fine muslin in undress, and and sits close; the crown is very low; crape, net and gauze for evening parties and the edge is finished in a partial style or for the ball-room. of bouffont plaiting of satin, with two rows of fine plaited blond. A wreath of single || yellow roses and of the blue hedge flower called "forget me not," simply encircles the crown. A large walking bonnet of black satin has that retired and modest appearance which fits it for that purpose; it has a broad, full, double quilling of lace at the edge; a jet foliage ornament runs round the brim, near the edge, and a flower composed of crape and jet is placed in front; this bonnet, when a lady is in mourning, is well adapted to morning airings in the carriage.

The cornettes are various; those for half dress are chiefly of net and blond: the favourite head-dress of this kind worn at the Theatres has ancient regal points round the crown; it is surmounted by a beautiful wreath of half-opening roses and London pride. The Tivoli cornette, of fine blond and white satin is beautifully ornamented with barberries: and the home costume cornette, for receiving parties, is most beautiful; it is of white satin relieved by blond, and the crown is surmounted in a novel manner, with single roses and guinea hens' feathers. The Berlin cornette has an ornamental back caul of coloured satin resembling the chapeau bras; it is finished with blond of a very rich pattern, and is ornamented with flowers, the eyes of the peacock's tail, or the short feathers of the pheasant: this last cornette is of the most becoming shape we have yet witnessed.

The favourite colours are Etruscan brown, etherial blue, emerald, and rose-colour.

NOTICE (FROM A CORRESPONDENT).— Amongst the novelties, we have observed Le Bonnet Royal, a new and elegant head-dress, equally adapted to the evening party, and the carriage drive; it is a mélange of straw and satin, curiously intermixed; and produce a truly novel effect :

our amateurs of fashion are indebted to the ham for the invention: and as we underwidow and daughter of the late Mr. Cobstand it to be for the support of a numerous family, we sincerely rejoice at the royal patronage with which we find it is honoured.

Cabinet of Taste;

OR MONTHLY COMPENDIUM OF FOREIGN
COSTUME.

By a Parisian Correspondent.

COSTUME OF PARIS.

"Voulez vous dansez Mademoiselle," seems now to be the watch-word: Paris is a scene of dancing every night, and balls multiply in this city, like flies in a warm summer.-Are you not pleased with the little figures I sent you in the newest balldresses? Without telling you which is most preferred, I give you leave to take your choice, for they are all fashionable.

Young ladies wear little on their heads except the Almack wreath. The Opera But I am just come in from the Thuilhat cap of coloured satin and blond seems leries; and there, among fifty ladies, I am likely to be prevalent; but the head-"sure there were forty or forty-five in