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Chitchat Upon New York and Philadelphia Fashions, Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine, October 1860

As shopping is the business of the month, we devote our chief space to a review of the principal materials for dress goods, now displayed on the counters of our fashionable shops.

In the wholesale department of A.T. Stewart & Co., we found these heavier fabrics emerging from their packing-cases, while organdies and grenadines were still fluttering in summer freshness below. By the attention of the director of this department, we learned several prominent items of interest. First, that "robe dresses," whether a lez, a quille, or d volante, have had their day. In those medium materials for fall wear, in the gayer muslins and cashmeres, they are not to be found. Some few fall silks, with narrow pattern flounces, will be seen; and in morning-dresses, a small selection of cashmere robes of very elegant designs will be noticed hereafter. For the rest, all materials are by the yard, that is, of a continuous pattern; and what the public will lose in grace and novelty may be made up to them by durability, and economy of style, it may be.

To commence at the plainest grade. The French chintzes for serviceable morning wear, and for children during the autumn, are chiefly in small bouquets, or figures in what are called chintz colors, on a chocolate or black ground, much like the foulard silks of the spring.

For intermediate wear, there is less variety, both in the materials and styles, then there has been for some seasons past. The least costly are included under the general names of Valenciennes, etc., and one of silk and wool. The most noticeable are a mixed design, having a twilled appearance, and simply shot with two colors, such as blue or brown, or having a plain green ground with spots of broche silk, in crimson; or two colors woven into down stripes, alternating, such as brown and crimson.

Down stripes, and broche or Jacquard figures, have entirely superseded chince figures, Bayadere stripes, and cheques, on the newest materials, whether of silk or woolen.

Plain colors will be very much in favor in all materials. We were shown "full lines," that is, every shade of color in mousselines, cshmeres, and reps goods. Plain merinoes will, in a great measure, be superseded by the later. The printed merinoes and cashmeres for home dress, and for children, are a study for artistic design and richness of color. It is well known that these finer woolens will take the most charming shades of color in printing. We instance two that were unsurpassed for effect.

A rich chocolate ground, with a cluster from the strawberry plant; the green leaves, ripened crimson fruit, and sunny blossoms perfectly reproduced, as in water colors. A golden brown ground, with single blossoms of the pansy (no leaves or stem) scattered over it; the rich purple and black petals, with their golden hearts, almost perfumed.

We pass to less novel but always good and serviceable styles, the plaid French poplins and raw silks; the latter particularly excellent wear for young people. The tartan or large plaids are to be found, though they are never so popular with us as in England.

There is a fine material of silk and worsted, costing as much as handsome silks (from $1.50 to $2.00 a yard), and brocaded in imitation of those which we shall here after describe. This is the most costly and novel of all the winter fabrics. The most popular and serviceable we predict will be those that come under the general denomination of reps, or corded surfaces.

First, those in plain colors, scarcely to be distinguished from Irish poplins, unless, indeed, from their lack of luster. The mode colors in every tint of brown and gray, some of them extremely rich; the two blues, cerulean and mazarine; the several greens, particularly sea, or Azof, and the yellow or deeper shades; crimson of every variety; some new claret and plain tints, and some scarlet browns, that cannot otherwise be described.

What are the new colors?

Invention and fashion are at a stand still, except that they will tell you "Magenta," which is a rich shade of groseille, is the color; but we have had it in ribbons and crapes all summer, therefore it is not new. Purples approaching mauves, golden brown, blue, or sea green, and rich claret and plum shades will be favorites in poplins, silks, and reps or ottamon veleurs; and of broche or Jacquard figures "there is gold in everything."

This is especially true of the richer silks. Our view of these, and of the richer lace sets at Arnold, Constable, & Co.'s must be reserved for November. Enough to say that down stripes and Jacquard figures predominate; black, and all the shades of color we have mentioned, stand as grounds, on which the exquisite embroideries of the loom, more than rivaling those of the needle, appear in the richest colors and most tasteful designs.

"Gold in everything:" in the fall ribbons, which are gorgeous as a tulip bed; mixed with the ornaments for winter bonnets; glancing out in the shape of cord on velvet mantles; and on embroidered sets, in gold lace bands, buckles, clasps, et. It will not be a permanent shade of fashion, for, in the first place, it tarnishes quickly; and we agree with a foreign correspondent that, on dark materials, it has "a stagey, theatrical effect, every true lady would desire to avoid." Still it helps to make up the changing show of "Vanity Fair;" let it glitter its little day. Its best effect is when applied in the shape of gold lace to embroideries and laces, as the ribbons have been the past season. There is a band an inch in width under the collar and the cuffs of the sleeves, with a pretty bow and slide as a finish. Belts of the same (for dresses with gold brocaded figures), and gold clasps have been popular of late in Paris. The leather belts, which had a short reign, are given up to waiting-maids. Girdles of gold cord, with tassels of the same, are worn with morning-dresses.

For shapes and styles of embroidery, we are this month indebted to the conductor of this department at Stewart's Plain linen has lost none of its popularity for collars and sleeves. We shall give more extended items in our next.

Brodie's designs for winter mantles will also be included in our November chit-chat. His fall wraps, both imported and manufactured, are entirely new in style. Those of grayish and brownish cloths, in cheques and stripes, the skirt set on over the plain yoke, so as to give the effect of a hood, with a broad braiding of silk cord falling below it, and festooned on the shoulders by tassels, are very desirable in shape, and reasonable in price. There is also a plain burnous, devoid of any fullness whatever, and ornamented by cordeliers, which is good. The silk or satin collar quilted in small diamonds is noticeable, as is also the application of plain bands of silk, a dark shade, edged by a lighter cording.

Fashion.

Ladies' Treasury: An Illustrated Magazine of Entertaining Literature, education, Fine Art, Domestic Economy, Needlework, and Fashion, London, October 1860

We have no striking novelty to record in the make of dresses. The chemisette is still worn with low bodies, and the effect of it is modest and pretty enough; but there is, nevertheless, a stiffness about it belonging rather to the style of our grandmothers than to that of the belles of the present day.

In the arrangement of the hair an attempt has been made to return to the short curls on the forehead, as worn by the beauties in the reigns of Charles II, and Louis Quatorze. We doubt the general adoption of this style; its tendency is to make the forehead look "villainously low," to use one of Shakespeare's expressions. Our fair countrywoman might look pretty in spite of this arrangement of the hair, but they could borrow no charm from it.

Among the favorite stuffs, we must mention poplinette. This material is remarkable for a texture that occasions its falling in very beautiful folds.

For the in-door costume, barege is the most suitable fabric, and it may be flowered or spotted. A very stylish dress is formed of grey barege embroidered in colours. This dress should have flounces; in fact, flounces are now in such repute, that they are likely to be worn throughout the season.

With light dresses, the shawl of the same material as the dress has its partisans.

For visiting dresses, light moirés and Pompadours are adopted. Observe that black trimmings are almost de rigueur for those dresses in which there are various colours.

The Zouave jacket is still worn with the pique dress, of which the skirt opens over a handsome petticoat. This petticoat should be trimmed with a bias corresponding in color to the pattern on the dress. The Zouave and the skirt are of the same etoffe.

The materials for ball-dresses are gauze and tarlatane. A deep plisse is used for trimming, or several narrow ones may be selected.

In colours, apple-green is in favour. Silks of this colour are trimmed with black guipure. Voilet, as a colour for trimmings, is now in good taste; for instance, a gray dress trimmed with violet ruche a la veille. With this dress a ceinture a la duchesse, and in violet, should be worn.

Dresses of grey grenadine, with stripes of bleu de Chine, have also a stylish effect.

A recent vagary of fashion is the low body over a guimpe. This style has nothing to recommend it but that it is a la mode. It is neither picturesque, classical, nor becoming to the figure. We prophecy that it will not have a long reign.

On skirts, flounces are variously placed; sometimes nine narrow flounces are placed in threes - the first at the hem of the skirt, the second at the knee, and the third just below the waist; or the trimmings may consist of one deep flounce, headed with two or three narrow ones. Again, the flounces may be seven in number, reaching to the basque of the jacket, and headed with a plisse corresponding to the trimming of the dress. In our illustration, in figure 2, this color is blue de Chine, showing off to advantage the gray poplinette composing the dress. Figure 1 is in violet barege, of which the stripes are a shade darker than the material. The dress is made to cross over the bust en pelerine, the ends of which hang down behind. The chemisette and full sleeves are of book muslin. The hat is of Tuscan straw; the sweeping ostrich feather is in violet, as also the bow in front.

The bodies of ball-dresses are made either square or with a corsage a l'enfant. Dresses for in-door wear are made long behind, but this is not the case with the promenade dress, unless the material be silk. The tight sleeve is not much seen, excepting for out-of-door dresses. Paletots with sleeves are worn in jaconets or muslins.

Mousseline de soie has reappeared. A dress of this material, supposing it of gay colours, should be trimmed round the bottom of the skirt with bouillons a little apart, and between these should be placed an insertion of black guipure. The sleeves should be full, and trimmed with black lace; the body low, but with a black lace fichu secured at the throat and open at the waist.

Fashionable morning caps are composed of alternate insertions of embroidery and Valenciennes; two rows of lace form the curtain. The strings and trimmings are of ribbon.

A pretty cap for a young married lady is composed of embroidered muslin, with a trimming all round, edged with a bouillonne descending to the middle of the crown; strings of rose-coloured taffetas pinked.

For a middle-aged lady, the following cap is more appropriate;- The cap itself of organdie; the crown gathered. The curtain composed of two wide frills trimmed with embroidery, above this a violet sarsenet ribbon; in front, a wide frill of embroidery, on which is placed narrow violet ribbon en ruche. The strings are of wide violet ribbon.

Flowers, as head-dresses, are resuming their place at the back of the head, though wreaths are still fashionable. The forget-me-not and the lily-of-the-valley form a charming wreath united.

Hats are still the rage for the country and the sea-sde. Very pretty hats are made in rice straw. These should be trimmed with long plumes; no bows are worn under the hats. A drooping white feather, so placed as to hang on one side over the brim of the hat, is graceful and modish in the extreme; or the hat may be of Tuscan straw, or white and black straw, with bows of velvet, and adorned with pheasant's feathers, or cock and hen feathers. See the illustration of a young lady's riding hat. Hats for children may be turned up, and fancifully ornamented with corn-flowers or blades of corn. We give a specimen of this hat.

In bonnets, black and white continue to be much worn together, and, for once, economy and fashion go hand in hand; for a white silk bonnet covered over with black lace, and t4immed, among other things, with black velvet, looks clean for a considerable time, even in the smoke and dust of cities. But bonnets of the most delicate tints are also fashionably unprotected by net of any kind; of which the effect is excessively pretty.

A bonnet is made of white gros de Naples, trimmed inside in a wreath across the brow, with foliage and small roses, and outside with a plume of white ostrich feathers; the strings of white gros de Naples embroidered.

In reviewing the present state of fashion as it relates to the well-being of the ladies, we have to congratulate them on one very great improvement; it is no longer thought essential to beauty to tighten the corsage to such a degree as to injure health and shorten life. The graceful figures in the ball-room and the drawing-room now bear a nearer resemblance to the classical idea of the beauty of the female form. The crinolines, it is true, have undergone no sensible diminution; but these articles of female attire tend so much to show off the beauty of the materials composing the dress, that we can hardly wish for their disappearance. Besides, they render most ample quantities of stuff indispensable; and though Papas and Husbands may "So much the worse!" drapers exclaim, "So much the better!" and, just now, we can wish for no change that will tend to the depression of trade.

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