Godey's
Ladies' Treasury

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

The principal changes observable in the street are in the matter of bonnets and mantillas, though in Philadelphia and the regions south of it, lace, tissue, barege Anglais, and all thin draperies will be worn until near the end of the month. In New York, the heavier silk casaques and mantles of the early spring are again revived, and Brodie is busied in manufacturing those graceful wraps, in light cloths, which are always demanded at this season of the year. In black silk, his favorite style is the long pardessus, reaching nearly to the hem of the dress, and fitting to the figure. The skirt is however, full and flowing, and the whole style of the garment and of its wearer depends on the grace with which the ample drapery below the waist expands, to allow for the crinoline beneath it. Pelerines added to the casaque, which can be worn or removed at pleasure, and reaching just to the waist, are to our eyes, a great improvement to this garment. The favorite trimming is guipure, Italian, or Brussels lace, ornamented with pendeloques, or hanging buttons of silk, with a powdering of jet to lighten the whole. It is said that steel, silver, and even gold braid and ornaments will be used later in the season.

There is also a wide, flowing mantle, set in on the shoulder in large plaits; its only ornament a delicate pelerine or hood of lace, and a deep trimming of the silk around the bottom. Elegant mantles, the present season, depend more upon the richness of the silk and the quality of the lace than upon variety or showiness of decoration.

As to bonnets, they are chiefly summer or spring straws re-trimmed and freshened. The ribbons are very rich, both in color and design, as are the fall flowers, which are used in abundance. The latter are mixed with chiffonnies of ribbon on the outside. This term means, strictly speaking, a rumpling of ribbon, and the ornament is what we should call a cockade, or semi cockades in groups; berries and fruit are freely introduced, all coral berries and grapes particularly, These are often tipped with gold, and mixed with gold powdered foliage, which has a bright cheerful effect, and is not at all too showy for cool weather; and we may expect a great popularity for this style of floral manufacture, the present season. Speaking of gold ornaments, the Moniteur says:--

"This precious metal now plays a very conspicuous part in nearly all evening headdresses, as well as in silk and cashmere ball cloaks, and even some garments for visiting toilet. The Mantchou, a charming model brought out by Gagelin, is ornamented with gold also; but only in the form of a small fillet passing through the openings of the guipure trimming."

As to evening dress (see also our designs the present month) it describes some tasteful models.

"A white dress covered with ruches and feather fringe, and a headdress, also of feathers, gracefully  mixed with small flaxen curls, and fastened by diamond agrafes."

"A thulle dress over a mauve silk slip, and all the way up the skirt wreaths of convolvulus, forming festoons, fastened at intervals by a large bouquet with drooping branches. The sleeves were entirely surrounded with drooping branches, and the body was decorated, between its smooth crape draperies, with small wreaths of foliage, flowers, and long trails. The headdress was round, but light slender branches hung down on all sides, and on the left there was a bow of gold cord ending in two tassels."

"A thulle dress, with a blue satin slip under it, was puffed all over, and on each puff fell a narrow flounce, decorated by two very narrow blue velvets separated by a narrow silver lace, and trimmed with white blonde. The sleeves were composed of a puff and narrow flounce, decorated in the same manner; and the body, which was draped, and cut away low in front, had a similar trimming at the bottom of the drapery, forming a bertha. The headdress was composed of tufts of myosotis and rosebuds, in the form of a diadem, rather high on the forehead, a cordon at the sides, and a rounded cachepeigne behind, all intertwined with silver thread."

"Sleeves for evening-dress are all made wide and open, but for day wear They are nearly all closed either plain and with elbows, or puffed at top and close-fitting in the lower part. Dresses continue to be trimmed only at bottom, either with several very narrow flounces or two deep ones. Sometimes these flounces are covered by a double skirt, looped up by large bows at the sides. Dresses of fancy silk are generally worn with a sash tied at the side, sleeves puffed in the upper part, surmounted by jockeys formed of three small flounces, plain at bottom, and ending in a turned-up cuff trimmed with three small frills."

This will probably still prevail in the making up of the rich fall silks and mixed stuffs, which are now being opened in the wholesale departments of Levy, Evans, Stewart, Arnold, and other of our best importers.

To return to evening-dress, which this month includes nearly all of novelty, we give some plainer models from a different source.

"A dress of white tarletane has thirteen flounces, each bordered with a row of narrow rose-color velvet. The corsage, low and pointed in the centre of the waist, is covered by a bertha, forming a point before and behind, and trimmed with rose-color velvet. The sleeves are short, and formed of two frills edged with velvet. A canezou of white thulle has been selected for wearing with a dress of mauve-color barege. This dress has a low corsage and short sleeves. The corsage of the canezou is composed of bouillonnes crossed at regular intervals by rows of very narrow black velvet. The sleeves consist of nine puffs, extending from the shoulder to the wrist, where they are finished by a small mousquetaire cuff; the puffs on the sleeves are separated by rows of black velvet."

"Robe of white thulle over a slip of groseille-color silk. The skirt has nine bouillonnes of thulle, dropping slightly one over another. Each bouillonne is covered by a narrow frill of thulle, edged with narrow blonde, and with three rows of narrow groseille-color velvet. Above the nine bouillonnes there is a broad flounce of white thulle, edged with blonde and with three narrow rows of groseille-color velvet. The corsage is low, and with a long point in front of the waist, and has a drapery formed of plaites of white crape; below the plaits there is a frill of white blonde edged with thulle. In front of the corsage there is a large bow of white thulle edged with blonde, and with rows of groseille-color velvet. The sleeves are formed of two small frills of thulle surmounting tow puffs of the same. The frills are trimmed to correspond with the other parts of the dress. The headdress consists of a wreath of the foliage of the service tree, intermingled with festoons of coral beads."

Fans ornamented with spangles of steel and gold continue to be fashionable. The material usually employed for mounting these fans are thulle and crape, either colored or white.

Several new coiffures, suitable for full evening-dress have just appeared. One consists of a very supple gold net. It droops, loose and flowing, over the back of the head, somewhat in the fanchon form, and it is edged round with small light tassels and pendeloques of gold. At the top, in front, there is a small bouquet of roses without foliage, and a bow of black velvet. A headdress just received from Paris, where it is styled the Coiffure Eugenie, is in the form of a diadem or cornet, and consists of green velvet foliage, daisies white and colored, with ornaments of gold intermingled. The coiffure Louis Treize is a toque of mauve-color velvet, ornamented with amethyst and white ostrich feather. One of the prettiest of these headdresses is composed of blue velvet, with a large agrafe of silver, and small silver chains disposed in festoons and pendant ends. Another consists of crimson velvet, an aigrette of white feathers, and tassels of gold. The Coiffure Zouave is in green velvet and gold, with a bandeau formed of white ostrich feathers twisted together.

In lingerie, plain linen cuffs on cambric or Nansook sleeves continue to be worn, with collars to correspond, finished only by a row of very fine stitching, or a cord stitched in near the edge. We have been shown some sets of French cambric embroidery, an entirely new shape, the collar crossing in narrow lappets in front, where it is fastened by an ornamental button, gold, coral, or cameo; lappets in the same style form the back of the cuff; they are richly embroidered in an extremely neat and delicate pattern. The Zouave habit-shirt continues to be imported, which is a prediction that this graceful jacket will increase in favor the coming winter. The front is in square or box folds, an inch in width, each embroidered with a vine, the whole pattern so disposed as to form a handsome chemisette.

Fashion.

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

We are pleased to observe some variety in the present fashion of dressing the hair. We have reason to congratulate our readers upon it, for the hair in plain bands, or in rippled bands, had become so general that it was quite monotonous. A little while ago, any one who had the good fortune to see a hundred young ladies in a row, would probably find every one of them with the hair quite plain on each side of the forehead. Ringlets, "the lover's pledge and the poet's song," had entirely disappeared, and curls of any description were a rarity. We are happy to announce the return of curls, and these with the hair raised A l'Eugenie (a becoming style, in coiffures, to very young faces), counteract the effect of a disagreeable sameness. Other novelties are, for the most part, revivals. Nankeen is once more fashionable as morning wear. The tight sleeve, with a small quantity of trimming near the shoulder, takes us back to the fashions of many a long year ago, as does also the waist hovering between the long and the short. Necklaces and sashes, universal now, also belong to the past.

Even the plaited muslin guimpe, so much in favor, with bodies open in front, and with low bodies, is a kind of return to the old-fashioned tucker.

The size of the bonnets begins to  excite a little apprehension. If they only remain as they are, all will be well; but if they increase, they will detract from the graceful, pleasing effect of modern dress. In fact, they will impart to it a certain degree of weight and awkwardness. The fashionable bonnet is not a revival; it is the offspring of modern fancy. The inside trimming of flowers and foliage en bandeau, is so pretty and becoming, that, until we observe the bonnet en profile, we are not aware to what a dangerous extent it has increased in size. We must again express our hopes that it will not become any larger.

For walking dresses, plain silks in very small checks are in vogue, or the skirt may be trimmed with a darker shade of silk.

Favorite patterns for gaze de Smyrna, or Chambery printed muslins, are Pompadour bouquets. With dresses of either of these materials the skirt is plain.

In the way of trimmings, braid, bouillonnees, and ruches are still in favor.

Where plain bodies are worn, buttons down the front are adopted; the sleeve open, finished off at the shoulder with an epaulette.

For full dress, alternate flounces of lace and ribbon have a stylish effect; or one very full, deep flounce may be worn, falling from the knee to the hem of the dress. This is surmounted by several very narrow ones.

Buttons are the trimming selected for redingote dresses. Of these, the front breadth may be trimmed at each edge with robings.

Quilting is used for the dresses we have just described. The drab quiltings are printed in light bouquets. They offer a material exactly suited to the unusually variable weather that has marked the season; without looking wintry, they keep up a genial and pleasant warmth.

For walking attire, the large silk cloak has carried the day, in opposition to all fanciful, light, and pretty novelties intended for sultry weather.

The modistes have hardly had an opportunity of displaying to advantage their rich Chantilly cloaks, elegantly-embroidered muslin mantles, or beautiful grenadine shawls.

A novelty in silk deserves our notice. It consists of a light pattern, or several rows of stripes down each breadth; but these breadths, joined stripe to stripe, by dividing the skirt into six or more equal parts, give it a very stiff, ugly appearance, and we do not advise our readers to encourage this fashion.

The Zouave jacket is still a favorite; but with this article of dress gold trimming has made place for silk. The Zouave jacket is worn with a full white muslin chemisette.

The foulard, or washing silk--of which the texture is so soft that it is not easily tumbled--is particularly recommended for traveling. The effect of this silk, printed in Pompadour bouquets, is remarkably pretty.

According to an almost established fashion, shawls of the same material as the dress--whether barege or grenadine--are to be seen this season.

The curtains of bonnets are not as wide as they were, and they are put on a large, hollow plaits.

The soft crape crown is still adopted with rice-straw bonnets, 

Leghorn bonnets are now often simply and gracefully trimmed with a plume of feathers on one side, and trimming and a bandeau inside. Tulle illusion is worn inside the bonnets, at the sides, and the bandeau of flowers or foliage has replaced the coronet of flowers worn at the beginning of the season. The point in front has also disappeared.

In straw bonnets, the beau monde has adopted a decided novelty, called paillasson. This is a straw of a remarkably thick plait. The bonnet is simply trimmed, for instance, with a ribbon placed across it, and inside a ruche of black lace, with only one rose.

We will now, as is our wont, describe a few stylish bonnets.

A bonnet of Leghorn; the plume at the outside of the bonnet fastened nearly at the top of the front, taken straight across, and falling upon the curtain; inside foliage en bandeau; cap, tulle illusion.

Another bonnet, of which the effect is both elegant and simple, is thus composed;-- The material white tulle, gathered, covered over with black lace, also gathered. The plumes, which are white, are placed underneath the front, and twisted at the side.

For the promenade at the sea-side we recommend such straw bonnets as are represented in the plate, richly trimmed, outside with flowers to the taste of the wearer, and inside with black lace and straw lilies-of-the-valley. Roses, corn-flowers, and ears of corn, form some of the prettiest trimmings for straw bonnets (see illustration).

The passion for gold trimming in bonnets is subsiding.

Hats, so much worn by ladies in their autumnal excursions, now claim our attention.

A fashionable-shaped had resembles that worn by the French Guards. It should be of Leghorn, trimmed with field flowers.

We will now describe a hat that would be remarkably becoming to a blonde. A hat of rice straw, edged with corn-flower velvet, ornamented with pheasant's feathers. These should be fastened in at the front under a bunch of blue and white feathers.

The following would be universally becoming, and remarkably stylish;--The hat of black straw, spotted, with straw-colored ornaments, and edged with black velvet. This hat is adorned with a long couqe feather, covered here and there with straw spots; in front, it is fastened under a rosette of black velvet.

Black guipure lace veils should be worn with hats, excepting where the lace scarf or lappet is in favor.

The adoption of curls does not enable the wearer to dispense with the head-dress, but these are now much more remarkable for simplicity tan they were some months ago. Instead of large wreaths, bouquets are placed, we may say a volonte.

Young ladies may wear the round wreath, or adorn the front hair with a few flowers, the place at the back of the head a few corresponding ones, mixed with bows of ribbon, and they have secured a head-dress a la mode. Coiffures are formed of a mixture of black lace, with flowers. For ladies, whose style of beauty requires a stylish coiffure, the following is the most suitable; a square of lace with a frill around it. One of the points should be secured in front under a chicoree diadem. On this head-dress, called the Mantille Andalouse, a bow of lace is placed on one side, and cerise flowers on the other. Two points are fastened under the chin, and that opposite the front falls on the neck.

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