Paris Fashions for August — Illustrated London News (30 July 1864): 121.
Commentary and captions from the Illustrated London News
Owing to the absence of the Imperial Court from Paris, and the departure of many families for the bains de mer, the Paris fashions for August must be considered as those rather of the Dispersion than of that favoured locality which generally gives an impulse to innovation. Nevertheless, the peculiar stamp of the Parisienne will not fail to he recognised even at hundreds of leagues from the capital; and, though she may reign with less éclat, her influence will not be felt the less during the time when she may be regarded as abdicating a portion of her claims to the admiration of the rest of the world, in matters of taste and dress, by the adoption of such toilettes négligées as those which compose our present Engraving.
Although easy of wear, these light costumes aro not without their peculiar complications; and, to lie altogether graceful, require care in the selection and arrangement of the colours for ornament. In addition to the ordinary disposition to patronise foulards, alpacas, and barèges, great favour is being bestowed upon white muslin dresses of the first quality, trimmed fantastically with strips of silk disposed in all directions, according to the caprices of the modiste. Indeed, light dresses generally, ornamented with silk strips attached as just mentioned, or with very small passementerie trimmings, enjoy a vogue altogether undisputed, and really merit the patronage they meet with even in the highest quarters.
The head-dresses and bonuets worn at this season are extremely varied in style and shape. The chapeau Windsor in Tuscan (shown in one of our Illustrations), is one of the most fashionable of the round description: but the legitimate bonnet in white tulle—small, round, and with or without bavolet—completes, à ravir, the white muslin costume just alluded to. The bavolet is usually replaced by a bow in tulle or by a garland of small flowers gracefully arranged.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS.
Fig. 1. Walking Dress.—Robe and paletot of grey foulard, with three rows of dark violet silk and passementerie trimming on the skirt; round the edge of the paletot, across the shoulder, and on the cuffs, a single row of similar trimming is adapted with a most pleasing effect. The small round chapeau is in white tidle touillonné, the bavolet being replaced by a large tulle how ; orange bow and ribbons.
Fig. 2. Evening Dress.—Very pale yellow alpaca robe, ornamented with silk embroidery in several shades of velvet. The skirt especially presents a very pretty and novel appearance, and the dress is completed by the Moldavian vest, and the niusliu chemisette, of which only a small portion is seen above the black silk plastron edged with violet. Tho head-dress is the coiffure Catalane, in Valenciennes lace, with black and violet velvet bow in front.
Fig. 3. Walking Dress for a Young Lady.—Light stone-coloured toilet, the paletot and robe being of uniform colour, but trimmed with pink silk ornaments soutachés. The paletot is relatively more abundantly decorated than the skirt. Tuscan chapeau Windsor, almost covered with eagles' feathers and white feathers, the latter placed in front.
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