ravelled-out ruches of the faille; if the tunic is of a different colour to the skirt, the latter has its own special trimming, and the ruches are used for the tunic only, and are of faille of the same shade as the cashmere. The fashion of cashmere covered with broderie Anglaise to make up for tunics, which appeared last year, is now in great vogue. A plain skirt and bodice should be worn as an under dress to the tunic worked in open broderie Anglaise. This under dress should be of a different colour to the open-work tunic or, which looks best, of a darker shade of the same tint. The two shades are extremely pretty and effective, and will form very charming toilets for the spring, in mauve over violet, beige over maroon, light blue over dark blue, and so on. Our readers will perceive we are still talking of tunics, and the fact is, the tunic is very bien porté this spring, at least, the new modification of it, which consists of a long draped tablier, fastened behind with long lapels or a sash of faille or velvet. These tabliers, with cuirasse bodice to match, are not always of the same material or colour as the skirt; on the contrary, they are often of a plaid or striped material, while the skirt is plain. The bodice must always be of the same material as the tablier; the sleeves alone are allowed to differ, but on condition they are matched to the skirt. For demitoilette of an afternoon or evening, a pretty toilette consists of the tablier and cuirasse bodice composed of alternate strips of white and black lace or guipure, or of squares also composed of black and white lace alternately. This is also made of thick guipure, and will be suitable to wear over coloured silks of any shade. Black cashmere or silk mantles to wear with any dress, are very much come into fashion again this spring. They are mostly jackets, peaked at the back, with rather long fronts and wide sleeves. Others are mantelets fastened down at the waist in the back, and loose in front. Some have a small pointed hood at the back, others merely an ornament of passementerie. The favourite materials for such mantles are good cashmere double, or the grosgrain silk texture called Sicilienne. The cuirasse-paletot is a favourite model; it is tight · fitting, double-breasted, and fastened with two rows of buttons in front. The front pieces are joined together into a deep peak, while at the back there is a pleated postillion basque, with a large square pocket on either side. The sleeves have deep revers; they are trimmed, as well as the pockets and the whole outline of the jacket, with a thick, round silk fringe, and border of coq herissé feathers. There are pretty passementerie buttons upon all the revers and pockets. Feathers are still fashionable, but jet beading is rather getting out of favour, having been rather too long a fureur not to be very soon abandoned altogether. Very nice spring costumes we have taken note of for young ladies, are composed as follows: skirts of deep blue cashmere with a small plissé round the bottom, second skirt or tunic of plaid beige material, of several shades of fawn colour, with streaks of bright blue here and there, across the plaid pattern. It is arranged into a deep shawl point, gracefully draped in front, and two wide scarf lapels behind, crossed and fastened in a loose double knot. The bodice is of the same plaid material, cuirasse style, with long, plain basque and no trimming whatever but blue cashmere piping and buttons. Plain, tight sleeves with revers, similar buttons and blue pipings. The tablier and lapels are also piped round with blue. Another costume, just completed for a young married lady, is of faille and vigogne of a lighter texture than the winter material. The faille skirt, of a bright noisetle shade of brown, has a deep plissé round the bottom. The tunic is of the natural shade of vigogne, and trimmed round the edge with two rows of fringe. It forms a long draped tablier in front, and at the back two wide square lapels which are buttoned down the middle. Both the tablier and lapels are striped with ribbed silk braid. The bodice, of the same material as the tablier, is also striped with braid to correspond. At the back it forms a fully pleated basque, spreading out into the shape of a fan; it is very short on the hips, and comes down into two deep peaks in front. Tight sleeves with peaked revers. For evening toilettes, the tablier is just as fashionable as for toilettes de jour. It is then made of gauze tulle or lace over silk. A tasteful dress for a soiree or ball is of very pale blue faille. The faille skirt is train-shaped, and trimmed round the bottom with two narrow bias flounces, headed with a pinked-out ruche. Three more flounces are placed at the back only, with another ruche above them, and above this again a very deep bouillon and fluted heading. The front width is covered with small drawn puffings lengthwise up to the waist. A long pointed tablier of white lace is arranged over the front of the dress, two smaller points being arranged at the back, with coques and ends of brocaded blue ribbon ten inches wide, instead of a puff. The bodice is ornamented with a pointed berthe, also of white lace, (it was point lace in the original model, but guipure, or even blond will answer the purpose), with cluster of tea roses on the left side and flat bows of plain blue faille upon the shoulders. An evening dress for a young lady is of white faille. The skirt is trimmed at the back with three pinked-out flounces and a ruche, and this trimming is repeated once more, but at the back only. There is a plain white bodice to this skirt. Tunic of white silk gauze, with two plissés round the bottom, of the usual shape, tablier in front, and long lapels behind combined with a wreath of variously tinted roses, and a sash of white brocaded ribbon. Gauze bodice with bouillons and narrow plissés, across which a wreath of roses to match that on the skirt, but smaller, is placed so as to form the Grand Cordon Marie Louise. Cluster of roses in the hair. We will conclude with a handsome model for a black faille dress. The skirt is much gored in front, all the fulness being thrown to the back of the skirt, which is arranged in the deep quadruple pleat called the pli Bulgare, and trimmed at the bottom with one deep flounce. Robings formed of tightly-drawn puffings divide the back from the front, which is ornamented en tablier with bias folds of the silk, and black lace border between each fold. The bodice, in the cuirasse style, is peaked both in front and at the back, and trimmed with black lace. DESCRIPTION OF OUR COLOURED FASHION PLATE. 1. Ras-terre skirt in black velvet gathered in flat folds at the back, without fulness in front or at the sides. Black cashmere polonaise, princess-shape in front. This part, long and rounded en tablier, is caught back with an agrafe. Two wide ends with rounded points fall over the skirt, and a bow of black faille catches the outside edges together in the middle. The back of the polonaise forms a postilion basque, making long points at the sides, these points being fastened to the sides of the ends. A faille bow is placed on the middle of the postilion. All the edges of the polonaise are trimmed with coup-devent pleatings in black faille, four inches in depth. Halfwide sleeves, High collar. Ruched lingerie in broderie Anglaise and Valenciennes. 2. Ras-terre skirt in slate-grey faille, trimmed at the bottom with three flounces placed over each other. Tablier in cashmere of the same colour, trimmed with three rows of dark blue velvet placed at regular intervals, and between them running an embroidery of dark blue foliage. A pleating of pale blue faille finishes off the tablier, which is fastened back with a large bow of pale blue faille ribbon. Cuirasse in cashmere to match the tablier, and trimmed similarly. A cuff of the same trimming ends the sleeve. Pleated lingerie in batiste and Valenciennes. Hat to match the dress, trimmed with pale blue. Large bows, feathers, and black bird. Roses under the brim, and white tulle strings. DESCRIPTION OF OUR CUT-OUT PATTERN. This month we give, at the request of several subscribers, the cut-out pattern of a little girl's night-dress, seven years old; it should be made of longcloth, and trimmed round the neckband, down the front and round the wristbands with Beau Ideal embroidery, on narrow cambric frills. Our pattern consists of four pieces, viz., half the front, half the back, half of yoke, and one sleeve. The neck and waistbands are merely straight strips. THE LETTER. I READ it by the sea, love, As the stately ships went by ; When the birds, with snowy bosoms, Flew merrily o'er the sky; And the spirit you touched glowed warmer From the thoughts you had sent to me. I read it in the dale, love, In the midst of a summer dream; From the thoughts you had sent to me. I read it in the eve, love, When the meadows and woods were still; From the thoughts you had sent me. As a jewel within a shrine; |