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LA BELLE ASSEMBLÉE.

FASHIONS

For AUGUST, 1806.

EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION.

LONDON FASHIONS FOR AUGUST.

No. 1.-A MORNING WALKING DRESS. THE first figure represents a morning Walking Dress, with a straw hat, ornamented round the crown with wreaths of flowers, and the rim trimmed with plaited lace; chief tied under the chin. gown, trimmed round the neck, with a frill of lace; short full sleeves; the waist confined with a blue ribband, tied in front; gloves and shoes || of the same.

ornamented with a bow of the same; a bow also of the same is attached in front. White gloves

and shoes.

N.6.-FULL EVENING DRESS.

The second figure represents a lady in a full blue silk handker-evening costume; her hair dressed in bandeaux Short white muslin of plaited hair, a diamond star placed in front. A white muslin gown, short full sleeves, sloped low round the neck, confined in front with a large diamond. An India shawl; white gloves and shoes.

Of the two turbans on the side of the plate, one is made of light blue crape, and the other of

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE

No. 2.-A PARISIAN WALKING DRESS. The second figure represents a Parisian walk-white silk. ing dress. A straw hat, trimmed with a white ribband, and ornamented in front with a bunch of wild flowers. A fancy white muslin gown, embroidered at the bottom with open work embroidery; sleeves embroidered with the same work. A plaited muslin spenser, in the form of a neck-handkerchief, confines the waist; large blue shawl with an Egyptian embroidery; tanned leather gloves; nankin shoes, embroidered on the instep, and covering the ancles.

The top hat, No. 3, represents a fancy straw hat, turned up in the front, and trimmed with white ribbands. The under one, No. 4, represents a prevalent white muslin bonnet, trimmed

with white lace and rose-coloured ribbands.

No. 5.-AN OPERA DRESS.

The first figure represents an Opera Dress; the head-dress consists of a trencher-hat, made of crimson silk, ornamented with pearls at the four|| corners; the hair hanging in curls at the sides; a white India muslin gown, trimmed round the neck with crimson sarsnet, and fastened with liamonds; short full sleeves, turned up, and No. VI. Vol. L.

FASHIONS FOR AUGUST.

There is at present little occasion for full dress in London. The Hulan cap, in white and colours, is sufficient dress for any place. Muslin and lenon turbans, ornamented with lace caps, with flowers of various descriptions; pearls, and open crowns, with square veils; with shaded mistake ribband; coloured silk caps some are lined with coloured silks, and trimmed trimmed with lace, and ornamented with flowers

of the same colour, continue to be more worn than ever. Muslin hats, and veils tied round the crown in the same manner as the Virgins of the Sun, bound with shaded mistake ribband, which, falling gracefully from the head, forins a mantle or drapery over the shoulders; coloured lenon mantles, bound with ribband to match, are more elegant than white.

Morning dresses continue to be made high in the neck, long sleeves, and no trains, but handXx *

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF PARISIAN FASHIONS. White and delicate rose colours are the ra prevalent. The flowers in fashion are roses, the white rose is as frequently worn as the red; and the most esteemed perfume for the hair i essence of roses.

With the exception of full dress, hats a every kind maintain their large rims; bones continue also to have large peaks. Cambr bonnets are as often ornamented with lace wi small plain edging, and are as frequently see without trimming. Straw hats are embroide: in various colours, others are covered with fac stuff to resemble shells, but the most of them White straw hats are les are quite plain. with taffeta, and the peak embellished numberless openings, through which pucke ribbands are placed, without any order, bet & the most part have certain distances alles them. Bonnets made of straw and silk, yellev gold, and white, delicate yellow and white, yellow and rose, are considered elegant; are, however, not much adopted, but it is

bable that they may become very fashionable. Other bonnets, and more in vogue, are those babbled up, if we may use the expression, with taffeta, and divided into large sides, with tresses of yellow straw.

Many small coloured neck-handkerchiefs are worn, which are thrown sometimes on one shoulder, and as often on the other.

Leather gloves of all colours are universal, pea green and rose colours have, however, the preference.

Shoes which hitherto had round toes, now resemble the beak of a swan. Green shoes, have their admirers, and are much in vogue.

A LETTER ON DRESS,
From a Young Lady resident in London, to her
Friend in the Country.

delicacy, made a walking length; a broad footing lace was introduced round the bottom, finished with four little tucks. The bosom and short sleeve quite plain, except that four tucks, to correspond with the bottom of the dress, terminates the latter. The long sleeve, and shirt, were of lace; a pigeon-broach of embossed gold, the eyes of the bird of brilliants, fastened the shirt at the collar, and the robe at the bosom; and a gold chain of delicate workmanship, with diamond studs, confined the long sleeve at the wrist. Her profusion of fine hair (which is of the bright auburn) was fastened on the crown of her head in a hard twisted cord with a comb of embossed gold; a few curls in front shaded her finely polished forehead. A lace veil of the finest fabric, and very long, was negligently thrown over her during the ceremony; and her shoes and gloves were of kid, the colour of straw. Lord George (her husband) presented her with a gourd ring of the finest brilliants; but the Eutopian ring, given her by the Dowager, her mother-in-law, is the most splendid ornament of the kind I ever saw, and is now anxiously sought for by all our women of fashion; it consists of one row of precious stones set separately, in the form of a hoop; each stone the size of a small pea. Lady Louisa's is formed of the diamond, ruby, emerald, amethyst, topaz, sapphire, and cornelian, and has a most attractive and brilliant effect.

I HAVE imposed on myself a heavy task, my dear Caroline, by agreeing to send you a regular communication of fashions. So capricious is the humour of the varying goddess, so changeable and versatile are the forms she assumes, that while I am tracing her habit of to-day, it is not unlikely but she intrudes on my sight her more elegant costume of to-morrow. In the days of our sober ancestors, negligées, fly-caps, ruffled-caps, sugar-loaf shapes, and high-heeled shoes, formed the sum total of fashionable de-mily party, for the country residence of Lord

scription. But in these fluctuating times, you scarcely meet two females in like attire; and singularity and novelty seem the order of the day. However, there is a tout ensemble, which marks the women of fashion, and which consists in a well-chosen, well-arranged, and well-united costume, under the regulation of a good taste. There is a general standard for style and effect, || though not for the article by which it is in part constituted and this I will endeavour to deJineate for the benefit and amusement of my rusti cated friend.

As I have lately been admitted to form one in the train of Cupid and Hymen (the fair daughter of my noble host having entered the lists a fortnight since), it will be a more regular mode of proceeding to begin with a description of bridal decoration. Lady Louisa, you have heard me say, is a very lovely creature. She completed her nineteenth year on the day of her marriage; and her union bore the happy sanction of parental approbation. Her figure accords with the general taste of the times, and is tall, round, and graceful. She was adorned with the most simple elegance for the marriage ceremony; and wore a robe of plain muslin of uncommon

After the ceremony we all set out, a fa

George, near Windsor; where we dined and stayed the week. On our arrival the bride changed her dress to the following:-A train dress of Moravian worked muslin, over white sarsnet; the sleeves very short, slightly looped up in front, with a small pearl broach; the bosom made high and the back low, a plaiting of net round, and fastened down at the corners of the bosom, with a broach similar to that on the sleeves, giving that wide appearance which constitutes the Cleopatra bust, now so much admired and imitated. Her necklace and earrings were of pearl, armlets and bracelets of the same, with antique studs. The hair was now worn in front, with a few simple curls falling on the left eyebrow, a cornet of pearl in front. The hair behind was still twisted in a tight cord, and fastened with a pearl comb; from the edge of which was suspended a transparent veil of fine lace which crossed the hair behind, and flowing over the back, fell on one side so as to shade partially the profile; her shoes and gloves were of white kid.

Thus, my dear Caroline, have I finished my sketch of a fashionable exterior. On the internal decorations of Lady Louisa, I could be still more

somely worked, or tucked round the bottom; the white, with coloured borders, are more fashionable than genteel.

Coloured lenons and crape dresses, ornamented with patent beads, are very elegant over white sarsnet slips; patent lace, and Imperial dresses are also in high favour; the style of making, perfectly plain and simple, it is utterly impossible to describe which is most fashionable, every colour is equally worn; a scarf or mantle of some light and elegant colour, is become almost indispensable.

PARISIAN FASHIONS FOR JULY.

Many yellow straw bonnets are worn, and are much more numerous than straw hats; the bonnets are edged with fancy straw, a white ribband constitutes their only additional ornament. Cambric bonnets are, indeed, unniversal. Wild flowers, and those of the season, arc à la mode; ears of corn and oats, poppy and bluebottle flowers, and all other wild flowers are general. The trimming of gowns are composed of open work; on short sleeves the open work ornament extends from one end of the sleeve to the other; short sleeves are worn much puffed up, and hang loose on the arm. Embroidered gowns are exclusively confined to full dress; daffodil, lark's-feet, rose-bud, or wild flowers, are the models for embroidery. Morning dress, however, totally precludes embroidery, and consists of a plain white gown, without any kind of ornament. The designs that are embroidered on bonnets, and the ribbands that ornament hats, are crossed one on the top of the other, and are disposed in a kind of arbour-work, which shades the belles from the severity of the sun. Many neck-handkerchiefs are worn, which, in the front, forms the stomacher, crosses on the back, These neckand is tied behind like a sash. handkerchiefs are embroidered in small dotted work. Many hats are worn with scarcely any crown, they are very much distinguished by a very large bow of taffeta ribbands, placed in the front. These kinds of hats are worn with gowns that ascend to the neck, and that are trimmed with a Spanish plaiting; five or six rows of twisted cotton is interwoven at the bottom of cambric or muslin gowns; the same kind of ornament is frequently placed round the rims of bonnets. Many cambric aprons, resembling a frock, are worn; they are embroidered round the waists and sleeves, and are ornamented at the edges.

Among the jewels the Parisian élégantes adopted a short time since in full dress, the chains at

tached to a quiver are coming again into vogue; they are sometimes worn round the head, sometimes in wreaths, and sometimes as a neckcollar; these golden quivers are never worn but when the arrows are made of diamonds; thus an élégante, with one ornament, has the advantage of converting it to various purposes. Fashionable undress enacts white and fleshcolour shoes, or sloe and nankin, the latter must cover the ancle; white cotton stockings are indispensable for morning dress. The hair is ornamented with a tasty plain shell-comb. Nothing is more fashionable for riding on horseback than an ash-coloured habit, green, however, is somewhat prevalent; the buttons are either worked or covered with the same as the habit.

The following hair head-dresses is much esteemed among the higher ranks of Parisians, and may be made of hair of a moderate length: the hair is separated from the middle of the head to the nape of the neck, a small piece of hair is reserved to make a twist, and confines the six or eight twists which forms the ensemble of the headdress; the ends of the hair must be frizzed into a cork-screw; the hair being well separated, combed, and smoothed at the sides, is confined in that position by a ribband till the twists of hair are formed; after which the garland is placed; the diadem should be slanted on the left side of the head; the twists of hair are then attached to admit extremities within, and to bring out the frizzing between the twists of hair, so as to suspend below the shoulders on the neck; after which a pin is placed instead of a comb,

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF PARISIAN FASHIONS.
White and delicate rose colours are the most

prevalent. The flowers in fashion are roses,
the white rose is as frequently worn as the red;
and the most esteemed perfume for the hair is
essence of roses.

With the exception of full dress, hats of every kind maintain their large rims; bonnets continue also to have large peaks. Cambric bonnets are as often ornamented with lace as a small plain edging, and are as frequently seen without trimming. Straw hats are embroidered in various colours, others are covered with fancy stuff to resemble shells, but the most of them are quite plain. White straw hats are lined with taffeta, and the peak embellished with numberless openings, through which puckered ribbands are placed, without any order, but for the most part have certain distances allotted them. Bonnets made of straw and silk, yellow, gold, and white, delicate yellow and white, and yellow and rose, are considered elegant; they are, however, not much adopted, but it is pro