FASHIONS FOR APRIL, 1811. EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION. ENGLISH COSTUME. No. 1.-A BALL DRESS.. A white sarsnet or satin petticoat, with short sleeves; over which is worn a body and drapery of light-blue gauze, formed in three points, or vandykes over the petticoat, reaching nearly to the bottom, the ends finished with white silk tassels; it is crossed over the figure in front towards the left side, and fastened in tufts, or bows, of the saine colour; a short sash, tied in a bow on the left side; sleeves looped up in the front of the arm. The bottom of the petticoat trimmed in vandykes to correspond. White silk stockings, with blue kid shoes. The hair twisted up behind, and dressed in full curls, ornamented with a baudeau of light-blue twisted crape and roses. White kid gloves. No. 2. A WALKING DRESS. Round dress of cambric muslin, with a ruff collar, trimmed round the bottom with narrow purple ribband; cassimere crimson mantle, confined close to the back, lined with purple silk, embroidered round the neck, cape, and sides with purple fancy border; a deep cape falling from the shoulders, sloping to a parrow point, with tassels. A crimson velvet bonnet, turban front, and trimmed with purple to correspond. York tan gloves. Yellow kid boots. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON FASHION AND DRESS. Independent of the season of Lent, which, among the serious and well-judging, is never entirely delivered up to the idle dominion of fancy, Fashion herself seems to have put on a more sedate and consistent aspect, and to have discovered that in the production of such an endless variety of new and contradictory modes, she has submitted to the wild vagaries of fancy, rather than followed the dictates of good taste. It is an incessant desire of novelty that leads the manufacturer and milliner into inventions full of absurdity which are, never, theless, adopted with the most extravagant applause, but are as quickly followed by satiety and disgust. A new set of artificers start up, invent new methods to please, still more grotesque than the former, and depart still further from simplicity and nature than those who first ventured from its paths into the wilds of fancy, till overwhelmed with new inventions, which succeed and efface each other with incredible rapidity, we scarcely know where we are, and cast back our eager eyes to that period when true taste reigned under the empire of nature. It was this momentary selfpossession, this retrogade motion, which led us to adopt the simple and graceful costume of the Greeks and Romans, and thus extricated ourselves at once from a labyrinth of fully and fauciful extravagance. During the last month short pelisses, for the most part of purple velvet, lined with white sarsnet, have been most prevailing; they are made with plain collars, and exactly to meet from the throat to the bottom; the waists of the pelisses are joined to the skirts, which admits of their fitting closer to the bust, and is a considerable advantage to the shape; a band of the same, pinned before, confines the waist; they are trimmned round the bottom with a deep French lace. Short mantles are also considered very elegant; and spensers, as usual, with the return of spring put in their claim for fashionable approbation; we have observed several of dove-coloured velvet, trimmed with swansdown, and many in blue satin, and as the season advances we expect to see them yield to those of sarsnet or muslin lined. Variegated chip hats in the cottage form seem to be advancing into notice, the small cottage shape, sufficiently raised from the face to admit underneath a rosette of lace or small bunch of hyacinths, primroses, or other spring flowers, whether in chip, satin, or straw, is decidedly the most admired. In carriages, caps are very numerous, they are made in broad yellow sarsnet ribband and lace, brought forward on the face, flat on the head, and projecting behind |