es not seem at all
likely to diminish, accounts in some degree for this.

In EVENING DRESSES silks predominate for robes, but always the new
spring silks, the heavy ones being quite laid aside; the bodies are cut
low, but moderately so; they are of the Louis Quinze, and la Grecque
styles; the latter have the draperies attached by knots of ribbon, or
brilliant ornaments, as the dress is rich or otherwise. A deep fall of
lace, placed under the last drapery, is looped with it in the centre,
and also on the shoulder; it turns round the back, and falls, _en
mancheron_, over the sleeve, which is always very short if the corsage
is _a la Grecque_. The Louis Quinze has the lace disposed in a full fall
_a l'enfant_; or also a berthe, either round or pointed; the latter is
_en coeur_, very voluminous at the top, but with the lace narrowing to
a point at the waist; the skirts, if trimmed, are flounced, but many are
made without garnitures. Several white dresses, trimmed, with black
lace, have lately appeared; this fashion gains ground, but it is not yet
a decided one.

The majority of evening dresses combine richness of effect with the
light textures adapted to summer, ball, and dinner costume. Dresses of
white crape have been made with double jupes, or with three flounces,
the latter edged with pink-ruches, or with four or five rows of narrow
ribbon. The berthe is of the shawl form, and should be trimmed to
correspond with the flounces, either with ruches or rows of ribbon. A
bouquet of flowers may be worn in the centre of the corsage. New barege
dresses are made with three flounces, scalloped, and trimmed at the edge
with a quilling of ribbon. The corsages of some of these dresses are
made close to the figure, and with basques; the latter, like the
flounces, having a scalloped or vandyked edge, trimmed with a quilling
of ribbon. Other dresses of the same material have drawn corsagas, and
then the top flounce is set on at the lower end of the waist, and by
that means serves as a basque. The flounce may be open or not in front.
Sleeves are almost universally worn open at the ends, whether the dress
be plain or of a superior kind. The under-sleeves worn in dressed
costume are also open at the ends, in the pagoda form, and are trimmed
with fontanges or frills of lace, or richly worked muslin. Dresses
intended for walking or neglige costume have muslin under-sleeves
fastened at the wrist with turned-up cuffs. For sleeves reaching to