plan, and have a special dress made for the tour we are about to undertake, which will do for day wear, as well as for journeying while we are away; then, furnished with a second nice black silk or satin for very best occasions, we are sufficiently well clad for every purpose.  A dust cloak, travelling cloak, and short jacket are added, and some wise people take their fur capes; in fact, for short expeditions of a month or six weeks we do not like large trunks nor encumbrances, so we curtail all our wants, and are so much the happier, having less anxiety and worry.  In addition to all this, we save our shillings in fees, and charges for over-weight, very considerably, and, when we are rid of the heavy trunks, last, not least, we break no backs.

While I am on this topic, I must mention that the late Exhibition (the Healtheries) was of great assistance to travellers in showing how much can be done to decrease weight and bulk in every way, and setting wits to work to improve in all directions.  Thus we have wonderfully improved waterproofed cloaks, hygienic boots and shoes; and the improvement in trunks and bags is immense, in addition to their moderation in price.

The greatest unanimity prevails with regard to the small jackets, which seem patronised by young girls, as well as married women of every age.  They are generally loose-fronted, but tight-fitting at the back, the fronts being lined with coloured silk.  Many of them are braided, some gold braid being used, and many have a flat braided plastron in the front to button over and give a double-breasted effect.  Serge in all hues seems very much liked, but the most popular are dark navy-blue and cream-white.  Short cloaks, with sling-sleeves and hoods, are very much worn, also short mantelettes, like our paper-pattern for last month.  These may be made in the material of the dress.

This autumn I must again mention the numbers of slightly full bodices of the “Garibaldi” and “Norfolk jacket” class that this season has brought out, to be worn with skirts of different materials.  The different ladies’ tailors of renown have taken up this idea, and it is probable that we shall see them greatly worn during the winter season.  Some of these have a yoke, and some have a straight band on the shoulders, into which they are fulled.  They are made in flannel, linen, and twilled silk, in all colours, striped, spotted, and plain, and with them the becoming fashion of the full basque has come in.  Yoked bodices will be a decided winter style.

With these bodices there is generally a turned-down collar and long cuffs of velvet, and the belt should be also of velvet.  In other cases the belt matches the full bodice, and is of moire or Petersham ribbon.