The lighter silks are in stripes and plaids of infinite variety. Green and violet seem to be the favorite shades. These are made with flounces, usually three, nearly the same width, the top one measuring the same from the top of the skirt. Fringe in alternate stripes, to correspond with the silk, is used where much trimming is desired on the edge of these flounces, or they may be simply bound or pinked. Pinking is used more than of late, and, in every establishment where it is done, there are a great variety of patterns, many of them elaborate. We have seen a very tasteful walking-dress, of violet and white plaid--a "quadrilled" silk, the manufacturer calls it--made with three flounces as above, the basque trimmed with fringe (alternate white and violet, instead of being mixed, as was the style) three inches deep. This was, in turn, headed by violet satin ribbon an inch wide, box-plaited on, and continuing around the front of the corsage. The sleeves were flowing, with three rows of fringe much narrower, but exactly corresponding, also headed by the plaiting, and fastened on the inside by a knot of rich brocaded ribbon with flowing ends. This, of course, had an exceedingly elegant effect, and could only be worn by a tall, full figure. We describe it to show how elaborate and costly the trimming of dresses are made the present season, while the materials, silks, tissues, _barèges_, etc., remain much the same as the past year. Box-plaited ribbons, whether plain, pearl-edged satin, brocaded, or plaided, are much used. It is usual to allow twice and a half the desired length of the trimming in purchasing them. Bows of broader and more expensive ribbon are still used for the sleeves and front of the corsage. For thin materials, as _barège_, tissues, etc., in all the fanciful names by which they are called, most of which are manufactured by the importers' clerks, there is every variety of trimming in the shape of gauze ribbons. They have usually a coarse thread in the plain edge, by which they can be drawn up into quillings, ruches, and even box-plaitings. So many yards are used in a full trimming, and it is so expensive, never less, and usually more than a quarter of a dollar a yard, that the trimming and making often cost as much, and even more than the original material. No city dressmaker, with any pretence to a good style, will undertake to make a dress for less than three dollars. In the really fashionable shops, $4 75 is the charge for making a basque waist, apart from the skirt--silk, buttons, all trimmings charged separately in the bill; so that you have from seven to nine, and even fifteen dollars, to add to the cost of your two yards and a half of silk, the quantity usually purchased for a basque.