The New York herald., 1865-03-24
s-s...S srs..:S FASHIONS
OPENING DAY IN l,.s HETEoPoLs.

"u cuSsois, WHICH IorDos any change In the gay TN
ladies' had cold disagreeabe winry weather for the
tour Of inspection and criticism Fortunately the WIND
that chilled the pedestrians kept on the rain and tho day
closed a. It opened, dry and windy
The preparations for the spring openings this year were
moro universal and certainly moro iaborous and elabo
rate, than they have been some years past and II IA
not surprising that the exhibitions should show evidence
OF this In the greater interest and variety Of the display
Al we nave dwet At length tho subject OF hats under
the proper heading, we need only observe here that
though the prices have suffered no abatement the de-
uand has not fallen of II is not however in bonnets
Alone that this has been observed Il IL the same in
every department Of fashionable expenditure Never
before was there seen such lavish expenditure such dsrs
gard Of expense as now Never there such universal
sxtravaganse in dress prevais The evidence OF
II meets the eye at every turn No can walk down
Broadway without becoming Of it No one can
case into tho shop windows without becoming convinced
Of IT. No one can look at the groups Of magniAcenty
attred ladies and doubt It. Spendor Is the order Of the
day, and the more costly article ID the more certain
1t 10 TO md purchaser This for expense displays
tseh NOS only In the quality Of the MATERIAL but in the
profusion and eaborateness OF ornamentaton which
70 rapidly assuming the proportions OF q mania among
our fashonables When tho reaction comes We expect
1t will be a. extreme In It's way for In the moral as in
the physical world, the higher the tide she further
back the exultng billows now." Therefore we would
not be surprised to find the present
followed by one Of Quakerike simplicity
BONNETs.
The change that has taken place In bonnets since our
last notice Of those designed for wear has boen
thorough and radical that ludcrous retain
the name. bonnet used TO be a cover for the head
and sometimes shade for the face has long ceased
to be the latter and it has thrown or eyen the
preence Of the former In all its previous transforms
tons the bonnet retained some traces Of the purpose
originally subserved, no matter how striking the
changes-no matter how unsparingy the modite
Topped or pruned away-no matter whether
she was prodgal Of cape penurious of brlm-that
which came from her hands deserved the name OF q
bonnet To the honor Of that extinct article OF femi-
nine 1t must be admitted that it passed through
many violent revolution before II perished
but the most indomitable spirit could not sur
vve the constant attacks to which It was
subjected, and the bonnet is thing of the past
Little did we imagine that the agreeable mutations
which we chroniced from time to time would lead to
such result that the alterations of crowns rigid as
poplar or dropping willow Of fronts that cung tho
face the cover to the book curved from like the
bent bow from the chord; OF brms that scared sank
and capes that collapsed expanded would end in the
annihation OF the bonnet ITSELF so II s The bon
net Is thing OF the past Men need no longer strain
their eyes in peepng down leghorn lane" to catch the
glmpssof familiar face. 'NoM apons change to4 cela"
lively neighbo the Gaul would say It the
bonnet that hides the face now but the face that hides
the bonnet.
It would have prevented a confusion Of ideas and
tended greatly preserve desirable connection between
sound and sense IL we had abolished the term bonnet
altogether and substituted another In It's place, and
coined for the elegantly useless and stylish monde
script that this occupies the place and usurps the
Of the old and time honored bonnet II Ia absurd
to call by the same name two things unlike in every
essential nevertheless for want OF new name we must
commit that absurdty and call the style Of head.
gear bonnet All that remains Of the old bonnet how
ever dimru,iye y. f.nchon shaped from. piece which
rally appended . bewidering mass OF lace penss
spray o. floating ribbons, SO disposed as 70 har-
Sn'' Ss @ as''as ss oss SsS. rvs.
Tmm.ns 10 back q yns bonnet. leaving the front
most denuded Of ornament As II to render the dssimi
larty complete between the old and new styles,
the ch1pe0u LipNt, may call Fashions last crea
tion win be frequently without strings those erst
while indispensable appendages being drawn backwards
and tied under the waterfall
the coming are tuc ribbon, slk and Grape, and
the trimming lace flowers and ribbons Il ID perhaps
worthy OF that ribbons are In high favor this
season. and that for purposes Of back trimming they
have fairly driven all others out Of the market
Color is left is usual here 70 tina taste OF the ndi
y,dus for on that point fashion has issued no faf and
the necessity this entails Of catering for individual taste
or caprice adds wonderfully to the variety and brliancy
Of our New York exhibitions But though we have no
regnng color 70 pay homage to we have the advent OF
new chronicle and with nsme 20 msllinuous
pirate a. well as poetica; for 'The moon on the lake,
Is caledreminds one OF the glittering track OF
ve 1ousey 81 Sessio color snd r we
have no doubt, become popular with those who prize
purity OF tone above brilliancy Of hue
specimens Of the styles we would beg our readers
10 bear In mind that when we speak Of bonnets
we mean the elegant trihes that have displaced and
erxede
fashionable world. This promised, will proceed to
describe some exquisite specimens Of the modses art
called forth unmeasured praise from every new group OF
spectators
exhibition at A. H. stewards II was composed Of white
tue fecked with golden stars, and ITSELF lady
po des a.re poys des aares being in her estimation,
evidently, New York on opening day. Black ribbon
scooped, with golden fringe, formed the crown, from
which fell streaars Of narrow black ribbon. Lace cap
OF white starred tue and bouquet OF moss buds heath
blossoms, delicate sprays g,itserins with gea,Iy
Il was an opera hat OF beauty made Of white dot ed
tue and ribbon that gowed like the heart OF opening
rose Where In old times the crown began a shower
OF lilies OF tho valley, their tiny sprays sparkling with
dew drops and above this nowery cascade trans
parent Of tue white and sot as sheeted foam that
half hid and half revealed tiny arrow flung amid Its
folds Is IL at random. Inside trimming OF puffed tue
and strings OF pink ribbon with ovesrngs OF misty
,wo eoors nons more artistic than the effect produced
with such slight matcr,als. That, however, 10 the
touchsone OF genius that constitutes the difference pc
tween the mner and tho artist The ability TO produce
striking results with apparently inadequate 10 the
highest manifestation Of the nodissi art, and the
recognition OF The most natering tribute that could be
paid 10 any lady OF the craft And one think could
DENY the possession Of that quality TO those who minis
ter 10 the wants OF New York fashionabes after
making OF tho leading establishments that opened
yesterday The endless fertility Of invention there dis
played the variety produced from materials similar in
styo by simple change In the arrangement 10 proof
positive II any were wanting, that our md'ses are no
servils Apyss Of Paris fashions put have taste ano
| Of their own.
Near the opera hat We have described was q perfect
novelty called coat cap, which seemed TO challenge
| admiration and defy criticism. II was made Of the
finest English dunstable, and had VISOR 'front.' like the
ordinary cloth cap by boys, which 1t also closely
resembied In FORM Indeed, II our lady readers would
imagine boys cap reproduced In straw, and imagine
further, the same cap divided In two Just where the
crown il widest, they will have clear idea Of the
foundation basis Of the coat cap they could have
without seeing tho article ITSELF From this straw DENT
une depends double fall OF magnificent Chan,lly lace
sweeping over the shoulders like VEIL and producing