The Portland daily press., 1865-04-04
Tuesday Morning, April 4, 1865.
The Spring Fashions.
OPENING DAY IN NEW YORK.


OPENING DAY IN NEW YORK.
Tie fathers and husbands of New York
will be gratided to learn that there is In this
season a perceptible diminution in the prices OF
articles OF female apparel. The price of bon
nets is, however, nearly maintained, as there
is a scarcity OF ribbons, owing to limited i'm
poi tatiols of late.
MILLINERY.
There has been more decided change in
millinery styles within the past year than dur
ing the same length of4time in thirty years be-
fore. Bonnets are disappearing; the crown
worn in former years Is entirely gone; and
the elegant head dresses to- day on exhibition
are approaching in form and dimensions the
Spanish mantilla; yet it is not probable that
the ladies OF New York will at any future time
appear in public places with lace yeils cover
ing their heads like those worn by the ladies
OF Madrid and Havana.
There is considerable variety of beautiful
hats. One is of white Grape dotted with crys-
tai beads; a square piece of blonde, in Nea-
politan style, thrown over the top, for the
crown, and long streamers of narrow white
ribbon falling over white tulle; the face trim
ming, of pink roses spanged with crystal
dew and white blonde.
Another hat, of neat and unostentatious
style, is formed entirely of ostrich feathers;
pink ruche On the edge, and an elegant tall OF
blonde forming the curtain; outside are crys-
tai drops; inside, pink Grape and moss buds.
This is called the Princess Clotilde. A nov
city, known as the Union hat is composed Of
draO silk laid on in shell pattern, rich lace
hanging from the back, with steel stars; the
inside trimming red, white, and blue. An el
egant white hat has dropping from the back a
cluster of clematis flowers, fastened with
crystal dagger. All these styles are much ad-
mired.
Among the hats most prominently exhibit
ed at one of the show rooms is one of white
tulie spangled with steel beads, intended, it is
said, 10 have in the sunlight an effect some
what like that of diamonds. Another white
hat is very tastefully trimmed with buff, wheat
and jet ornaments. A pretty jockey shape is
called the court hat. 1t is of white straw,
without rim except in front. Here the rim
extends outward like that Of boys cap. It
is bound and neatly trimmed with black vel
vet.
The Princess Alice, the Esther hat tLeg-
horn, the Rachel, and some other showy hats,
are among The prevailing styles. In jockeys
there are the Glenary, white straw Scotch
cap trimmed with herring feather, for chill
dren and young misses; the English jockey,
the trimming wheat andvelvet; the Amlna,
white straw, with narrow brim, turned up on
one side, the crown less sloping than OF the
Iue DdkdLudt udl, Will udi1OW AOiAihS
brim; and the Cecilia, of which the trimming
is white water lily, with pearl and crystal or
naments. The prices of bopnets vary ordna.
riy from fifteen to fifty dollars; though some
are made to order at figures varying up to and
beyond one hundred dollars. The most fash
ionable colors used In trimming are violet,
maize, drab, green and blue.
MOURNING ATTIRE.
There is, of course, not much variety in
mourning bonnets, but some of them are very
neat. A good specimen is made OF rich Grape,
fitting closely at the side, fall OF loops or
narrow ruffiss at the back, and embellished
with let ornaments. For half mourning
pretty hat is made of black tule, trimmed
with white and black ribbon. There are ele-
giant grenadine robes in suits, with three mar
row founees scalloped and bound with white
or purple: sash and mantilla to match. In
dress goods there are Grape Eugene, suitable
for this season, and Byzantine and Florentine
for summer wear.
MANTILLAs AND sHAwLs.
The styles of mantillas and shaws have va
ried somewhat Circulars are again fashlona-
BILE. Sacks and basquines OF light cloth, trim
med with black and made short, will be much
worn during the spring. In silk mantilas
there are beautiful patterns; the circular,
with two wide plaits running down the back
nearly to the hem, the plaits trimmed with
Gsfipure lace. An elegant one may be pur-
chased for forty-iVe dollars, but the price va
ries, OF course, according to the quality of the
silk.
In shawls there is the usual variety. An
India shawl, price $4,000, is on exhibition
The prevailing style for ordinary wear IS, how
ever, in Mohair. They are neat and durable,
and Inequality is SO varied that they are sold
at from twenty dollars TO more than hundred
dollars.
DRESSES AMI DRESS GOODS.
Gored dresses, finished on the edge with
pirde cord, and trimmed in various modes,
are now preferred, though the straight skirt
is still muct. worn. The jacket is sometimes
strapped across the front, over vest OF the
same material, or Of white, and terminating
on the back in a square basque. The sleeves
are made plain and close fitting, trimmed to
match the skirt, or loosely and open at the
back, with straps Of velvet, TO be worn with
an undersleeye There is considerable vari-
ety in the form of both The bodice and sleeve.
Trimmings of fringe represent double skirt,
finished at the side with cord and tassel; and
double tabs or sashes, trimmed to match, are
"a use. There are robes, apparently LAID open
at the side, over breadths OF contrasting col
ors. richly orDamented, and making an elegant
costume. Skirts are much trimmed, this be-
ing he feature of the season in dresses.
Moire antique and other manufactures of
silk now yield precedence to satin. The latest
Partisan styles are in this material, brocaded.
A lilac pattern, worked in brilliant colors, is
very handsome; but other styles of brocaded
satin are equally admired. The prices for the
dress patterns are two hundred to three hun
dred dollars. The narrow stripes will be worn
the ensuing season; and the Bayadere stripes
are coming into favor again. The price is
from two to ten dollars yard. In plain silks
the prevailing colors are uert metGttque and
Mexican blue; aud the latest and most fash
ionable is the Paris "dust color" or light
gray.
preferring something more snowy than stripes
sud delicate sprigs. 1t is q fabric with the fg-
ures OF birds resting on fowery shrubs. A
renres >utation of robin red breast perched
upon a green sprig with purple flowers is par
ticulaily attractive. 1t suggests the specl-
mems preserved from our grandmother ward
robes of more than half century age.
Paris goats hair cloth, in stripes and cheeks
black and grey plain colors, are pretty and du-
rable, and made In suits. These are for walk
ing or travelling dresses.
The Tamise cloth is an admirable material
for spring wear, and is fast winning its way
into popular favor. 1t is 1ner In appearance
than alpaca, but not so glossy; the fabric is
soft, and falls readily into graceful folds. 1t
comes generally in plain shades.
Balmorals, in gay colors, which have been
30 long worn, are now disappearing. Pretty
skirts of black alpaca, gored and quilted on
amschine, aud bound with white, either plain
or 10 scalops, are preferred, and in woolen
material, black and white sklIts, in stripes and
checxs, with futed trimming, wiil DO In some
demand; but white moreen skirts tastefuiy
trimmed will probably be the style for the
coming season.