Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-09-23
From our Special Correspondent. !

crowd of fasbioL-mongers From the first of
september the "opeDings'' of various hous-s.
engaged IN the different departments of ladies'
ana chiidrens' clothing, begin to take place.
ana ana continue until the middle of October, the
,hiTu week IN September being set apart for the
pflncipai millinery openings. which shall VEN
lure TO anticipate in this letter.
n. FRENCH FASHIONS.
but INST, II must be promised that the war
nas maue SAD work With French millinerS and
threatens 10 destroy many OF our dearest and
nost petted illusions. Already the publishers of
an English fashion ma gazine have sent II the
proprietors OF well known fashion magaz;re
I'D ms country requesting to be supplied with
rs lts plates after they have been published here
oHering as compensation the cost OF such plates
IN Lordon, and giving as reason for the prop
theirs in Paris. oOns
Great houses begin to cautiously dispIav fine
gooos, and acknowledge them Of Am ,rican
manufacture, ard dealers talk OF the poss bility
soon OF allowing American stamps on artjcIes
heretofore supposed to be strictly French and
The conical "round" hats were purely an
American invention, and are just no beg nninc
10 md their way across the water. So also
mane thelr apPeara here last win:er-the
" DE Mediei,n v the Marie Antoinette'' and the
Mateiot" These are now being offered as
novelties in London and Paris.
AN AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FASHION
III American women had had wit enough TO
seize the idea of the 'Woman's Parliament,
when II was first presents ed to them, they would
nave artlclpated circumstances in a way that
would have lmmrtalZed them. Had societies
or councils OF women been organized at that
time throughout the country, they could now be
called upon TO send each a deeg ate, and at once
establish an American Academy OF Fashion, to
be Influenced by the voice of American women
II so ad OF being as they are. and as they must
6e, tne 81 %t OF caprice, the prey of interested
dealers, whose object naturally is to increase
trade and enlarge their profits, not to improve
"a. te. suppose, ior an instant, this American
academy OF Fashion in existence; suppose it
represented majority Of women in eyery town
village, hamlet, and city in the Union; suppose
1t met, and decreed the short walking dress as
the mode IN the street for the next four years
second skirt could BE- "A matter OF taste trim.
mings could be a matter OF taste, m sterials a
matter OF taste and convenience; but for four
years dress for street wear would be OF Just a
many inches long, and Just so many inches wi,ta
and ladies could have them made up IN ,nths
ahead, following the dietat, IS OF their own fan:v
as TO details, secure that the difference would
only exI,ess welcome dividUality, and that
they would be certain OF being in the fashion in
essentials. "
Why! such a condition would be Paradise. 1t
Is too good to think OF. 1t would save a world
OF uoubie, and anxiety, and doubt. and uncer-
tainty, and ages OF time now spent in tedious
ripping, and unsatisfactory altering over.
There Is no doubt that II is American fashions
we are coming to. Shall it be a new era of SEN
sible American dress? or dress for women based
vi on their needs, their Judgment, and their Dre-
ferenc 5? or constant succession OF monde
who2e interest is OPP ed to the dictates OF nd
ment and correct taste?
NEW FALL HATS AND BoxNErs.
Ihe gre t merit OF the new fall STYLES ia their
variety. III every one is not suited, surely II
must be their own fault, for or crowrs aud
biims, and tips, and curtains there are a. sorts
unhappy, irations.
In shapes there is no distinct novelty; but
there are brims turned up that were If t year
turned down, and some OF the brims widened,
and ome indented, and some broad brius at
tIehed to straight instead Of oval crowps, and
a general tendency to height, but less TO the
sugar-l0af Gro wns than last season.
The "Girondin" of last spring reappears
" ith Its high, somewhat broad crown, straight
upon the sides, and brim turred up at the sides.
but straight 'front.' and back.
composed o. silk (gros and-grain velvet) and
the little, stI aight, cottage bonnet, which has
been trying to obtain roofing for some time,
The favorite ''round" hat OF the season will
be new turban, with high crown OF an oval
shape, and brim turned up all round.
Hats for fan wear are principally in black
and brown straw, but there is great variety of
fine silk plush and beaver, In all the light shades
with velvet, which are particularly adapted to
children and misses, and seem to take the place
Of felt, which is much less used than formerly.
Elegant silk beavers, in fioe light shades. for
two long, hat, ostrich plumes, curled close,
which have very sotf and graceful effect. One
is always the color OF the beaver, the other
may be light blue or nile green, or the exact
tint of the velvet, which is generally q shade
darker than the be. yer.
Straw hats Al trimmed with velvet to match
the straw, gros gram ribbon, No. IL width, aud
either fe athers or flowers, sometimes both; but
this admixture of trimming is generally the evil
dence of bad style and poor quality.
Ore OF the pretdest shapes in bonnets is
or improvement on the Pamela"
1t is composed Of silk Or silk and velvet in two
shades, and we have also seen them arranged i'm
choice contrasting cOlOrs with very .ood effect.
II has soft, rather high crown OF silk, and q
flexible brim Of silk and velvet, or of the two
sb AIDES OF silk. A double quilting OF silk and
velvet surrounds the crown, two fat ostrich
with a she'll ornament. the brim is lined with
silk, slightly gathered, and ornamented with a
couble quilting OF velvet and double -ings are
back, the other under the chin, carrying out the
idea Of the different shades, or the two colors,
to completeness.
THE CROWN IMPERIAL.
The very newest and most distinguished of the
designs for bonnets (Which, it may be remarked,
are generally made now in costly materials, and
but little used for neoiige) is the "Crown Irpe-
dented at the top, but with straight sides and
rarrow brim, bent to the shape Of the head. 1t
Is made Of rich silk or velvet, and is trimmed In
ants feathers, in brilliant coor. Mingled "s With
lire lace barbes, or ends Of gros grain ribbon,
which spring from the center OF the crown and
fall over the sides, dropping to the brim.
Wren the hat Is made Of silk, narrow ribbon
and real lace barbes are used for trimmings II
is only for velvet that feathers are employed.
NILE GRERN
has quite displaced the yellow "Metternichr
green, which created such Q furore two years
ago. "Nile" green is very light shade Of blue
gre en-, and is associated with white velvet and
beaver very effectively. 1t is particularly be-
coming TO beauties Of the fariest blonde type.
COSTUME "COMPLEr.p
The new complete costumcs for fall wear ART
composed Of pcPlns, silfs and yelvets. in three
shades Of one color. Green, maroon and brown
e-e the fayorite bases. The suit consists OF two
skirts and basque, with postillion; no sash.
TIE body part OF the whole dress is OF pOplin,
the nat bands are of velvet; the vest which is
on the front Of the jacket, the bindings
sr ore OF the rufes at the, wrist are silk. The
tops Of the sleeves are not trimmed. The ehades
are arranged 70 that the poplin shall be the me-
vet shade darker. -
Bonnets are made Of the same matsrals to
match these suite, feathers and ribbons being
carefully arranged en- suite. This is in accor-
dance with the method which We stated some
Time ago bad begun to be adopted by ladies OF
faste and high fashion, in order to secure ind;-
OF design and N erfecf harm of ros-