The New York herald., 1871-03-22
7 He HIO MS.
SPRING OPENINGS AND STYLES.
What Toilet VOrshippers Can
See To-Day.
pewildcring Varieties and Irresistible Tempta-
ions-raste Predominant and American La
dies Choosing for Themselves-Flght Of
the F.ckle Goddess from Paris to
New Ycrk-Whst 70 Wear
and How to Wear It.

Opening day In New YORK among the TlodlSfeS
ls as uncertain and cSie as the deity they worship.
Fne greater number throw open their treasures OF
fashion 10 the public to-day ana tomorrow. aud
many others, even among the leading houses, defer
the great event until April However from the
2oth Of March untll the 18th OF Aprn scarcely day
win elapse without grand opening taking place
at some modlste's establishment. Since the oc-
currence OF the sad events IN France,
which not only deihrOned the Bonaparte dy-
nasty, bat also the empire OF fashion, modtSteS
have been at loss 10 know where the chameleon
goddess would next set up her headquarters A
cololy or Parlsan nlodtStes has been temporarily
established at Brussels, waiting, likely, favorable
opportunity to go back to the once gay capital now
IN the hands OF the sans cuotes and long stranger
10 fashion and gayety. Meanwhile strong move
ment Is being made to esta0ilsh here permanently
temple OF fashion, IRON which American ladies
can dictate to their sisters across the ocean. Lon
don has already recognized THIS temple, as the
fashion magazines OF that metropolis borrow all
their plates and styles from New York. Regarding
the originof
FRENCH FASHIONS
the following facts Will be found lnteresting:-
when Henry Ill. of France could think OF nothing
more amusing tnan to crlmp ana scorcn his collars
or 20 curl hts wlfe's and SISTERS hair. and when
Francis l. loaded his minions with every luxury
fashions then. Every country had fashion OF Its
own. and the Burgundlans Lorrainers. Alsatians
and Italians were in turn models for courts to mi-
ta.e. Even the Scotch costume gained considerable
favor at one time: tnat was when Mary Queen or
Scots appeared in her beauty at the French Galas,
dressed IN costume partly Scotch and partly Bur-
gundan.
THE FIRST FASHION. DICrAToRs
Two ladies' however, soon appeared, who raised
IN hpiu IN of it- 10 tor
glory. These were the two daughters OF Catharine
of M6dicis, Marguerite, Queen OF Navarro and Eliz-
abeth alterward the luckless wife Of Philip L., King
OF Spaln-a lady whom Schiller has immortalzed
ia his .sDon Caros.u
Marguerite, whose imagination seems only second
to her beauty, is SAID 10 nave invented a new
costume for every entertainment at which
She appeared, and 1t Is stated that each
different costume was perfect wonder for
taste and richness added to this, her own
beauty was marvellous that Brantome, the fash
ioDabIe chronicer OF the time writes. IN his exag
eera.ed siyle, that ali the goddesses OF olympus
were as nothing when compared 10 her. 1t soon.
therefore. became the fashion for the court ladies
60 copy Marguerite as minutely as possible, both IN
style and dress.
Elizabeth, tne second lady above alluded 10, was
also lover or admiration and change. she Is said
never TO ha, worn the same dress twice, though
each one must have cost q little fortune TO her
dOIing spouse
FASHIONS, we may say, were invented by these
Med. CTS prlncesses, VINO subsequently, made pcTtlcs
subse. Went 10 their fashions For instance il was
al mower feast gwen Dy catherine de Medicis on
an mpromptu iary island that the Massacre OF st.
Bartholomew was planned; it was there also that
many oil our modern dances were Introduced and
slIce then fashions and politics have gone hand Ia
hand III France.
TIL now began with Anne OF Austria, VINO was one
OF the Naiuest women OF her day, ana lived IN the
greatest horror OF looking old. and who. coTlsc-
quenty, adopted style OF dress as juvenie rs pos
elbe, which ladies of all ages were nothing ioath 10
buckles lace. frls. collars AMI cravats--iashions
which were faithfully copied 10y other courts, espe
cially BY Charles OF England and his ladies'.
OUR GllIS.
Surely the ladies' can have NO right to complain
CHS season at the display OF styles offered for their
adlnirng gaze and appfOoltlon FOR the designs are
so varied aud numerous hat II IS almost iple
Tor casual obsery TO decide waat i exactly Ia
nlode Every variety OF dress, short long, plain
or excessively trimmed, garnlrure contrasting, ex-
actIy matching, or ea cana eu is iaShionab.y worn
provided u be elegant and above an b1e1t poyte;
That IS the main point. To the qraslde dame
1t matters little whether her toilet be COM
pleied by sweeping D'unfeGu de coa3 or tunlc
tucked up Ia peasant style, for she viii carry
each with equal dignity and grace ; but the
q1afede. DANES are the exceptions TO the general
ruie and II behooves most LADIES' TO study their
particular st, le and ngure before deciding wnat
SHAH be their indiydual fashion for the season. and,
indeed for all seasons. In this lady needs the
assistance OF the superior judgment AMI experience
or her dressaker; and ater the decision Is arrived
II as TO the general style tue details may safely be
lett to the moiste wbo TO III her position properly,
should he ali artist in the fullest sense of the
Who else Could so gracefully arrange the antique
drapery which impalts the desired CHIC to the
TUNES or the present season. Most OF the casaques
aud tunics now worn have this Distinguishing iea-
ture, and are more less bo{raRt IN the back ac-
cording TO the peculiar fancy OF the wearer. The
newest casa9ues are e. made wnh vests either pointed
late one. very becoming style to
SLEN5EE LADIES
Eas draped apron falling from underneath short.
basgueslaped fronts, either long shoI accordl
10 fancy the short one IN contrast with the exceed
ingly long back beng the most stylish. These
fIl - tn fhn adU nf
the skirt and invariably overlap the garnirure the
back.
CAsHaERE COSTUMES
usually made with "a casaque e4cesslvelg draped 10
be worn over q lupe lie sUie, generally black. One
novelty winch bids lair 10 establish It's popularity Is
walking costumes IN Two contrasting colors. These
are very becoming ior young ladies', leaving the
costumes en- calualeuX and the more sobeT-tlnted
toilets for their elder slsters and mammas The
finest combinations are haUune, with light blue,
light green, with lilac gray With oue ruby coral
color or, If darker coors are preferred, ole, and
slate, brown and dark bue, or violet and b onze.
These costumes should be completed by a Jaunty
glpsey bonnet Of Engllsn stiaw, trimmed with aros
gram ribbon matching the most prohoact color in
WHITE AND BLACK TOILETS
when have achlevei SO much popularity, have be-
come the occasion for numerous fanclul devices,
recently dCsigned and completed FOR q southern
lady, was In rich black gros gram, the demi.
box-plaited IN sections. simply hemmed on
tne boston. with the upper part cut In broad
b8uares, outlined py smell pullug5 oil fne
ELK Is a heading. The spaces were ornamented by
handsome gros grain BOWS, made double and
rlnsed deeply on the ends. The graceful overskrt,
OF an entirely new design, happily chrisIened rhe
"Henfiguezn was bordered with rufiie OF white
silk, uinged on the cage over which disposed
rich Chantilly lace, tue neecy fringe falling Just
enough below 10 produce the most charming eject.
This was open In front, CO duplicated arrangement
underneath OF tapes and buttons producing most
charmingiy b0tUdHt appearance IN the back and
drawing the fronts apart. Inc launty postilion
waist was trimmed TO correspond the front ar
ranged as q vest and the sleeves IN the Duchesse
style. Black aud white lace arIlstcaly arranged
Is $50 q most recherche garniture ON brown.
Spring costumes, proper, do not make their ap-
pearance before cater, when We may expect 10 see
inany iresn novelties which have been IN prepara-
ton dnring the peni'entlal season OF Lent, oar
elCgatgUes. meanw hiIe, being condemned by fashion
10 appear IN sonbre b ack. Not that many OF the
costumes are very penltental in appearance, but
the contrary quite coluettlsh and as becoming as
possible.
MATERIALS AND SHADES.