Connecticut western news., 1871-10-06
Fall and Winter Fashions,

The openings for the fall and winter fashions have taken place. We note as follows
 The newest shape in bonnets or hats, or both, is high-crowned and helmet shaped, a military-looking affair, with small brim, which sits on the head like soldiers casque.
 Velvet is always the most fashionable material fer winter hats and bonnets in this country, but we notice a distinct effort to restore the black beaver, which was fashionable thirty years ago. Round hats and cottage bonnets of English manufacture are offered of this descrip- tion, the most distinguished trimmed with black ostrich feathers and black gros grain ribbon. Colors do not accord with black beaver.
 Black velvet bonnets will hardly be as general this season as they have been for the past several years. The deepest shades of garnet, cypress green, Vandyck brown, cameo, prune, and wine color are admirable in velvet, and when re- leved by the lighter shades of the same color in soft, satin-fnished gros grain, make picture which is study
 Irish poplins are shade lower in price, and most beautiful in color and quality. Of late years the example of the royal family has made them as fash ionable in England as they have always been in France and America. They make handsome dinner dresses, but are particularly we'll adapted for stylish vis- iting costumes, trimmed with velvet a shade darker, and knotted or bullion fringe the color of the poplin. Velvet will be the material for rich suits and cloaks trimmed with fur or with new silk and jet passementeries and fringe; but it is too early as yet to speak with confidence of exclusive winter modes. Genuine French cashmere is in great demand for fall costumes, but very scarce; in colors it is hardly to be found at all. Fine merino, drap d'ete, the best quality of all-wool empress cloth are trimmed with soutached fringe and large brandebourge buttons with tassels, instead of the velvet and guipure lace of last year. A new combination in two colors only has been made in Scotch plaids, which proves very effective. It IS shaded in blue and black, green and black, brown and black, and is really distinguished in white and black. The latter can only be trimmed with black velvet distinctively.
 The warm new jackets of the season are of velvet trimmed with fur, and of fur (sealskin) cut and slashed into fanci- full shapes and mounted with fur of a different kind, black marten, or what has been improperly called G s'Alaska sable" Fancy jackets are so plentiful that it seems pity to cut up sealskin, which has character of its own, into a member of this numerous and uncertain family.
 Long, flat boas, with huff of the usual size and style, are the fashionable, in fact the sole, designs of the season, ex- cepting the novelties in fur jackets. The prospect for great activity in furs is most favorable, the prices being consid- erably reduced and long, cold winter threatened. Black marten has quite dis tanced mink as 8 popular fur, although the beauty of the dark mink stripe must always give it certain prestige Ermine has recovered much of it's former vogue. and IS in demand for ceremonies, visit ing, theatre and concert purposes. Very choice sets of dark marten and real ermine, also can be bought for forty dollars each, so that lady can be per fectly provided with furs for eighty dol lars. --A -@
 Kid gloves are imported in different shades to match all the new tints and colors. They are trife lower in price, and shade deeper in tone for evening wear than last year. Black gloves, slightly embroidered with the color of the dress, are considered distinguished this year for the promenade, unless the robe is light colored, such as camee, pearl or ash gray, and then the glove should match in color and show deli | cate embroidery in black