Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-04-01
FASHIONS FOR APRIL,
OPENING OF SPRING MILLINERY.
Displays OF New Bonnets-Straw in the Ascen.
dant.The "Pompadour" and the "Frou
Frou"-New Dresses. and How TO make
Ihem-1sdies and Children's Furnishings,
ETC, Etc.

tErening StGr NsIc FORK Fashion Letter1
We are not As vet displaying much freshness
in street attire, partly because it is Lent and a
peniteDtial soberness is the proper thing, and
partly because the styles from Brussels an
dl Hrns VIII compare with our homemade
arrogance. The oracles have spoken at last:
e el Pans has sent MS hssty contribution 10
me gehersl stock, aud the result is as uncertain
ana indefinite as might have been expected.
III ,n, iact we know just about as much now as Ne
did before.
CHANCES AND NOVELTIES
are SPOKEN of, but none have really as vet take,
place, and u Is not at all likely that any decided
chdDge VIII occur this season. The prssaut
styles are really very pretty and convenient; at
least they can be made SO, and no one feels in
clned TO make change which NAV be Tor m.
verse Paris has not yet sUfi oiently recovered
rom the shocks 1t has received 10 originate auy
new lueas IN fashion, and moreover she has losf
the prestige and authority which she aainer
during the Empire, while no other Europesn
Slty mas ever shown any evidence of Great v
power. There lie nothing for Us 70 do tberefor,
but fall back upon what We had, ami imnrovs,
upon II as tar a. we are able.
mere Is one great disadvantage in the inces-
s sanI cnshges OF fashion which women seem en-
treIy 70 overlook, and that is the entire loss of
individuality which il involves. There are some
persons 10 whom certain styles of dress and GER
IAN material seem to belong, as perfume to
me Hover, and one likes 10 associate them
WIN their belongings, as If they were the nat
ural outgrowth OF their characteristics : I re-
me moef, for instance, doye-eyed, gentle wo-
man, whose dress of Soft, gray silk fine lace
collar, and knot of blue ribbon AT tbe tho,
seemed as much OF her personality as her brown
balr ana white hands. ! remember a statelv
oid New York lady, who wore a white liss, mn
pan, arranged after a peculiar fashion! AM
fastened with large single pearl almost fn
the Day OF her death, and no amount OF false
hair would have ever impaired to her An a.
psaTance of such remarkable dignity ana ~.
JUNCTION. A beautiful and brilliant lady nf nv
scquahtahce never wears anything hut white
anu DIaek. her tolettes are so well chosen,
anu IN such exceedingly good taste howey,r
tnst 90 not know If this peculiarly has been
generally remarked among her friends , IL -
not necessary that we should be all alike, but
we should all have sense and indepe ndenre
enough to adopt our dress TO our indIyiduaIifV
our circumstances, and our necessities.
constant change destroys all ideas of dignity
ana tepose; " Is At war with the eternal lac.
10 which II is for Our'well- being and bapniness
10 anchor our souls; and though we NAV admit
new and costly fabric or the "lstest'' design,
YET II IS not to these that we should sacrifice
any real or beautiful thing, which mall a 49,
OF ourselves, and of our lives.
TIE NEW BONNKTs.
Inc millinery openings which were nOs,ponad
to a week later than usual, have taken ffa.a
and though there was little that was new. tbeTe
was plenty That was pretty, bright, and attrac-
I'VE Inc bonnets from abroad are larger than
tnose OF american manufacture, and q der in
we puaity OF the materials used, but otherwise
thefe IL little difference to note. A very b,g6
FL ..sh IouhI hat attracts Immediate "A tention
nut IL mas favor OF Jvburnia rather than of
beIgravla, and would he considered FAST by
Q female boat racer "
Nearly an of The hats this season are bopnet.
0ut tney are so much like hats that 1t is az MI
Iooh used to remark, of no consequence Tba
pafticuisr objection to them is thar thara a. ,,,
v s, o1eo Iact ABOUT them to anchor oneself to
tbes are as uncertain as the waves. or the sands
upon I've sea shore. While there IL a general
resemblance no two are alike: IL is littie moTs
oIiin, or little less crown, or n brim indented.
or bTlm up In OF particular however! thew
are all alike, and that is in beng comno,ed
mainly OF straw. f'Nu
There are few Of crepe, and a few. of lace.
put the majority ate of tine English or Italian
best and most useful material Tor
spring and su rhmer bOnnets ever Invented. ana
tne.onIy one adapted TOR wear with a variety of
Bonnets from Brussels possess distinctive
characteristics. The Sc Charlotte Cordav - il
&c with soft long G. own, and dropping brim.
sae eGge az bound with black velvet, and mar
TOW piack lace Is laid nat above II; the trimming
Is black lace, black velvet, mixed with black
gros sra''' ribbon and roses ia straw and colored
The " Lamballe" has a low crown u;,h
straight brim, indented at the sides lis or
Englsh straw, trimmed with black Brussels
lace, which falIs owe the various colored daisies
s wnich nuiround the crown, and iEtermipSes in
scai-nke 1ashion with the loops, and ends of /
oAck viewer, which fall at the bacx. Inside Is /
. NOISY pink ruche upon the white liaing
ne III =, ssian- Basque" is the most peculiar
snare OF the three. II has snoyaIcrown' which Il
is composed BALI OF lace, and a Grooming brim
divided at the back 1t is trimmed WITH black
race, narrow folds OF velvet, cluster OF roses. l
n Ink ana black, and black lace veil falling al l
me pack The same shape IA black and white
straw was trimmed with black lace arranged l
rs case AIDE upon the crown, over a let 'coro- |
net, black AND crimson roses, and long black |
velvet loops and ENDS. The edges of the brin,s |
are most Invariably bound with black velyet.
headed with narrow lace
A French gyPsey OF white Italian straw |
|" Frou- Frou" shape) was ornamented with a |
scarf OF blue gaze de chime large rosette of blaek
lace. IN the middle of which was a cluster on 4
paItl- colored rosebuds. Brim lined with wbits |
ilk, edge covered with fold of blue oa.." ~
;hime, mounted with black lace
faris nat, Tor country wear, is of Iepborp /
very large, with dropping. indented bri1n and |
!, y IN ming OF oiack lace long loops of yellow |
sdoioered straw leaves, and bouquet OF field
AnotheI hat from Paris is called the rolling |
POmpadour;" this also is yerN lsr,s ,.i,s
stfalght crown, deep silk curtain AMI bj,h |