, 1873-06-15
The High RuAs and Close-F ittdng
Skirts--Normandy Caps.
The Perils Of Long Skirts on Wooden
Sidewalks---Summer Dress
Goods and Costumes.
What to Wear on JourneJs---Head and
Foot Coyerings---Comfort Pref
cradle to Appearance,
on the Road.


CHICAGO.
II the woman who is to the manner born is
distinguishable from her less favored sister, the
difference is nowhere more perceptible than in
the fact that she is never astonshed, or ut least
never seems 80 and, being thoroughly posted
in the on-dit Of coming fashion, is quite prepared
for the first sign Of its advent; Il she is not
herself the one TO introduce it. Not 80 those
less favored by fortune. CraniDg necks heads
looking as il, through some freak OF Nature,
they had been affixed to the body in decidedly
opposite direction to that ordained in the original
plan even outspoken wonder following the first
cape Of surprige,-is the manner in which ces
autros gems greet the first individual who dons
q new and to them singular fashion Such has
been noticeably the case in this city recently, in
respect to certain proportion Of the people
who are not prepared to see the
HIGH nuFFs AND GLosE-F1TTNa SKIRTS,
guiltless OF pannier, which have obtained in
Eastern cities until they are almost becoming Oh
solete and yielding to newer innovations. Fash
ton-writers tell US Of them, but tho public in
general have not seen them, and the lady who
first ventures upon the street thus arrayed at
tracts as mu ch attention as 61st-claes circus.
New York has An opportunity to air all her
imported novelties on the promenade, 80 TINT
the most vulgar eye soon becomes accustomed
to the most outre fancies in dress, and the girl
ganain Who sweeps the crossing not infrequently
makes herself an animated cazicature OF
Madame Hamilton, in her desire to emulate
that fastdious lady's elegant, but novel, attire
Then the Jerome-Park races afford another op-
portunity for all the world to see the last
most costly and recherche importation from
tsla belle France" Here seat in the
- |AeS%
sent at tho Grand Opera, and Mamma,
with manageable daughters, seeks it eagerly,
in direct ratio to her anxiety for eligible parts
for her fair daughters. Worth toilettes pre-
dominate, and, il Papa possibly groans as he
pays the bills, he consoles himseh, or Mamma
consoles him, with the hope that some other fell
low will do it before long, If ArabellA or Ara
minta are only properly brought forward. En-
route to the Park in all sorts Of vehicles, these
fair danes are visible in I'LL their glory to their
less-favored fellow-mortals who go a-foot. New
Yorkers are not easily astoniahed and it, as
the Danbury man remarks, "They like fresh
oranges, but soon suck them dry" it is not OF
literary matters alone that this ia true, but
equally 80 in respect to any new fashion Miss
Exclusive wears the Medici ruff to-day; Miss
Uppe1-Ten-T Thousand sees and adopts it to-mor-
gone down through every grade, losing caste and
quality as it falls, until it disappears through the
general condemnation Of public disgust and
satiety. Slowly it creeps from the east
ern to tho western borders, and ahe
is venturesome indeed who first makes her Ap-
pearance on the street in tho long-heralled, but
scarcely y-recognized novelty.
4 FEW OF THEsE RUFFs
have been visible here, but mostly with evening"
dresses; and these who have added them to
street-costumes are few and far betWeen,-a
sort Of compromise being made, and the width
diminished, OF, In some cases, complete boule-
versement is observable; hom the faos Of the
side down. The pannie1 also still holds its own,
and the great proportion of tho feminine COM
munity still 60 bumped like camel It is use-
less to say that they are out Of date, for ladies'
60 rarely walk here that, even II they recognize
!. and accept the change, it il not patent to the
great mass OF the feminine community; and,
until ono's eyes grow accustomed to the change
through . vetitable vision, it is Of little use to
chronicle it,
The autumn will probably find us quite differ
emily attired, no doubt, from what We are ut
present. for the travelling community will bring
back with them the prevailing costume OF the
European capitals, and Of those cities which lie
nearer them on the Atlantic coast.
We also hear much OF . greater simplicity m
dress but, &c far, it is hardly recognizable in
prevailing costumes. The greatest innovation
is in
NORMANDY GAPS,
which are no longer confined to the little ones,
but have also been assumed by their elder SIS
ta1s.
"a $30-bonnet. with q dower-gnrden on it,'s
may answer for Mamma, but it is by no meane
high-crowned cap, familiar to US through thy
fashionable French nurse, aud more recently be
its being adopted and elaborated for her little
charges, is now The thing. It is made Of simple
u; - Civic ai1y 1fy%fr
The lace frame provided by the milliners
has 8 band Of velvet ribbon around it;
large bow On top knot Of flowers ct the
ride; and long ends, knotted behind and falling
below tho waist. It forms the most charming
and unique head-dress that has yet appeared,
and is an immense relief to the eye that has
grown weary of the high steeples, overloaded
with trimming, which have so long prevailed T
should be very popular, but its simplicity will
make that improbable, as the great proportion OF
the American people seem to have caught the
barbaric tastes OF the aborigines, and revei in
bright colors and profuse ornament. However,
let US hope that the Normandy cap may be d sue
cess for it gives piquant look to ths fair young
Next, let our fashionable ladies' beware how
they let dress-makers at home
CUT uF R1Cu MATERIALS.
INTO innumerable rules platingg, pufa, eoallops,
trimmings can never be restored to its pristine
state aud, before many months, those who can
not aiord to throw sway = handsome dress be-
cause it is out Of style, will lament the woefm
extravsganco and lack of taste which has over
loaded It with trimming. This cannot be takan !
oil, because the marks Of ita application viii be |
too plainly visible. It would be wise, then, for
those who are not yet ready TO accept simpler
outlines to use cheap thin fabrics for the elabor
ate ones.
Skirts may DO said to be about the tuste |
milieu for street wear-neither too long nor too |
short but Toe to the Chicago woman whose |
dress
TOUCHES THE WOODEN WALKS i
that grace or disgrace this city! To be anchored
every few steps is her certain fate aud the fresh
dress with which ehe starts out from home, so |
neat around the hem, is torn, frayed, and |
spoiled bofore ahe gets back a project
ing nail catches It, and, before she
can pause, m ugly rent ie made. She releases
herself, to find the rent enlarged, before she has
gone many steps further, by second epike or a
broken plank: On the broad stone pavemerta Of
older cities, this is avoided, and ne hope to live
to see the day when tho wooden sidewalks tof
Chicago will be q thing Of The past, while, ad in
term, We very much fear Chicago ladies, whom |
thsy walk will DO Obliged to cling to the