Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-01
OUR NEW YORK FASHION LETTER
TIE MAY FASHIONS.
Novelties Of fhe season-Loves of
Bonnets-Dress Materials and styles


NoyeltiesF OF fhe season-Loves o
Bonnets-Dress Materials and style,
New Trimmings Yaks s0utache
Etc.
Correspondence Of the Union and American.
| Etn HEAD-6EAR. RI "a.
| The crowd of new and pretty things ou
this month is an embarrassment, for spring
and summer supplies meet. The shapes oi
bonnets aud round hats which at first were
Quite formal, show several piquant innOva-
ton. These ought to be truly artistic for
they follow the models to which great
painters have given their names. Az one
extreme are the Reubens and Titan hats,
their high crowns and brims iooped at the
side by clasp and feather, forming oiffi-
| cult style, and one which needs grace, viva
city, and youth TO assett its success. The
low picturesque cap, with soft crown, and
close upturned sides, is initiated from the
| portraits of Raphael Sanzio; and the
Michael Angelo hat traces dim resem-
blance TO that worn by Florentine nouIes.
1t is Renaissance outline overlaid by PARA
ian plume; ribbon, and Frou-frou veil. The
Marion Delorme--a srtiAll hat with. rolling
brim set on the extremity OF the chignon-
is one of the latest favorite
novelties worn by the fortunates who
have just returned from abroad. The
trimming of bonnets grows simpler. The
corlmonest Wag, and one that Is stylish at
the same time, Is to Wind band of MORE or
wide, thick, plain ribbon round the crown,
with large triple bow at the left, taking
the entire side of the bonnet, leaving very
long or very short wide ends at the back.
Where the brim turns up one side, the triple
bow without ends is placed on that to hold
it, and mixture of loops and ends falls
behind. Pufs and drapery of gauge, Ma
lines tulle, or crepe lesse are seen ct the
back of stylish hats, while the front trim
ming is ribbon. Small English bonnets,
precisely like sailors hats, with up brim of
the smallest sort, have the crown complete
ly coye:ed by the flowers that are massed
upon it, and trail In heavy branches down
the ends of ribbon behind, loops Of which
appear under the margin of the flowers.
Roleaus and plaits Of velvet, triple rows of
silk or crepe plating, or tiny wreaths Of
flowers lying on the hair, are the face trim
mings. Large flowers of a single kind, art
fully shaded with others, are gathered high
at the front of the crown, or low, perhaps
under the brim BEND. Large roses
of every color, blush, purple,
straw color, crimson, or thick tresses Of
dark Parmese violets fa,l from the back Of
Babsgas hats. Those shapes which turn
up before are pinched up at the ears and
slope down behind. Lace is little worn or
vigorously stylish bonnets, except ss a
square fall behind. Wells of dust-grey crepe
lisse, with fine sewing silk fringe tied in the
edse, are the newest and in best taste, as
they soften the light instead of rejecting it,
like the shining silk gauzes that were fan
cied awhile. Both square and three corner
ed wells in crepe and lace are worn, though
the former are preferred, as they fold COM
pletely over the bonnet and protect il; al
ways placed cornered wise, the more grace
full way of wearing them. The black lace
veil is not so much seen since the winter,
except to cover p2ssee hats. Aigrettes, too,
make way for upright bows, high flowers,
or pins of jet or silver. White straw or chip
are the popular hats.
DREss-GooDs.
There is delightful variety of materials
for dress this season. In most of the wool
goods for travelling and street suits, a
coarse, lightly woven appearance is pre-
ferred, as in the cashmere beiges, which are
scarcely heavier than wool delaine,
though they have the twill of mems coat
ings, fromithe wide cheviot to the fine cas-
simere, in a limited range Of light cloth
colors, brown, fawn and gray. But these
have stylish roughnesS, effective in con-
trast to silk bands and the fine fringes which
are used They are single width goods,
costing from 20 cents to $1.25 yard. The
old fashioned debege appears IN very fine
| qualities, making most neat and servicea-
bic dress for s. cents yard. Vigogne in
loose twill, like very soft coarse cashmere,
comes at Is cents, in all blush, greenish,
olive, bronze apd lavender shades. The
real vigogne is charmingly soft, and in dou-
bic width costs 81 75. Camel's-hair cloth,
of light quality for summer, has
limited, but effective shades, OF
which the choicest is the
yeIlowish white, TO match which
| a csmel's-hair lace-like yak is woven. Ecru
and brown are oftener seen, and have laces
to match. The dyed camers-hair cloth in
olive green is not so stylish as the natural
shades. The price is So to S3.75 (wide
width), The ecru and white cloth, with
the soft, thick, sicilienne- silken, clinging
and lovely-dispute the palm for polonaiSe
fabrics. The latter shows every delicate
charming color, but the same taste might
| hesitate between a. slender pelonaise oi
lilac sicilienne embroidered in lighs and
dark shades of its own color, with deep, fine
friDges; and the same garment in white
camel's-hair cloth - almost a skeleton
with insertions, borders, and edgings o
richly-patterned lace a wrap for princes:
to wear. The sicllienne is So to 81 yard
according TO width.
Neither faille nor gros-graiu is the lead
ing variety in plain surfaced silks, but The
cachemire de sole, which is not twilled, as
its name might imply, but thick silk, tint
and even as taffetta, demi-lustrous, soft anC
| plant as cashmere, less able to cut ol
| crease than those above named. The bes
brand of this silk is 81 20 to S. yard
that at So being as handsome as most ladies
need care for, as a street dress. The grey
striped silks are 81 cents to $3.50 yard
and fancy stripes S1.50 to 81. Plaii
silks, in street and evening colors, are $I.75
81 to Sail of good wearing qualities.
In k-surfseed goods, the pongee serge
are vastly improved, light sil5er-g greys tina
reflect the sun like sheets of glass, ant
dark irons greys, both having the sam
fine softness that will not easil,
deface or crush (price $l25) The satin
striped make handsomely for polonaise:
with plain under skirts. This reminds u
of the exquisite French pongeesin soft tint
of spring green, water blue, lemon or citrO
color, girls pearle, violet, gosling green 9th
callow hue of young geese,) and soft pigeo
shades, both plain and with polka spots, o
as the French call them; q pois, pea spots
q shade deeper than the ground. The flow
cred poDgees remind one too nearly Of th
Dolly Warden which surfeited public tastt
to be appreciated for their fresh spring
like beauty.
STYLES.
Dresses are more simply made, three
fourths of the latest designs having lon
plain skirts with trimmed polonaise. TIL
change is much for the better in every way
as it permits nicer dressing, and costume o
rich materials in simple style costing reall
less than much trimmed one of cheape
goods. London and Paris designs of tn
highest authority, show house and carriag
dresses with demi-trained skirt, q dee
fIounce on the front widths only finiShe