, 1873-05-18
METROPOLITAN MODES.
The Strangest of Seasons---
New ad-Coverings. o.
Everything Tending to Stray
Shapes, Prices, and Trim.
mlngs.
Mode Hats, and the Latest Dec.
oratiOns.

orations. =.
-. -
From Our O,cn Correspondent.
NEW YoRK, MAY 49, 1873.
Was ever such season known 7" is the ex
c1a1nation Of everybody in Gotham and, forget
tul Of past meteorological disappointments
everybody answers, 81 Never ]" We are In mos
truly lugubrious frame Of mind here,-that Ii
thoae Of us who haye anything new to "ear, =
for, during the last month, it had stormed, o.
threatened to, five days out OF every week and
while tho other two have been dazzling1y bright
In the morning, tempting us out in ou1
finest feathers, they hare invariably
clouded in the afternoon, driving us home
through fear Of damaged plumage. We endured
this sort Of thing patiently for time, then with
suppressed Indignation, and now We go SO far as
to declare that never again shall the deluaion
that NO hare spring among orr seasons cheat
Us into the folly OF Light dresses and lighter
hats. Moaiatas may suggest, advise, entreat,
almost command; but, until Old Probabilities
promises us really rerna1 period, We never
shall be inveig1ed beyond black silk walking
dress again. For where is the uae in hanging
in the wardrobe, With no prospect OF deEghting
Of them7 Money-iust now, at any rate
lis valuable commodity, and taste
even rarer and more valuable, and ne positively
cannot afford TO 1ay by so much OF either as ne
have been compelled to do this year.
The solitary satisfaction In the whole thing is,
shat ne cao wear our
NEW BoSNETs,
unless they ara 30 delicate Is not TO- be really
Nif4irty fnf fha 7,roynana3a al ar lima
It is rather singular circumstance that brown
etraws, ,-everythiug in the way Of hats and bon
nets is straw this season,-which, from the fact
that brown Is farorite color for suits, are con-
stant1y called for, are the most difficult to OBJ
tain; there bsing apparertly but two kinds
the heavy English braid and chip-in the
market. Chip is the favorite Of the
hour, and then comes IN brown, black, white,
ohre-green, various shades Of gray, and ec1u OF
unbleached. It seems possible to match almost
any hue in theul-hn ron try. But thoy match
sufficiently well, and the chief difficulties are,
that they are very. expensive, and not very dur1-
BILE; two troublesome considerations if you want
several, and do not rant them to cost much.
Chip hats and bonnets-indeed believe al1
straw hats do-1ange about the same in price,
being from 33. so to 80 or 212, untrimmed; the
medium quality coming ct &c or So, and being
noEt used Now, Sc OF SO for the mere basis Of
q modern capital structure is too much for the
limits Of an ordinary purse and it Is the persons
OF ordinary means who buy hats in original
baroness.
English and Belgian strawB are most used for
travelling aud hack-about. They ere strong,
tiEm, and can ba re-pressed or dyed another year.
The main objection to them is their weight,
which is slightly suggestive OF headache when
from S1.50 to 81 or IS, and come in black, brown,
white, :nd occasionally in gray. 49,.
Dunstables, soft, useful, becoming, be1oyed
OF our youth, are scarcely, worn IS get, though
usurp the place which chip has held for tie
greater part OF two seasons- In price, the few
9lready seen come between chip and the English;
but. as they are serviceable, one does not grudge
the dollars for them as for chip.
Neapolitans will be worn by certain middle
aged DANES, fashion OF no fashion ); 30 they come
in what arc called bonnet shapes, but the deli
cacy Of vision required to distinguish them from
the unnihated might be led into the error Of
eupposing them to be one and tho same thing.
teghorns are cheaper than usual this year, be-
cause they are not quito 80 stylish according to
broad, low-in comparison with most-c1owns,
: eau be had for $3.50. Every woman knows so
well the worth Of them thatlt is unnecessary to
chronicle their virtures. 4 certain lady here,
spring with tie words: II ehalI buy some
1Ellins beside Leghorn this year, for the sake Of
baety; but as she as regularly returns with
Fe IN her hand, it has become source Of jest
- her tiends. This year she has it trimmed
: with many loose loops Of bright light blue, and
Z wreath Of clematis TINT seems almost to exhale
its natural odor, SO perfect is the stimulation
The hAtis tied down over the ears, and has q
face-trimming Of thickly plated blue tulle.
EHAPEB,
which seemed to be numerous early in the SEASON,
have resolved themselves to two or three favor
; ite ones for honnets and two for hats. Tho most
worn for bonnets are those with sort OF up
right visor, and another style which lies almost
Hat on the head in front, with q rather
ihigh, fiat crown. Ladies who find
! the present bonnets too unbeconing
for toleraton frequently apply strings to round
hats, which then serve every purpose.
! The hats are kind Of turban, the rim Of which
turns up in front and turns down behind in q |
:scrt Of rounded point; and another has rather
high, fat crown and narrow briu, that on tho
tened up against the crown. This il an e1treme- |
1y pretty and coquettish shnpe, and peculiarly /
fitted to young faces; but tho former is moro |
universally becoming. "a. IL
EArlTRIM1tINGs
MI seem to partako OF one or two styles, though
of numerous variations. The rolling Iims and /
turned-up sides are all either -Hmooth1y COW
cred with Eilk the principal ahade Of the
nress, or covered BY made folds Of tho same
shade or alternate shades These two Tays Of
finishing seem to be Indispensable to perfect
hats, since one or the other appears on them all.
Another feature is massing the bulk-I use the
sFord advisedly-of o1namentation On the left
side or behind. Tho front and right side Of
aat are Of no apparent value save Us balance,
20 the rest. They are disregarded, and ignored,
and ruthless1y put aside, as il theyhad no busi-
aess to be at al, aud we're only tolerated from
aecesHity. .~.
Lace is spariosly used on hats, being confined,
Is i should be, to bonnets, which are supposed
20 be intended for moro formal and important |
occasions. MbbonB. about t1o and half inches
side a1o used on both kinds Of head-gear,i and
nng sprays and wreaths Of leaves and flowers
neander meaningiessly down behind. There is
ieither good taste nor good sense in the mass of
;treamefs placed On hats, and they are incon-
;enient to an untold degree. One Is always for
letting about them. and sitting up against them,
nd jamming the flowers {bow fortunate that I
rushed flowers ere the mode!), and pulling OF
be hat till it loosens all one'a back hair, and
iaaas,aaa irx4stad Ill