The Portland daily press., 1874-05-27
[From the Pail Mall Gazette, May 81
The AbSe nee Of the ROnnet-

The name of the bonnet, we believe, still
survives for a curiousy- exaggerated orna-
ment of the hair; and it is possible that in
the female mind, the subtle ways of which
are unsearchable, some kind of historical
unity with respect to the article has been
kept up, so that women may still imagine
that they wear bonnets. But, as men un-
derstand things, bonnets have ceased to be-
IL IS the most complete innovation of dress
made for many years. We are not at all set
ting up the past against the present. The
existing female fashion is always, In our
judgment, the most Charming; it is so for
the reason that it is the only one embellished
by actual wear. Not one of the old ones has
single pair Of bright eyes or rosy cheeks to
recommend it. Besides, the celestials surely
need not ask those to whom they show them
selves how they are to appear. If male be-
holders are justified in any suppcation of
critical kind it is when they ask that women
should reveal, not hide their faces; and i'm
leaving off the bonnet, the sex has gone to
the full limit in that point of their attire.
No woman in England now conceals a single
feature FOreheads, cheeks, dimpled or un-
dmpled chins, eartps, all are visible.
In speaking of the change of appearance
caused by the absence of the bonnet, we
know better than to be critical; We are deal
ing with it only as matter of abstract spec
ulation and respectful reminscence. First of
all, it undoubtedly does away with a striking
difference previously observed between the
indoor and outdoor look of woman. A bon
net more or less transformed the wearer; in
some cases the alteration it made was mex
plicably great. The change might not al
ways be advantageous, at times it was de-
cidedly so; but in every case there was
change of some sort and degree. This is
clean gone. Now we see womep, indoors
and outdoors, with just the same play OF
light and shade upon the countenance; that
is, with all the light possible to fall upon it.
1t is true, other parts OF dress in the same
way are becoming modified. For some sea-
sons past feminine drapery has been growing
less and less cOncealing. Our streets promise
to show us crowds OF ladies as little reticent
of the principal lines of the feminine con-
tour as in the secusion of home. Every
year the celestals become kinder, increasing
ly revealing themselves to casual beholders.
Men have never yet faced the streets with
wholly uncovered visage. The narrowest of
hat brims has always cast a little modest
shadow on the masculine features. No
doubt the ladies will say the creature is bold
to show his face at all; but oar present topic
is honnets, and we must keep to it.
Bonnets, during the vogue Of some styles,
| used to produce wonderful effects on the
complexion of the wearers. Softened CLEANS
of reflected light, faint tints of welcome color,
not seen when the face was no longer within
the bonnet, trembled there so long as it was
observed in that conjunction. Mistakes were
fearful, we admit. AT times cheeks glowed
like sunset or turned of indescrbabe hues,
even greenish. How it was done one may
not pretend to know. We fancy we heard
something about silk and satin Innings; but
these are high mysteries. Then, besides be-
ing in that way positive resource of the
toilet, bonnet, within the limits of manage
able dimensions, lent itself to skilful art of
wearing. A face conscious of its attractive
ness could bewitchingly balk the gaze, or else
cut the vision at almost any selected stage of
incompleteness. By means of the bonnet a
woman could vary the profile view through a
series OF moonlike phases, the charming Wis
| ion obscuring and eclipsing slowly. Your CO.
| quettish lady knew to half an inch the exact
set Of the head required in each case; it was
a necessary feminine accomplishment. All
| this is over. The tantalizing persistence of
| the bonnet which would not turn to give the
| opportunity of a second look, after the first
hasty one is gone; male artifice is no longer
needed to obtain full inspection. A beauty
once across the threshold can no longer will
| fully hide. The face, no matter how fair, is
there for all to see all of it. A beautiful face
hidden inside bonnet gave the finder sense
| of personal and exclusive discovery. This
I
bonnets there were at some periods which
made discovery impossible; the range of the
human vision was not sufficient to ascertain
what really was at the far end OF them. But
extremes may fairly be omitted from observa-
ton.
What is now wOrn-we must not say in
the place of the bonnet, but in part of the
place of the boDnet-is, then, an exaggerated
| ornament OF the hair. The essential charac,
teristc of the bonnet is that it modifies the
( face; whatever variations fashion takes il
through. it must keep some power of affect
ing the light and shade on the features. Sc
soon as what is worn diminishes to a degree
which prevents this, or is wholly removed
from vicinage to the countenance, the MALI
intellect, at any rate, requires that it shoult
take another name. 1t has ceased to be
bonnet. What is at present worn has M
relation to the iace-its obvious purpose is tt
display the hair. This is not merely anothe,
purpose; it is something contrary. The haiI
is characteristic female charm which until
recently it was long-standing English Gus
tom not fully to display. 1t was an indoor
disclosure, greatly restrained there. NOW
good deal more than every inch OF IL oStcll-
tatiously exposed to the pubic sac. foi
that has happened which moments thousnt
is enough to show was inevitable. Inc han
! is charm in which women are very un-