The New York herald., 1874-03-27
SPRING FASHIONS.
The Display of Ioiiets
Yesterday.
THE OPENING OF THE SEASON
The Bonnet, the Dress and the Et
Cetera of Feminine Vanity.
WHAT PATERFAMlLIAS MUST EXPECT.

such tantalizing March as the present month
mas never been known In this goodIy city. The
traditional opening day has assumed mythical
proportions and at every leading establishment
the fashion writer is greeted with the most mys
ferrous information as to the influence which '0d
Probabilities has exercised this season. on one
day the Baodlste glancing out at the CHEEKY sun
snne which peeps through her windows and the
densely crowded sidewalk, where hundreds of
ladies ostle each otner in the laudabe pursuit OF
"what TO wear and how 10 wear it''-a very trite
term. yet the only gene-al expression that can
typily the subject on which the feminine mind is
exercised Just at this time-is radiant With the
hope that "gentle spring. has come at last. The
next day a whirlwnd OF dust, a sprinkling Of snow
or a dash Of angry rain spos the calculations OF
the fashionable caterer for female vanity. The
meteorological somersets from June 70 January
and Uice Ue-sa, which have been the rule, not the
exception during this extraordinary month,
have been perpeXing to the leading rnodastes
Yet they have bravely mounted the throne on
which the despotic goddess sits undeterred by
clustering Winds financial crises and general
staCnation OF business, and, armed with the au-
thority of the feminine deity they have hurried on
the world OF petticoats their pronunciamentos
The female portion of the community have sur
rendered at discretion, and, potent as Gabrels
s'crowded houses" TO use theatrical expression,
and poor p1terrdDliLas is in for II TO an extent he
little dreamed or The word Opening day. is so
vague, considering the fact that it may equally
applied 80 any date from the beginning OF this
month until the close OF the next, that there is
difficulty IN fixing medium date. The present
week. without designating arg particular date, is
an acceptable time MANY OF the largest establish
ments in this city have held pubiic exhibitions
OF spring fashions and lair estimate NAV
be made OF the styles and materials that will
be in vogue during the coming season.
SPRING OPENINGS
have been the subject Of interest with our fair
readers for some DAYS past and 1t would be DIM
cult to name point OF attraction irresistible
Lord 4 Taylor's, Broadway. For three days the
exhibition in mTlnery and dressmakng at this
establishment has been in progress, and the
features OF interest are exceedingly varied
and taking. The dress and suit department,
a. the upper part OF the. house, gave
bewldering display OF STYLES and materials. In
the centre OF a hundred grand costumes, princi-
pally for evening and reception purposes. was
lovely SATIN bridal dress. with French waist,
desoslete, soft crepe and point d'applique, Killed
plated front, with narrow iounces and a mag
nincent court train, with point d'appique over
Skirt, handsomely adorned on one side with
orange flowers The elaborate artistic structure OF
this dress was partially hidden by the diaphonous
bridal vel which fell in folds over it, Around
this chez d'0e,Erre OF the noOd1ste's art were
grouped some OF the most bewitching dresses
that could please the critical eye. The colors and
styles were manifold in attraction. On the doors
beneath this boudor OF lashion the millinery ex-
hibition showed some OF the choicest specimens OF
the bonnet OF the period dress materials OF all
kinds were heaped up in proiusion; wraps and
shawls, in every variety and at every price,
were nung out for inspection, and delicate laces.
from the Warren point OF view, OF inestimable
value, lay in SOFT folds on each counter.
Tue display Of fashions at A. T. Stewart's was no
less attractive. The enormous establishment
which occupies an entire block, has been point
of attraction, and, like ancient Thebes its hum
dred doors have roeen daily besieged. The MILL
merry exhibition prolific in varied styles OF head.
dress the handsome suits and evening dresses,
the foreign and American siks-of the latter the
Cheney being the most popular-and the thousand
and one surprises that meet the visitor TO this
fashionable colosseum at every corner have proved
Irresistible to the average female mind.
FEW THOUGHTS.
Before disclosing the arcana OF other large
houses 1t would be well here to consider upon the
present stage OF fashions and to contrast the styles
OF to-day with those OF three or six years past.
The revolution which we sketched out some years
ago has proved to be OF the most sweeping charac-
ter. No one can recognize among the bellies Of
Broadway to-day on a sunny afternoon a single
trace of the extravagances OF toilet that aroused
public indignation lew years since There Is
much still TO be deplored IN regard to the adher-
to the INIT 1ed Of aie ana
the fashions OF TINS season Is In the
right direction. And here, in connection
sNffr
ing houses having held spring openings this
month";. 4. stewart co., Lord Taylor,
Mines. Porter Doane, Nine. Duval, Nine. Hart
ley Maison Walton, p. Henessey, Nine. Bnns,
Terry and Nine. Demorest, Broadway; Macy,
O'Neill n Co., stern Brothers, Meares, Altman,
Nine. Goerg, Nine. Downey Messrs. Lennon,
Clark Mclaughlin, Nine. Gallagher, }. ROths-
child, Sixth avenue; Miss G. NJ Olney and MISS A.
Viol and Nine. Tilman, sixteenth street; Nine.
Bernheim, Tenth street; Nine. Buhmeyer, Ninth
street, s. T. Taylor, Clinton place, and many
others whose names we cannot at present recall
10 mind
MILLINERY NOVELTIES.
Among the host of nlOdistes who have varied
list OF novelties in the millinery line, Mr. Terry, OF
Union square furnishes the 1OllOwing:-A white
chip hat, something in the old gypsy shape but
modified to suit present tastes. An elegant
wreath OF spring buds and blossoms, caught
one side by yellow roses with curious and vet
artistic arrangement OF brown ribbon and large
yellow ostrich tip, completed the adornments Of
this becoming hat.
reignInp fayorite this seasonl was sort OF nous
quetaire pattern, but infinitely prettser than the
original. The rolling brlm was caught up on one
side by lovely bunch OF wild roses, while delicate
rich green riDooD faced with black SIX and pretty
ostrich tips, formed the principal trimming.
very attractive white cnlp hat was exhibited
by Miss q. M. Olney. Although not Egyptian in
shape but rather rural, In the modern sense OF the
word, il bore the name OF ''Afda.n Around very
broad briIn was coiled an immense ostrich leather,
caught on one side by an exquisite bunch ol wild
leaves OF tropical growth; pink roses clustered
beneath the rim OF this stylish hat. Another round
hat, OF very graceful shape, mad rose colored
ribbon around the crown, a trailing branch dotted
with what might be called daisy buds crushed pink
roses on the top OF the crown and pink ribbon for
inside trimming.
AT Nine. sneddens unique and elaborate dis
play OF chapeaux greeted the denghted observers,
from the most dazzling and gorgeous colors TO the
quietest and most modestly retiring We would
FIRST look bonnet suitable Tor duchess
ON some grand state occasion, and then upon
one without the gorgeous and elaborate features
OF the otner but still coDfne ~ JdW. To describe
all the attractions OF millinery would occupy more
space than we can spare, but brief description OF
the most notable will SUFFICE First, superbly
adorned bonnet rom Marie CayaonE, appropri-
ately named la Papllon,u spirtueile and grace
iu hat OF white chip, trimmed with two exquisite
shades OF green. This hat Is trimmed In Iolds OF