The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-21
Opening Of the Modistes'
Season.
What the Present Month
Brings Forth.
A Glimpse at the New Styles in Bonnet,
and Dress Goods.

visitor from above may suddenly put In an aps
pearance when one comes to talk OF "baimy
breathn and "beantilul spring." Yet however
the poets and "Old Probabilities" may differ, the
milliner and drsssmaker have a mission to per-
form, and during the past week many window In
Broadway has been gayly adorned with all thai
tends to make the female heart grow glad.
Neither sleet, rain nor piercing wind,
leaden skies nor sloppy streets. will des
ter the fair ono from shopping when
Mistress Fashion gives the command.
Delicate pink, pale silver and the other charming
hues Of spring silks must be seen, rain or shine.
and the wearers OF sealskin jackets wish to know
how the new styles in polonaises, mantlllas and
capes Will look upon them when spring comes IN
earnest, and iurs are TO be finally discarded. Az
far as March fashions are practically TO be consds
cred, warm cloak ana thick veil, especially the
latter, may De regarded as the only valuable addL
tons to the toilet. The sharp winds Of March pay
little respect 10 ladies' compilations. The changes
In fashion which nave taken place within q few
years are marvellous, and yet the revolution has
been accomplished by such mperceptlble degreeS
that 1t has been scarcely felt. The progress has
been in the direction of good taste and natural
ness, and the ridiculous features OF The past can
So lar we have had only suggestions OF the
styles OF the coming season rather than positive
examples: The mania Tor trimming has greatly
decreased and the taste for costumes closely out-
assert itself. In colors black and neutral tInts
stand the highest In favor and nothing pronoacd
rails no one can complain OF Q want OF
variety. Spring silks IN every shade OF brown,
which nave become standard iavorites: colored
stripes Ia the new Persian coorlngs ana cameo
ssa ane 0 srs
tor the Consideration of the fair shoppers. Mates
lasse silks OF ligat material. in colors as dark as
the heavier fabrics OF winter, but with smaller
figures aud lower prices, from So so to S., will be'
come q leading style. The same figures are re.
the price beng about SO so. On TINS latter mate.
rial are also exhibited slreaks or bright blue and
ground. The 1avorite 'piue black" sllks will be
Obliged to yield this season to et black, as the
nolS it's s'' own and S win be exhiD,ted SIN
every variety. In cancels HAIR goods the
co orin9 and deslgns VIII be more positive
than Ia the winter styles, yet retaining the same
characterlsJlcs. In some instances the bizarre
in color mas been sought and attained At the sac
take OF the prevailing idea OF cheeks and plaids
and SOFT all wool de oege is still very popular. IL
goods, but 1t may safely be asserted that TO gren-
adine Will be accorded the first place. me new
atsles must necessarily attract attention. Squares
and CHECKS OF all sizes ana kinds from the coarse
meshed pattern to heavy bars, running up and
down and crosswise, heavy and light stripes IN
UNISON, and 30 on until an Infinite variety II
reached. We are also promised beaded grenadines
en- suite The prices range from seventy five cent?
A leadiag feature in spring styles is that OF
THICK material showing through thin one worn
over, and this idea prevails throughout every de.
partment or attire. For example. peTcales are
brought out IN great numbers, aud all display pat
Which shows eecvesy in conras G In these lace
work figures are apparent the eyelet ana whee!
OFFERS tou not n scs pa
terms, yet In evident compliance with The
above ideas, show hue white HAIR stripes so
seen the dark ground resembling thicker material
below. Dark blue with wnite above viii be in
great favor. These percales range from tnirty.hvo
to dfty cents. Lace work pa terms extend also to
calicoes, which are covered throu !h0ut as with q
shown. cniet among witch L. emoroidered ostste
with Whine and brown designs embroldered
on ecru grcunos ana those WIN coIorea stripes
worn as ever. the dark browns and blues-of
which there are various snadss-taking the pref
crence. striped ''Oxiord" linens, which made
their appearance late last summer, WIN I'M
doubtedly be leading style for tais season. They
have stripes Of blue or brown, with thread-hke
edges Of scarlet. For thin while goods tnere Is
always demand, and those styles which have
0een w be si Ie st,S Of mmny this
season, and is SHOWN in every grade Of quality
and an endless variety OF styles there are sllk
braid lrlnges, Jee, rough bralds with rows Of fine
cut beads at the edges; lnohar and Worsted
fringes capable OF sui,ing any taste. Embroidery
ana steel Deads are ioterminged whenever they
Can be used with proprety. SILK embroidery on
dp jsJQle on handsome dresses. This eau be pur-
chased in black and In ctlors; but Is very expen-
slVe, although IL can easily DC transferred TO
various dresses
street costumes for the present season are al
ways composed OF either two materials or two
cooFs shades OF color. the former are more
general and the favorite faorics ,er spltng wear
are. undoubtedly, SILK and cashmere, or fine cam.
suk ior the UNDER. black cashmere, trimmed
with black SILK ana navy blue, trimmed also with
Sill to match, are very much admired.
Or all articles OF feminine wear the bonnet Is
one That has undergone the most remarkable
changes. From the days Of the old Legnorn COAL
dow m "A rIr n fln
present time the nnmrer Oh varieties would puzzle
even an expert at election returns. There Is one
they suit every taste and lace. The new styles in
hats are noticeably larger than those OF last
Sees many ;ear an Real e nass
are scarce The coquettlsn tnsoucttnt yles
Of -, the past ,, sess 9. are repssted' Or,
rails, ana ianci I'll as they are II cannot be denied
tnat Ia most cases taey are very becoming. Az
round, but the majority nat, whle the brlms
the feature. Wide, go wide in many cases as TO
remind one Of a son6reyo these orns are ;urned
up and tu NED own, and indented aad manlpu-
lated IN such an innunerable variety o. ways that
IT would dey an amateur 10 decide as to tne original
shape after IL has passed through the hands vi an
aytfste. In some shapes the Srlm Is OF equal width
all the way around, ana H. Is the manipulation OF
1t winch gives the style to the chGptU. In Others
the brim is much wider In front than in the back,
and turned up nar, or widely Jared In 'front.' 10
have the orim wide back and nont aud narrow at
the sides; aai, again. this IN reversed, aud the
SueS are wide and tuTncu up
so niIch for the shapes. Now aa to the materials,
trimmings and manner OF dsposing them. CHIP
white undressed, brown, black anu gray-will
take the lead. The real chips are almost as SOFT
and pliabe as Ielt. Imtta ions, which Ia many
cases DEFY discovery, are somewhat stiner, out
are pretty, nevertheless Tne undressed Ones or
O soft cream ialnt ccru TINT, will he the
most in demand for those VINO Ike ligat-colored
hat, but black ones are always ady-iike ana dts
tinguished in eject. Straws are shown In great
variety. Black lace bOnnefs are most frequently
made Of the lIai1 net placed smoothly over the
frame. Very little trimming lace is used, the
marrow widths, only, beng used for odRing.
Flowers are usea In the greatest PROVISION. and
are true t. nature and re lovely as art can make
them Tney mounted In wreaths IN large,
Compact clusters. vita falling sprays In hlpn
cOronets, aud SINGLE SPRAYS, and placed
wherever and in VIVA ever style taste may dictate
II the brlm Is turned up from the face, flowers,
either alone In combination with SO ne mater al
are used directly in front and Ia great quantity
Llpht, delicatecOlOrei tins are much u9ed
with flowers on the handsomest bats. Brms arc