The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-05-11
Millinery.


When bonnets come, they come not single
spies,
But in battalions!
for this is an apt reflection every spring.
Fashion conspires to-day, more than
ever before, to puzzle bonnet-tasters,
as they may be called; for who, out of
a multitude of shapes, colors and kinds
can select with spontaneous discretion?
On one side lies the Marie Stuart, the
modest cottage shape, the stylish coro-
net, and the arched brim which nobody
better than a blonde knows how to fill
out with light frizzes and ripple of
white lace. On the other is a Gains
borough, modified in shape and the
brim relieved with rows Of silver braid,
narrow and delicate, laid down at in
tervals; the Fra Diavolo, more snowy
and coquettish; the Peg Wellington,
still exceeding the Diavolo, and finally
the sloping hat, without defined crown,
and more than ever peaked at the peak,
pleases the taste of many who pass by
more quiet styles.
In every shape so far introduced there
is choice between high and low, round
and square crowns, high brims, low
brims, capes, and no capes. The En-
glish walking hat still holds its place,
and perhaps as firmly as it ever did.
The Derby crown is as popular as the
square crown in such walking hats, and
the height of either is matter of per-
sonal selection.
The shades of many new straw and
chip bonnets are peculiar, warm browns,
distinguished by the name Havana"
are much liked for first spring uses,
and shades of gray, not likely to fade
with the hot sun, are popular in coarse
domestic braids. There are, among
fancy styles, bonnets of chip with which
gilt and silver threads are so closely
interviewer that the result is most pc
culiar. Among the Havana brown
straws a smooth but not entirely flat
braid is predominant. 1t is common
this spring to see these Havana straws
and chip trimmed with satin and wa
tered ribbon mingled, and pale brown
is much admired when trimmed with
wreath of flowers, foliage and small
nuts, in monotone shade only little
lighter than the straw itself.
A hat of pale gray American straw,
intended for young girl, is known as
the Oxford; the wreath, consisting of
leaves, acorns and small nuts, is very
full and uniform, and accords with one
of the. most favored STYLES for trim
ming. The feathers which fall over
the back of the crown are the separat-
ed quilts taken from the wings of ma
tive birds, and massed in irregular form
upon piece of stiff foundation, like
that used for aigrettes. Another hat is
also intended for a young girl, and is
of soft Milan straw, with the brim-
facing carried up and turned back
upon the outside. A soft plush gauze
is used for the bow, which is placed at
one side, well back, and the Derby
crown is surrounded with band of
fancy feathers busted with gold. A
natural wing of the heighho bird gives
desired color.
AS the season settles down, the choic-
est items of millinery seem to resolve
themselves into place, to the decided
convenience of the shopper. Hand
some hats for visiting and dressy occa-
sions are of French chip, Belgian straw
and Tuscan braid, richly trimmed with
scarfs of duchesse or finest Torchon
lace, or with ribbons of satin and
MORE, or watered ribbon combined.
Gauzes of all kinds, plain, as well as
mixed with rough threads of plush, vel
vet, and satin, are also favored. Tulles,
sprinkled with silver or gold stars,
or with small gold flies and Bra
lillian bugs, are also among trimming
novelties. Ostrich tips are richer and
more daintily colored than ever, and
some of the most beautiful hats exhib-
tied have the imported cluster of three
feathers placed on one side, which they
entirely cover. Long ostrich feathers
are frequently shaded in the most deli
cate tints of pink, primrose, ETC., and
others are busted with either gold or
silver. Many of the new marabout tips
are flecked with stars of gold or silver,
or, if highly colored, they have flakes
of white, like snow, to add to their deli
cate beauty. The amount of gold and
silver braid, thread and cord used on
the new hats is surprising. Brims of
round hats that turn down at one side
show underneath rows of braid, and
cord is used upon the edges.
Large balls, pins, clasps and sections
of fringe made of pearl, to match the
beads so extensively used this season,
are much approved as ornaments for
hats, and silver grasses accompany
half-wreaths of gray leaves and pink
roses. Chip bonnets that have gold
and silver thread mixtures are trimmed
with satin and watered ribbon, with
ostrich tips busted with corresponding
metal. Gold and silver balls are also
added. Many of these balls are carved
in the most delicate manner.
The modes in which pearl beads are
used in millinery this season are decid-
eddy peculiar. The brim of a bonnet,
for instance, is marked upon the edge
with a row of milk-white pearls set at a
trifllng distance apart, and similar
pearls appear in the buckle, clasp, or
maybe in the bit of lace which is en-
twined within the ribbon garniture.
Small squares, made entirely of beaded
netting, are laid upon white chip hats,
one corner falling over the brim in
front, and the opposite dropping over
the crown and cape. The favorite
pearls are pinkish white, gray and
milk-white; the size most liked for
trimming is about that of q French pea.
Smaller beads frequently ornament the
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