The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-20
Spring Fashions.

The soft chip bonnet is the style par
excellence of the season, very differ
ent thing from the straw of former
times, and it is crowned with masses of
flowers, small field blossoms and gar
den flowers, nothing larger than the
fashionable small roses or the brilliant
little peerings that look like drops of
red blood on the green terraced sides
of the road as one travels toward Rouen,
In Normandy. Smaller blossoms and
more delicate ones, however, have the
preference, daisies, buttercups, branch
es OF pale heather, blue bells, the starry
clematis and wood violet. The form
which the floral ornaments take is that
of wreaths, not full or stiff, but imper-
feet, and arranged with mass on the
top which fills the front of the bonnet
Like an Alsacian bow, and terminates at
the sides in dropping sprays, which may
be carried to the back or disposed in
conjunction with shells of plated Bre.
ton lace Breton lace finely plated and
used in proportion is charming acces.
sorry of the spring bonnets, and lends it.
self most happily to the soft blending of
color in the silk trimming fabrics and
the natural hues of flowers and foliage.
Shapes, without being very much al
tered, are improved. There is, per-
haps, less diversity than last year, the
square crown and open brim having OBJ
tanned decided ascendancy. But for
this reason they seem to possess more
character, and when tastefully trimmed
are found to be very becoming. Every
thing that is stiff or starchy in fabric or
design is avoided. The silks are soft
and crapey, and blend the most delicate
colors in little fowerets or in Ohene pat
terms. The ribbons are striped and very
rich, with solid center, in a light or
mastic tint, and clustered or brocaded
border. There are also moire ribbons
in all the mastic shades, but the most
elegant styles, and those which lend
themselves to the greatest variety of or
namentation, are the narrow brocaded
ribbons inwrought with geld or silver
threads,
Ribbons are quite feature of modern
fashions, SO largely are they used for
trimming dresses, lingerie and other
articles for house decoration as we'll as
bonnets.
A great many black dresses of short
walking length have been prepared for
the intermediate season, and for these
cashmere or fine camel's-ha hair is this year
preferred to silk. The most fashionable
are trimmed with hand embroidery,
executed in small floral designs, such as
forget me-nots, daisies and the like.
There is nothing striking or pronounced,
however, in the effect which is thus
produced. The shades of blue are so
blended with shades of olive, with tints
of white, so lost in tones OF brown, that
it is difficult to tell where one ends and
the other begins; besides the embroid
cry is not carried as border around
the o0erskirt or polonaise as formerly,
but forms plastron around the front
of the basque, cuffs upon the sleeves,
and perhaps piece which is used as q
strap in some irregular fashion upon
the drapery of the skirt. A little fchu
or mantalet, or a Jacket, upon the pockets,
collar and cuffs of which the embroidery
is repeated, accompanies these dresses,
which are always made with trimmed
skirt and deep, close fitting basque, an6
the costume is completed by bonnet
of black straw or chip with flower trim
ming matching the flowers in the EN-
broidery on the dress.
Dark dresse will, however, soon bt
displaced by the mastic shades, which
have reappeared in great variety, anc
the beautiful qualities of camel's.hai
silk and satin by the spring silks il
Chene patterns and small broken checks
and by the summer cottons, which ar
now 80 fine in quality and so exquisit
in design that silk for summer wear
not needed.
The "soft" or foulard- finished cam
brics have been a feature of the sum
mer styles for several years past YER
highly appreciated by ladies of refine
tastes. But these are now quite cas-
into the shade by the new sateens, whlc
have not ouly the lovely finish of tinte
satin in the ground work, but reproduc
the effect of the richest fabrics in th
delicate, long-stem med foweret and lee
patterns, which seem TO be thrown upo
the surface. The designs are very small
and the tibrous stems, more like fill
ments than stalks, and the shades {
color are such delicate mixtures of OLIVE
green and china. blues, OF old-fashione
pink and woody brown, that they can /
worn by persons of the most refined an
delicate taste. Doubtless they cal an
will be vulgarized by association vii
solid masses of striking color, but
these pretty fabrics are used in the
purity and trimmed with lace or viii
embroidery, and perhaps ribbon bows
two or three of the shades of the desigl
they will be charming-the prettie
toilets in the world for garden parti
and morning wear at our fashionab
watering places. s.-Jennie June, in Ne
York Graphic.