Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-02-13
New York Fashions.

New York Fashions.
OF SPRING-THE CASH
MERE ~CRAZE-MAsCULINE MAGMA
TlONs-NEw FEATUREsr-UsED TO ANY
THING.
Correspondence OF the Starnton VINDICAToRl
NEW YORK, February 10th, 1880.
AUTHORIZATIONS OF SPRING.
There will shortly be going abroad what
might be called cashmere craze" The
phrase Cashmere is made to stand for
the whole range of Oriental patterns, en-
bodying ideas which we all recognize at
glance, but which are difficult to describe
on paper. Palm leaves are conspicuous OF
course, but then there are numbers of de-
signs without them. From costumes
they spread to ribbons and silks used in
and having nou lted to the head
there was moth ny left but to 20 down to
the feet; hence the origin and progress OF
"cashmeie" stockin s. Not cashmere
stockings in the or ginal sense (meaning a
high type of merino) but such as a'e inn
bued with the last insan ties. Now AS far
as stockings go. the facts jus5 stated have
proved n OF blessing IN disguise, but one
quite open, above board end altogether un
disguised. Manufacturers ha reacl,ed a
last stage of exhaustion and inanition as
to ideas. They had tried embroideries,
which hatl run around, run across, run
trlangulally, perpendicularly, transversely,
and in every known and unknown direc-
ton. All quantities too had come up,
lived, departed; they had been tried, III
lavish profusion or again put daintily
forth with the veriest refinement of skilled
coquetry. AS to colors, there were jun
blings, harmonies, contrasts, mixtures.
anything, everything. The gauntlet Of
open work was thrown down to the fash
ionable world and the world took it up
We had open work in every possible and
impossible device. Combinations, alterna-
tions, contrasts and mlnglings of color were
brought forward simultaneously checks.
stripes, bands, figures, squares and all such
like bewildered the female vision we know
for how long and open work and embroi-
derry we're adroitly united in order to pro-
duce an additional prorusion of intellect.
Now that the cashmere contagion is
spreading to this department, we shall
have-but it will be hard to say what we
shall not have. We shall have everything
imaginable and unimaginable in these
Eastern fancies. Then too, ere 1 have
seen dry goods importer OF a sample of
spring fabrics, venture to say that the
epidemic extending to the warmer season
of the year will affect the Spring and Sum-
mer fabrics of every kind; wool, silk and
cotton. If you would like to know what
l think of the state Of affairs, answer
unhesitatingly, 'good.'' There is no doubt
that these warm blooded Orientals excel
us as to coloring and we do we'll to copy
after them-to take to ourselves these re-
suits of a fertile Imagination, by which
the world of dress is made more beautiful
and existence in general enriched. But
let me hasten and bring this to close for
on review of my last sentence, fear I
may grow gushing, and that would never
do in SO practical piece of writing, as a
fashion letter.
"a primrose by the rivers brim
A yellow primrose was to him,
And it was nothing mOre.''
Silk 'kerchiefs are decidedly practical
craze, for there is nothing more comforta-
BILE than one tucked around the neck these
winter days. But as feminine influence
brings forward continually the beautiful.
so in these strictly useful kerchiefs we find
a great deal that is pretty. AS to the va
riety the half could not be told. But one
thing must be mentioned and that is the
cunning novelties brought forward in the
way of ornamental pins, for tavorite way
of fastening the 'kerchief is to cross it
over and keep it in position by pretty
device of some kind. Now as long as these
scarf pins were given up to men, they
were just about what one might expect.
The changes were rung on deaths heads,
horses heads. old men grlnning, riding
whips and such like. Now that ladies are
competitors in the field, we find all man.
ner OF pOetical and delicate contrivances.
Fairy like flowers frosted by dew, four
leaved clover and tiny bells, are only some
of them, while horse shoes instead of be-
ing what the masculine imagination made
them-plajn unmistakable horse shoes, are
now SO wreathed with blossoms or other
wise SO adorned that the original character
is lost.
NEW FEATURES IN DRESS AND BUSINESS
The publishers of Ehrich's Fash ion
Quartely are now offering it free to any
who may subscribe to other periodicals
through their agency. For example, you
may wish Harper, Lippencott, The Allan
tic, ETC., for this year, you send the order
to Enrich & Co., and they forward you not
only the desired Weekly or Monthly, but
their Fashion Magazine as we'll. 1 will
add that their premium list for those who
obtain subscribers for them is very attrac-
tive and will be sent free to any address.
One Of the handsomest overskirts lately
worn on Fifth Avenue by we'll known
society lady, was the Alethea. She was
just coming out Of Haines Bros, elegant
piano ware rooms where she had left an
order for one of their uprights. There is
indeed a great demand for this special line
of the Haines' instruments. since they not
only embody all the latest improvements,
but have peculiar features of their own,
one of which is that they have three strings
while those of other makers have only two.
Returning however to the subject matter,
will mention another elegant polonaise
which attracted attention the same day.
1t was the Aspasia. The Cressida is like
wise new and graceful polonaise, while