Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-05

Spring EsGnness-a Sev Z &c for 1U,sg.
rOcn.-Eress EabriCs->,reet and Bn-
door Dress-Ehe March Opening Days.
Frora Oui Own Correspondent
NEW YORK. April T.
The March opening days were this year mild
"a May After an exceptionally stcrmy winter
and torrents Of rain in the early part OF the
month. which removed the s!ush from the
streets. the sun shone on pavemsnts "a nearly
clean a. il l. the lot OF the New Yorker to see.
and the spring exhibitions of the large 18th
street and avenue house. ,Sere attended by such
crowds as have Ieen seldom seen of late years.
To say that fashions now decided in any
direction would be 10 say what is not true for
never were STYLES ri all kinds mere undecided.
never was the dress of woman more made up of
unrelated parts than displayed at the
recent OPENINGS. II Is n mixed season. say the
dealers. One would imagine that il must be a
very gay one BY the jCcund aspect of bOnnets
and raraSnlS. the min-nw Of every creature if
not every creatures best in design and orna-
mentatiOn. The woods. the earth. the air.
the sea. have all been rifcd OF their treasures
even more extensively tIan tie gardens. and the
results are frequently grouped or mixed in a
fashion that would reduce q systematic scientist
to despair ct insanity. Unconscious innocence
Of this type formerly contented itself with put
ting ger@nilim leaves with rose buds and rose
leaves with stock pillifiOwers. Ivy would form
back ground for field daisies and the innocent
pansy be lost in the embrace Of g stalWart be-
gOn:a. But now We have beds OF mushrooms in
close iuNiapOsition with wild roses and large
English Walnuts tumbling over maiden hair
ferns Entire fruit farms seem TO have been de-
huded of their contents. and are grouped in
anything but natural clusters, for no small tW;p
c0uld sustain a dozen tmOre or less) of large
purple Elun,s OF russell pears from one stem
Flowers are generally small and very delicate
mounted with more precision and are.nlorc aC-
tastes chn-n
large fruit. which have no relation to ANYTHING
whatever except G curious novelty in basket
straw. This straw initiates the braided tWinS
seen in Swiss baskets and appears iii tine same
dull green and reddish brown tints. Fruit
hanging over these fruit basket bOnnets does not
seem out of place. only the whole thing seems
out OF place upon a WGmanS head.
TIE BISCUIT BONNET.
There is fearful poverty of ideas with all the
cariShEeSs and glitter. The best things are as
always. these that are most quiet and harnlo-
nicus in tone and style Good taste never ex-
aggeTates. and always tones down the bro
nOGnccd into the refined and gentle. The ma
terials used in millinery are so diversified and
80 snowy that the greatest care is required in
selection. and prices are paid. not for what is
Put on "a lat or bonnet hut for what is left off
the more prOIuse the trimming. the least yaIu-
able as a rule and the cheaper the bonnet Bis
,uit tintS fashionable this season as they
years They always appear with the new i'm
ICTtatiODs. because they are used as a mark of
distinction and in the making of the most ele-
CANT fabrics abroad and are sent here with the
natural Idea that they possess the same signifi-
canoe But this is not the case at all In
France. particularly in Paris ard to a less ex-
tent in London. black is the badge Of labor: it
rs the uniform of the business and professional
woman. while the lahorin~ popuat ions are still
more widely separated from fashion and its
r;.,llI fla
the short stuff or cotton dress and the clumsy
and tme-hOnOred accessories of their class
Abroad. therefore. these fine tintS even mere
than white. are badge of distinction and the
evidence of belonging to a class HYDE Park
and the Bots de BnlOene are gay with the most
delicate tiHtS-paie blue. sea-shell pink buff
ecru and cream White-While the streets of the
TWO great cities English and French are black.
morning and evening. with the myrlads of bust
ness and professional workers. and form the
same sort of funeral procession from the cradle
20 the grave.
Tints are. Of course. used here but are re-
served mainly for evening wear except by those
who are not fashionable and who having bought
Il dress FOR hest wear if upon the street or else
where whenever. i'll their opinion. the occasion
seems To- demand it. whether the cGiOr be red
Ireen. blue. yellow or white. This mikes our
rtIeet fashions considerably. and renders dark
simple dress for the strCet-One evidently made,
and kept fer the purpoSe-more elegant than
light one. At the coaching parade of last wear
ana the year before for the first time very LIGHT
-1iGrS and tinted whites in silks and satiIls We're
displayed by the ladies' who occupied the seats:
tut tie attempt to reproduce the LOnGciamps
was not success for the cold gray of our I'M
certain skies made light coiOrs look colder still.
and forced their weafers TO conceal them be-
Aeath long coats or fur-lined clGaks. The use
Of gold fayGrs the hiscGit tint which reurlires
something stronger thar itself tn give it cIarac-
ter. Nothing prettier in bOnnetS is to be seen
than the fine gold lace over the crown and small
Grim Of biscuit satin. and the soft aigrette of
.haraboGt. biscuit colored. powdered with fine
gold.
STRAW AND LACE.
Tie straw b0nnets are quite secondary as
ct 10 the bcnHcts made up OF gold. or en-
JrC!lcret'. or reel lace over satin and trimmed
with ai-rcttcs and gold ornaments or with
punches of fine flowers. Gold lace over prisn-
rose satin looks well, and fine real lace over
pink. with ai@rette Of white marahout pow
dered with silver. But it must ALWAYS be I'M
derstoOd that gold lace in small designs and of
genuine untarHlShabie quality is meant-the
market Is @lutted with coarse rubbish that il is
an insult to the intelligence of the average
woman 10 snake for her wearing.
The novelty IN straw is a hat with a high
crown and brim rolled upon the cdre which is
enlarged Ill IL circular form upon the front so
that upon the head it assumes the appearance.
VI bonnet The trimming consists of q scarf
OF lace or folds of velvet placed round the
crown. and of Il grouped or clustered ornament
often mounted as an aigT"tte. which is placed
ii4h against TIE 'front.' Ot the crown. The i;VGr-
lie c"!"TS in these StTaWS i dull ccru or light
!nuhrrrE-the most fashionable colurS OF the
season Upon the mulberry tint darker shade
Il mulberry would ne used for velvet folds and
iaCiitG. a!ld group of mushrooms natural color
with upright WIGGs. \ dark ecru hat Of this
Mind Was trimmed with mulberry folds and
-aciH- and -gruUp OF three. j: is 20 be supposed
"Hhd !ut'. above which u cock : plume swept
over tie crown.
The SNaw curtain entombcd for nearly a GUAR
lei ci q cr'i11Ey rcaHpCarS upon Enthusiastically
!Ir T.s-of double English straw: and the
|"'E"f Hubbard. the high peaked crown and
poke brlm oTti~dadow the small cottage and
-2i1ts SHADES which. however. VIII GOuitles
a"-d their own 10 give an appearance of no.
yeIty 10 the small bonnet square crowns have
bt'n Introduced: but they Will simply lead to
u temporary cAtcTEi.ns.i .Gn. for as the innUVa-
Ton appears III tine majority Of eases its uuli-
ness i without motive and against that reason
all" law which demands THAT change shall show
>UNietihii- ia the way oi Improvement.
JETTED STYLES.
II j. funny 70 observe the air with which II
i occasionally announced that 'at is To be very
much used this season Was there ever a sea-
ION when il was not used? And now that ietted
ace and jetted trimmings are made by machin-
cry ard can be bought for a song it vii, flour
sh nor" than ever upon cheap grenadines and
seTVi@ci.t.e black NANTES. There are specimens
Oh Jette'l trimming that are beautiful; but they