Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-01

SsrOo8 IN MntterY OF WRe9O-NeW ana
Novel Styles ia BOnness-rhe Flower
erase Growing Ssronger-A Peach
Blow Lunch-PeculiaP Summer Fash.
ions NeW Laces and Embroidery
Upon Observation-Disclosures Dresses.
Prom Our Own Correspondent.
NEW YORK. April 3O-Mr. Julian Hawthorne
remarked recently that modern literary work.
ers-speaking of this country-take themselves
"too seriously" This is true here of every de-
partment of life and even of the dress women
wear-it Ia "taken too seriously" 1t is not en-
toyed- 1t Is worn to set an example, to illus
trate style, TO be equal to an occasion; very
rarely for comfort or ease pleasure. 1t is said
that women have a special faculty for making
martyrs OF themselves. This is undoubtedly
true. 1t is theirs by inheritance: for since the
early days when women were buried alive with
their husbands In order that they should have
their service and comPanionship In the next
world; down to fifty years ago, when in a town
In New York state tn, seiectmen put the name
o; a drunken "ne'er-do-weeI" on a brass me-
mortal table, with that of his wife-who was a
public benefactresS- Ii would not be
proper for the woman's name to appear with
out that o. the man aud would give rise to
Ideas sGHversve of natural authority the
part OF wornen"-women have had to suffer
more or less-irom no fault of their own-and
they have acquired n habit of it.
This habituai subsection to authority, this
faculty for martyrdom. is the only hypothesis
upon which one can account for their frequent
acceptance of the uncomfortable and unbecOm-
ing in dress and the ingenuity by which they
contrive to make binding duties out OF so much
that Is unnecessary and superfiuous. The only
real use that can be found for thenl-and that
-. after all, not slight One-is, as aids to self
respect. 1; is good TO feel obliged to be equal to
soniething, TO maintain ones place, even If 1t
is only among the wearers OF
EASTER BoNNETs.
BOnnets, by the way, have come to the front
this season, literally well hguratively.
They show an almost infinite diversity and
many new aad striking features. The "dress'
Donnets-potJ- cIcedeace-are small; set close to
the head ard are pointed up at the back The
trimming forms steps or ladders directly over
the 'front.', rising high; sometimes in a series of
double loops, sometimes III u mixture of ribbon
loops with grasses. or they eXh ibit BOWS of en-
brOiicred lace or sauze with light, spear shaped
headed agrettes. The transparent jetted bon
nets divide the honors with the pretty flower
bOnEetS which the Partisan sensations:
though neither can be said To be new; for the
transparent bonnet, forming much such fam
ts.stlc head-1resS as nOw-only not rising
high-was fashionable many years ago; and the
Hover bonnets have been more or less in vogue
since the small bonnets re-asSerted their claims
now nearly ten years ago.
There are new features this season. however
which have never appeared before; and one is
the insertion in the transparent crowns of the
dainty little, ..jetted" bonnets; u jetted comb
which Is set exactly as il might be in the hair:
sometimes in front n sort of corOnet: some
times at the back surrounding the twist or
braid The term '.jetteG' is not inHccUrately
applied To eolored Us well as black beaded or
namentatiou; and there are bOnnets formed of
n mixed net work OF small bronze, ruby or
amber beads outlined with larger ones aud
finished with comb and aiErettc to match
Which constitute the entire decoration To add
more, or any thing whic. would conceal the
form or play of light and color would be to dis
figure and hide their beauty.
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ABROAD.
These styles are imported or made to ORDER as
they are too difficult aud too expensive to be
more frequently seen, and though not numer-
Gus still form :. feature of all millinery exhibit
lions At soIne of the Judc performances IL was
curious To see how Very much more these trans
parent, beaded bonnets Were represented than
those Of an OtLe- style or description. They
We're III the large majority; simple fact that
loiu now strongly the French element was rep
Resented.
NirOt has sent over some bonnets this season
which are considerably more effective-not 10
say recommendation it has been her custom to
display. NirOt is truly u woman OF ideas She
introduced the Cdpote: she is responsible Tor the
Continental prc-cminence given to the beige
shades, and IL WAS she who revived the Gains
borough, all permanent suggestions which
have continued To live through all the nuts-
Tons OF the past twenty To twenty-five years
and are still IN the ascendant, the changes
beIn., in matters OF detail. But Madam Viroi is !
well along III years now and her name NAV be
al that Is lett of her in the designs which come
from her establishment. Her influence is how
ever, clearly traceable in tine refinement of the
Charming little designs with crowns of small
HpWerS-cOwslips or pansieS-;. large bow OF
kdlze flODon on the top aDC front OF embrOid-
er1d lace or gauZe Or tul!e over yellow hello
trUpe silk. Inc blossoms set close but not
crowded th:ckly and are mingled with fine
green leaves, either the natural foliage or
Nstiden-hsIir fern.
FANCY srRAws
The plain straw hats and boCnets have been
quite removed to the background and are only
employed TOR seryiceable purposes. The new,
fancy straSs are a revival OF the fancy Tuscans
anu Leghorns OF twenty-five years ago. They
are now called EfTuscoIt from their icep cnIor
and they are trimmed with satin straw flowers /,
anu black velvet, or straw flowers and gauZe
fibbOn with DlcOt edge and velvet center Some
OF these EtTuscan str;tws are open or semi |
Transparent; others are wrought so as to give |
the effect of straw lace. They are also combined
with the tute, lace and gauze tissues which are |
woven III "A pattern or embroidered by hand |
the trimming sometimes REPRESENTING all the
coiofs IN ribDOn OF the embroidery. A brown |
tuI!e studied with straw stars is trimmed with
stri" lace, and lilac and yellow and tender
green III the ornaInentation. But there are also |
bonHets IN which ali the soft tints OF one color
Will DC blended in one general tone of lilac or
yeiiow, or pale gold shading into pink.
THE FLOWER CRAZE
has received an impetus from the flower inn
cheons and weddings, which j, is Just now the |
fashion To III axe as completely representative
OF the idea as possible. There have been .snow-
drop and 'apple-blOssOm" weddings: ..daff,-
Oil and violet" lunches, the latest being the
'-peach-olOw, which was carried OUT RECENTLY
IN Inasnihcent style the dress of the hostess
consisting OF brOcade in -.peach-blow" shades
with satin front embroidered To match and
table service Of .'peach-biow" china The
iaNOTS were, Of course, all tied with ..peach-
blow ribbon; and frozen peaches in cream was
a feature of the dessert.-Ihe exaggerated
height OF the hats; and of the trimming upon
tue more pronounced OF the bonn.is is sup
posed 10 carry with ii Immense .styie" But IL
ID OfLen any thing but becoming. anu is a decided
OostacIe AT the tneater, III the concert room or
where any nurnbc OF ladies are assembled to-
Sether- IL Is very usual, too; in TACT almost |
obligatory, Tor oonnets 10 be worn at luncheon
parties anu even dinners; and the towering |
pIaiiitye, In every variety of birds tail" COM
oinatiOn, IS singular, particularly as the bonnet
has often no relation to the rest of the costume
Vi course, very correct dressers do not make a |
MISTAKE OF this kind. II they cannot afford to- |
match their oOnnets u their Costumes they
maintain IA neutrality, SO that one shall not |
slOek or offend the other. But even the most |
Intelligent and generally steiul are not al |
ways proof against a Craze and the bon
net OF the period Is a charming and MANY |
sided lUnacy.
PEG LIAR Fashions FOR SUMMER
In cOIning-that -, summer-f.shions are
peculiar; at least, AZ seen in the piece" and
unsOp Aisilcssted women 10 not know what tn
do with them. Tie coarse woods for stree, wear
must be combined with culored stripes i'm
plush, velvet or tapestry designs. The fin.
""ois nave lace or Opeu-worked stripes
:.ud must be made up over silk; and the silks
have discarded brOcstde and have wonderfully
Wrought tlike close dOJsl beaded fronts: which
cost Tor this purpose and for trimming twenty
dollars per yard. The fashionable tints I'm sum-
1ler wool are Cream anu InaStic or "string''
color, iiiit'ie over SILK Oi the shade th,