The Washington critic., 1890-02-27

Advocates Knee Brceches - Wee
Bits of Bonnets for Fair Heads,
The Lcnten gown has made its an
nnal appearanco-in the newspapers
Occasionally II figures in good gray or
black wool, but for the most pant its
ostentaiiously demure minutes are
walked in another arena. But there
are women who make special toilets
Tor Good Friday Most certainly, there
arc @sthciically dcvout young creatures
who give over much time to the con.
sidcrution of appropriate and becoming
notifications of the flesh during the
week in which they do up their piety
Tor the season; but as rule the
fashionable girl who draws her toes out
OF her dancing slippers at midnight on
Shrovc Tuesday and puts on nuu.like
colors when she wakes on the morning
OF Ash Wednesday performs this latter
operation only because such has been
her daily custom since gray and white,
gray aud lavender, gray and pale yell
low, black and white and simple gray
and black became the mcde. The so
Cicty girl in common with all other girls
begins TO wear a new dress Just as soon
as II is made, and her "Lcntcn" cape
of gray chincbilla or natural astra-
khan her gray gown cut with expen.
sivc simplicity, her gray gloves and
quaint little cap.likc gray bonnet she
has possessed ever since last fall. Pos
sibly she has removed a white feather
from her hat, but If SO she has supplied
its place with two or three sprays of
lily of the valley in her buttonholc
Mrs. ,Icnncss Miller, whose school of
physical culture opened this week,
stands bravely by her declaration of the
need of reform in the clothes Of men.
Each separate article in the masculine
wardrobe is, she says, as absurd as the
empticst fop could have devised and as
ugly as the staunchest Puritan could
have desired. The evening costume
which she advocates for gentlemen, in
lieu of that now common to walters and
those whom they attend. would include
brecches Of some dark velvet vest of
brocade or Of embroidered silk or satin
velvet coat, silk stockings and low
bucklcd shoes. Lace ruillcs at the neck
and wrists would meet with favor in her
eyes. and she processes belief that
many men would favor the revival of
artistic and picturesque effects If they
did not fear ridiculc and the suspicion
of an intention to set up class distinc-
tions.
Her ideal man, in his knee breechcs
and rutflcs, would escort lady about,
whose toilet for occasions requiring
elegance and display Mrs Miller holds
equally decided views. These she is
able to cXemplify in her own person
and the costume in which she ap.
pcarcd at recent gathering may be
taken as illustrating the latest word of
The apostle Of dress improvement, with
regard to the ideal evening gown.
This was delicate green brocade on
ground of creamy yellow, with front
of soft, rich lace. caught In artistic dra-
pcrics. The corsage was cut low enough
10 show the throat and neck, though
not low enough TO be recognized as
full decollctc. The sleeves were short,
displaying each the whole arm. The
train was short also, for Mrs. Miller
explains that she doesn't think it pretty
10 see more material on the floor than in
the air. and she doesn't think it proper
TO cause her neighbor TO stumble
Though February has hardly drawn
its last breath, young spring cares
nothing for the throcs Of dying winter,
and the shop windows bloom like the
meadows in mid June. Great masses
of pansios and brilliant red and yellow
tulips, spangled with dcwdrops, are
bcapcd on green banks overgrown with
ferns. Poised on little stands in gen.
crous foretaste of Easter are the carly
bluebirds and robins of millinery the
first hats of the coming season Behind
every sheet of plate. glass one beholds
symphonies in lavender, yellow and
green. II is hard for the February mind
10 adjust itself to the colors of July,
but parasols striped in heliotrope and
sulphur. scarlet and pale yellow, blue
and white and geccn and heliotrope,
stand like huge vari colored sunflowers
10 insist that now is the transition time.
At first ii seems that this is only
the annual spring efilorescence,
and that the flower bed is nc
gayer than last year. but within the
next ten steps stockings of deep
golden yellow arc dancnga mad May
day revcl, while gloves red enough to
have been dipped in gore beat time to
the frolic and urge ii on. Here is a
window full of underclolhes in peach
and silver. and here are lilac slippers
bucklcd with gold Here is bonnet
made Of nothing but blue and white
violcts, and over IL hover, filling the
whole easement, great blue Brazilian
butterflies. Thcside- walks are thronget
with woman who look and eXclaim and
buy: yes, actually buy July bonnets OF
March 1. Truly, summer Is coming
in with briliancc and right merrily.
The first spring hats to dawn upor
our vision repeat and develop the large
projecting poke forms so much in vogue
last year. Hardly two of the SAINT
shape can be discovered, for iissomt
fingers have bent the brims and pincheC
them and folded them to suit every
variety of face which can be imagined
pecping out below. Here is one in &
black lace straw which runs out in 8
long aggressive point over the forehead
Here is another, the brim of which i
caught back above the bang and rum
out behind Here is third, the flap
ping brim of which may almost toucl
The shoulder, while on the other side /
is caught against the crown in three
places by butterflies perched on ribbon
bows.
Most Of the hats are low, crowned
Many of them are meant TO receive thei
final shaping only when fitted to tn,
heads of pretty customers. Some ar
picturesque and strikinGly effective
Others are so cxtravagant and grotesqu
that one begins to wonder where tn
rage for the novel and extraordinary il
headgear will end. With the excep
tion of the turbans, nearly all hats ar
extremely large. Some are provides
with such superfluity of brim tho
the extra material is laid over in plat
in front or on the side. For some Q
the weddings expected after Easter tn
bridesmaids hats are already unde