The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-04-02
CHAT ON FASHIONS.

March winds have almost, if not quite
blown the curl out of the ostrich plumes
and the rains have dropped the bows and
made them no longer ornamental to the
| winter bonnet, therefore this Easter morn.
| ing feminine hearts are glad of the new
| bonnets that belong with the day. It is
| hard fate if one does not indulge in wearing
| something new, and deserve the good luck
that tradition associates with the custom.
The early coming of Easter and little IN
| seemingly lingering of spring in old win
! ter's lap, has occasioned an unwonted tar
diness in the demand for spring goods that
are at present awaiting purchasers, but
now that April approaches, and it is rea-
sOnable to expect sunshine, there is reason
to believe that fresh bedeckings will be
seen abroad.
For the chilly days of spring Louis XIV
| coats and Henri Deux capes will be worn
The latter are cut 10 fall below the waist
and conceal the arms in front, just now
| they are made uf light cloth. but later they
viii be Of lace. Very pretty bonnets are
| seen of light green straw, pinched into
scollops in front, with long stemmed mig
| nonette or white and purple hlacs hiding in
| the foldiugs. An examination of millinery
| stock, shows that many of the
| bonnets are mere skeletons, and
that little skill ON the part
of women would enable them TO have sew
eral new bonnets without affrighting their
| cashiers at the size of the bill Many of
| the new hats are nothing but narrow bands
! of Jewels and small wing or two nesting
in a lace barbe at the back Others are
made of perhaps two bands of tiny flowers,
| such as fOrget-me-nots, caught together
| with 4 frill of transparent gold lace and
| trimmed at the back with loops of wide
| gold galocn ana black lace wings. or of
| fulled Grape, with bunch of velvet flowers
matching in color. Pretty little toques can
be made of crepe de chine pulled for i
crown and 4 wreath Of flowers with lace
forming the band; Of course, there is no
limit TO tinsel, imitation Jewels and whole
| cabinet of chronological specimens. A
Paris design that is much admired is large
round hat, the brim Of tuscan red, and the
crown of black jet set of by moonstones
The trimming is Of black lace falling softly
over the brim and pleated to a
fan shape in the back Another pretty
creation is made with skeleton frame of
black jet, covered with black tulle dotted
with gold. The front is of twisted beads,
forming knot in the center. The Coronet-
shaped crown of dotted tullc is filed with
Tho ciI i Sp5r
loop of tulle.
Something new is the Cleopatra, or snake
hat. made of skeleton frame and covered
with Irish lace. II is toque-shaped, trimmed
with feathers and aigrette. from the midst
of which a snake is about to strike. The
snake is made either in flowers or gilded
metal.
i simpler hat for ordinary wear and suit
able for a young girl is OF fancy straw, made
made plateau-shaped and trimmed with
large spray Of purple hlacs. 1t is finished
IN front with a large bow of green and
in violet ribbons to match the flowers, Civ
ing a careless and jaunty effect. The back
is turned up to lie level with the head.
The butterfly girl can, if she chooses,
perch upon her giddy head huge butterfly
and call it hat, while its gossamer wings,
jeweled body and head are suggestive of
flowers and sweetness.
Thanks to the divine Sara the plague
of snakes is upon US. They clasp neck,
arms and waist, wreathe around the head
and stretch their tortuous length across
the folds of fair women's garments, who
would shrink in horror from the actual,
but for freak of fashion adopt as a
chosen ornament the artificial emblem Of
evil. Verify the world of fashion needs
St. Patrick. and Cleopatra could well be
spared and be allowed to wrap herself in
her mummy cloths and lie down to sleep.
In gowns there seems to be no novelty,
The plain, clinging style being in favor.
Reforms are SLOW, but if persistently agi-
tated in time yield fruit. This is as true
in dress as in politics or philanthropy,
Women have heard so much of the evil of
the petticoat when fastened at the waist
that some Of the pioneers in reform are
dispensing with them altogether. The
union undergarnent, long stockings with
suspcndcrs comprise the underwear, unless
il be short skirt barely reaching to the
knees. As modes OF dress are mere mat
ter of custom, it is fair to suppose that the
passing Of few years will suffice TO make
il q matter of wonder that women ever
dressed otherwise. Street costumes are
cut princesse shape, the right side open TO
display velvet skirt of the same color. on
one side lotus leaves of black and silver
passamenterie. The left side has no garni-
ture, but is draped around the figure in
Grecian style. Another simple spring
style shows princesse shape, with d.
vided and deeply pointed belt Of velvet
over the rich Grecian folds, in which the
draperTes of soft cloth, cleft on the left side
to show petticoat panel of velvet of con-
trasting shade, are arranged. Such gown
has its sleeves, faring collar and pointed
vest in the velvet, this vest reaching nearly
to the top of the bust.
a very pretty spring dress is of gray
WOODEN material, trimmed with little en-
broidery of braid of gold silk The dress
princesse, half-louS, composed of back and