The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-28
GREAT DAY FOR BONNETS.
Enthusiastic Admiration Expressed by
Great Attendance Of Ladies at 81. r.
WATSON 4 Co.'s.
An Easter Millinery Display-Bonncfs Of
the "Directoire," Empire" and 1880"
sctth Dash of Old Colonial Days.

Yesterday will be set down in many
lady's calendar as red letter day. 1t was
the day chosen by II. p. WATSON q 20. for
their Easter millinery opening, and to say
that thousands of ladies visited the store
to look with wonder and admiration on the
new things in hats and bonnets would be
to state fact with great modesty and
mildness.
This great store was thronged with
Indies, o constant stream of tair humanity
going into and coming out of it's wide doors
oil day long
The first attraction was in the windows
the eyes of the honse. 1t is no new thing
to see marvellous displays in these win
dows. but yesterday the artist excelled
himself. 1t is entirely safe to say that the
west window at II. P. WATSON & Co.'s yes
terday was the most elegant and pic
turesque exhibition of window dressing
ever seen In Indianapolis. Under velvet
canopy. showing all the choicest spring
colors. was a huge bell of flowers. bell and
tongue composed of trailing srbutus and
forget-me-nots, intertw,ned by delicate
vines. A life-like figure of fiaxen-haired
three-year- old girl held the ribbon attached
to the bell. and in her hand was the signlfi-
cant announcement as to styles
Ring out the old.
Ring In the new.
Beneath the bell was glow of color
from flower beds of iris. lilies and pansies.
in which natural and artificial flowers
were so deftly ming led that it was difficult
to tell which nature or which art had
made.
Caught ND by the current of the throng
the reporter was carried into the store,
which was massed with people. Every body
was In q good humOr and thoroughly en-
joying the sights that were to be seen on all
hands.
The point of attention, however. was the
millinery departments. and thither there
was n constant stream of travel There
was no end to the EXPLANATIONS of surprise
as the bewildering array of flowers and
ribbons came In view. In artificial fow-
ess violets and forRet-me-nots are much In
vogue. and "eminence" and Russian
queen" are the newest fads. There Is q
wealth of roses in beautiful shades In silks
and velvets.
The holy of holes was where the choicest
and latest French styles of millinery were
shown. ANY lady knows that the feeling
and sentiment ex pressed in bonnet de-
ponds upon the artist and that this aTtis-
tic expression in q bonnet is as much q
manifestation of genius as in . great
painting or wonderful piece of sculpture.
The ladies Gazed upon these artistic bon
uetS Win cut0ublbStlc 8QmlIaLlOu. ne
Partisan patterns attracted the greatest
attention, but other patterns in which there
were touches of tho colonial days were
pronounced to be perfectly lovely"
Among the dashing styles of the "Di-
reotoire" shape was shown q black chip
trimmed with corn-coIored ribbons and
black lace; bunch of roses and aigrettes
on one side. and q bow of ribbon on the
other. The bonnet seemed complete, all
but q pretty face to 90 In, and doubtless
w m m n
plete the picture for Easter
An example OF the Empire" style was
shown in q yellow straw. with pale blue
velvet lining. The back was trimmed with
bons and strIngs to match the straw.
The "ls3V period had many representa-
tives. The shape 10 q poke. One of these
that attracted much attention was In poke
style with fall of lace over the front.
This was trimmed with an ostrich pompon.
aiRrettes and crushed roses. There were
roses under the brim. and il will be tied
under the dimpled chin of it's fair buyer
with strings of black velvet.
The second floor of III. p. WATSON & Co.'s,
especially the millinery department.. was
garnished with choice plants in honor of
the occasion, while an orchestra play ed
charming selections from the most popular
operas. The decorations and their arrange
ment were exceedingly artistic and did no
dlscredit to the elegant array of millinery.
Other departments of the store were
toned up for the oocasion. In passing
through the house q great throng of Gus
toners was noticed at the silk and dress.
goods counters. The reporter was informed
that the dressmaking department. opened
yesterday for the season, and on that &C.
count hundreds of orders were coming in,
many of which were to be executed by
Easter.
The kid glove department was also
thronged. Buyers appeared to be alive to
the fact that Easter. the day on which
spring actually will begin. is at hand. The
the season.
The wrap department. was sharing the
honOrs with the millinery attraction, and
the many new styles shown met with
rapturOus admiration from the ladies.