Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-03-04


and Hearing q IautaiiziDg Condition.
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and Jou-nal
New York, Feb. 26-An item 10 a
n private letter from Paris reads: 1.-The
most remarkable costume at the opera
this winter was that of an extremely
fashionable woman who wore black
satin gown, trimmed with black chiffon
and much black jet, the bodice being
cut very low in the neck and not a
jewel upon il. The hair was dressed
10 nuffs and curls and surmounted by
huge turban of white crepe that had
long snds flowing at one side and
bunch Of three white plumes at the
other. The effect was rot beautiful,
but it was startling. The blackness Of
the gown, the whitenesH of the neck,
snd then. this remarkable headdress,
made the wearer really the observed
OF all observers. Does this mean that
the horrible turban is TO come to us?
II you have any doubt as to its hideous.
ness, you need only take up book Of
history that is illustrated and see how
Z Nine. do Stael and the ladies' of her
time looked in their Oriental couture.
At the famous costume ball, Young
married woman, who went as the
Princess de .Damballe. wore a kind of
plated bat of pink crepe. with long
btreamers OF crepe at the back and a
black ostrich tip, fastened with
Jewel, Just near the front. AS the
eyeDipg wore on, this beaddress lost
it's poiss, got decidedly to one side,
and gave to its wearer, happy in her
Ignorance, very dissipated and
Fakish look.
The huge headdress making the
head seem small and taking away
from the expression by belittling tie
features. 10 not TO be welcomed
AT the theatres many ladies who
were unbonnetted, have worn feathers
snd ribbon bows in their hair, that
got exactly into one's line Of vision
and were quite as offensive as the big
hat Personally, | don't object TO a
big hat, provided it has not high
arrangement of plumes or ribbon loops
that bob here and there, and have
way of coming between the hero and
heroine, and suggesting that they are
4 the black obstacles keeping thePe true
lovers apart l have known a small
bonnet with tail aigrette upnn il
interior with melodrama to such an
extent that one did not know whether
the heroine kissed the devoted adorer
or whether she tickled his face with
what seemed like feather buster. IL
isn't the size of bonnet or hat that
makes ii offensive, it's the absolute
satanic ability of some special deco.
ration to get into the way and make
seeing an impossibility and hearing a
fantalizing condition. | do feel sorry
for the woman who has to bold her
best hat in her lap while independent
men crowd past her. l do feel sorry
for the woman who takes off her hat.
knowing that her hair is not too well
arranged, and that where she had ex-
pected to look very smart she absolutely
looks dowdy.
Ny own method, when 20 to the
theatre at night, is to tie black lace
scarf over my head, which can be taken
of, put into the opera glass bag, and
doesn't need to be bothered about apy
more. Then, at the matinee | wear
either hat or bonnet that gets in
nobody's way! and | wouldn't take il
of for the President of the United
States, for the simple reason that |
couldn't get 1t on again, for, as every
woman knows, IL you wear a well.
fitting bodice, your chapeau must be
assumed before your bodice ia.
Isn't it funny that nobody ever
heard OF anybody else oh iectlng to a
high hat at church? And nobody
objects to high hats at the circus?
Sometimes l think great deal of this
high-hat business is nonsense; though
j am willing to confess that have
suffered no end from high decorations.
But the hat will go, IL the turban
com1s in; and. oh how hideous the
average woman will look 10 it. the
wedding veil, which ia always spoken
OF as something that is Identifying,
is almost as great fraud as tine crepe
turban. 10 the first place, lace veil,
no matter how handsome it may be,
can aeldom be put on becomingly, and
the bride wearing it knows that sbr
doesn't look well, and this docs moi
add TO her happiness. Tho ONLY abso
lutely becoming veil ia the tulle ono,
which can be arranged 50 that il falls
over the face, and then may bs throw
back after the ceremony to constitute
creamy white, cloudy backgroun C
for young and pretty face. Tht
woman who ia not absolutely young
especially the woman who has yer,
strong features, had better lot thu
bridal veil alone and wear SINAI
bonnet. Ii sue has any doubt as IL
the becomingness of vol, she neec
only buy one OF the English societ,
papers, in which there are picture
of the young women who have jus
been presented, taken in their prr
sentatior gowns and wells. They ma,
have started out by being good look nl
girls, but when, added to the horrible
arrangement of the veil, is the dc
handed bunch of ostrich feathers
they look absolutely hideous am
utterly uncomfortable. The fact tina
felt sorry for bride tho other day i
my reason for talking about wells
Nature had made her nretty girl
she HAD on a beautiful gown; blu
she wore real lace veil that was al
heirloom in the family, ami that veil wa
go heavy it dragged her kair back: i
was so thick looking that it nade al
ugly background, and the fact that /
was superb lace only made you wish i
bad been shown among her weddin
presents, while ahs herself had worl
the plain tulle veil that is the dainties,
and which all brides, rich and noe
alike, can assume.
y Speaking Of wedding presents, thi
girl had one nice one. / have alway
sympathized with the woman VIII
would retain as her last LUXURY, vine
hard times came, her own specia
carriage Tho day of the weudin
there drove up most beautifu
brougham and the footman, ringin
the bell, presented note fc. the brids
to'be: inside, was caro- telling frol