The sun., 1898-03-27


Raiment, '0S Model-Of Bewitching
Beauty. Cold Type Can Scarcely DO
Justice to Them.
Copyright, 1885, by the Authorl
The conscientious fashion editor Just
now has wonderful dreams where Wis.,
ions Of fair women fit to and fro dressed
in the gorgeous raiment made for the
glories Of Easter Sunday, with an apo
theosis Of hats and .bonnets too sweet
and lovely to be Of earth. Itoauses the
most poignant sorrow not to be able to
present panorama of them all in their
wonderful colors and daring mixtures
Of things mundane with things almost
spiritual in their delicacy. Words are
such poor and soulless things when it
comes to telling Of babies, bonnets,
flowers and sunset skies. One needs to
be an artist, and good one too.
The hats are made Of two qualities of
straw, one Of coarse, rough braids sewed
together and the other where there is
no seam from the center Of the crown
to the edge Of the brim. have almost
lain awake nights trying to understand
which was the beginning and which the
end Of these leghorn and milan hats, as
far as the braiding Of them is concerned.
The edge looks SO smooth that I think it
must have been made first, but the
crown looks just the same way, and it
is clear and patent that they were not
made in sections. So after all perhaps,
like Topsy, they "jest growed."
Anyhow these fine and flexible straw
hats will take the lead over everything
else for really elegant hats but not un-
til the weather is very warm. For gar
den parties they will be particularly
fine when topped with great fluffy
white or yellow plumes. 1 saw one
where there were six or seven monstrous
black and burnt orange plumes laid in
every direction. Others have all black,
all maize, canary or some other yellow
shade of plumes tipping every which
way. Yellow is the popular color.
Plumes will not be worn much this
spring and summer on anything but
these fine straws. As to the rough
straws, that is another thing. They are
trimmed, it would seem, with whatever
came handiest, and everything goes.
One odd fancy had peck Of roses, sew
eral high loops Of black velvet ribbon
and two dark brown quill feathers.
These were turned downward and al
most touched the cheek, while the quill
portion stuck upward in full sight.
This was so odd that it was almost i'm.
pudent. It compels attention. Among
the dainty fancies found snow white
hat made Of shirred and puffed chiffon
as light as thistle down. There were
tiny tufts of the softest parts of the os.
trich plulnes set here and there among
the putfs like snoWballs. A little white
satin ribbon was made into dizzy little
rosettes and put where they would ap-
pear to belong. There was not point
Of color about it, but the whole effect
was exquisite.
Regular sunLOnnets made of calico,
Organdie and other thin stuffs are made
for golfng, and rs they are SO light and
becoming and so deIiciously quaint they
have taken the feminine heart by storm.
Those who do not play golf or tennis
will find some way or some excuse for
wearing them.
The rage for burnt orange in the
yellows has brought out many flowers
not often seen for millinery purposes.
There are yellow and shaded primroscs,
jonqulls, nasturtiuns and the velyety
wallfowers and marigolds Each and
all of these are so perfect that one i'm
agines that the perfume fills the air.
Great purple and white iris, dropping
plumes OF wistaria tall, stiff stock gilly
flowers and hyacinths, lilacs, azaleas,
tulips, double poppies, all divide the at
tention and make it hard to choose.
Moss roses and buds Gge t..n"ng the IA
vorite roses, though tIrJ .4 almost
been forgotten.
certainly must show some iirmnes:,
as there are so many other things to
mention besides hat. ! Must. however,
mention one novelty, AND tlat is that
these rough straw Aats are ouriously
made. Some Of the crowns look like
platlnss Of some new weave of ribbon
and are only straw. There are also straw
ribbons made of fine chip, and these are
intwined with lace, tulle, chiffon or
silk null, and being stiff they give IL
firm foundation for holding the loads of
fowe
Wells for these large hats are very
new, and the most popular so far are
the wheat shades. White, cream and
black are also seen, the thin, fine spider
web mesh being dotted far apart with
thick black design. Some baya a hlacl,