The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-18
hats ARE Big and GAY
Ostrich Feathers. Picture Brims.
and Rainbow Coiors.
These Spring Chnpenus Must De
Worn with Gowns OF Almost
severe and Nun-Iikc 5impiicity.

announced Maisie with a sigh, into which
she valnly endeavored TO infuse a note of
misery, 'is never done. One no more than
wriggles out CT the hands of the makers of
clothes. shoes, hats. etc. with a few win
ter garments. when the spring comes
busting in. and back one plunges into the
vortex of matching and fitting and bar
gaining and dignifed wrangling."
Your melancholy moralization invites
the conclusion that you have been antici-
pating the daffodil that comes before the
swallow dares. by skimming the cream Of
the first fresh things in the shops. or
continued the hostess, with mingled re-
proach and envy in her voice, your are
planning a trip South"
''Hark to my cough. There! Isn't il
ominous?" asked the rosy damsel, turning
from her contemplation OF the slow falling
snow to the glittering hearth.
1T is a curious phenomena that / am
seized with cough Of just that sepulchral
sorority every year, on or about this sea-
son. and at first my doting parent takes
not the smallest notice. Gradually my ap-
petite at table begins TO fail: my smile
is sweetened with an expression of wistful
farewell and then the doctor is called in;
and then POOR. darling papa is infinitely
relieved to hear that a few weeks of
bnlmy Southern air will restore his treas
ure TO her accustomed interest in square
meals and mundant pleasures. The rest is
in my hands. Going South means, 81
course. getting together few fresh things
in order that my fathers daughter may be
credit and comfort and pride 10 him
abroad as well as at home. In short. my
dear, am of to Philadelphia in the morn
ing, bound South to be among the first to
pay respects to Madame Springtime.''
''Maisie." admitted the hostess with
solemn admiration. you deserve an am
bassadorship. and IL ever women rule the
United States | shall nominate you for
some diplomatic post in which Circean
wilcs are essential. But that is all in the
future. What have you been getting in
the way Of clothes?"
Just very few simple, inexpensive
little trihes. However. of their kind, think
them well chosen and not too ancient
of cut or color. For instance. one must
have blouses. and looked pretty deeply
into the shirt waist question. 1t is sur
prising how little those reliable garments
do change in feature from year to year.
There is a sweet creped flannel and a
zephyr cloth woven with satin stripes,
that makes a capital shirt waist for the
beginning of the spring season; and one
OF the novel treatments in blouse trim
mings is that of stitching on parallel folds
of satin or narrow ribbon upon the yoke.
collar. cuffs, and down the front. This
affords an agreeable contrast where a
plain goods is used, though nearly every
blessed shirt waist I've seen SO far has
its entire front corrugated with tiny per-
pendicular pinched tucks.
my choice fell two ways: upon a black
liberty satin body, tucked all around
with white silk thread and fastened down
the front with wee tabs and little cut
crystal buttons. My other is pretty
fiax-blue flannel. the front tucked and the
yoke barred with stitcheddown bands of
the deepest cream satin. Two lines of
the cream satin run down the front. Sim
liar lines of light edge the points that
turn back from the high collar and the
round cuffs that finish my slightly full
shirt sleeves.
Later on in the season ! am going TO
have a novelty of the novelties. a blouse
made Of the narrowest linen tape herring
boned together with linen thread and worn
upon an under blouse OF blue, pink, or
green taffeta, as the occasion requires
season. and in practical application gives
The most spring-like and refreshing re-
suit possible.
Having met and conquered the ques-
ton OF easy morning waists to wear with
my odd skirts l turned an eagle eye on
hats. Unless my long-tried and trusted
instinct about the future fails me signally,
ostrich feathers and wide bruins are bound
to have great vogue very soon. One en-
iirely hewitching black picture brim affair
is mine. made of corded taffeta with two
big ornaments in front, from which spring
o pair of richly clustering black plumes.
Daring as that may sound. and i'm
pressive as the hats are sure to be. find
that the women are going to wear them
with severely simple dresses. One i'm
porter OF almost irresistible temptations
from across the sea showed me a hat as
big as a bushel basket and as full of color
as rainbow, to be worn with perfectly
nun-like costume of grey. Again / saw
a suit simple as the brown habit of bare
foot friar and the hat for 1t of tucked
paune displayed tulle. lace, flowers. buckles,
and perfectly Kaleidoscope bird.
In view OF all this / ordered my walk
fng dress of monk-brown cloth. the entire
back OF the skirt laid in knife pleatings
that extend the depth of three-quarters of
yard from the waist line. and thus throw
considerable fullness into the train that
is no more or less in extent than those OF
my autumn gowns Five lines of heavy
black stitching run about the foot OF the
skirt and then stiffen the edges Of my
short coatee. with stitchings | observe
the darts and seams of all the incoming
coats are heavily ornamented and my
coat has double sailor lapels of scarlet
SILK bearing big dots Of brown embrold-
cred upon It. Under the coat shirt OF
any species appropriate with scarlet col
lar is going TO be used. and IL the tout
ensemble does not give you an impression
Of extreme simplicity governed by the best
csnons OF smartness. then will be disap-
pointed.
''On my way 10 the land OF the cypress
and myrtle l am billed TO stop with a
friend and I've treated myself 10 a dear
little poplin house gown that is perfectly
suitable for the whole spring through. IL
is grey; grey undershot with coral pink,
md my skirt has fold Of the dullest old
1ose panne directly down the front width
and bordered to either side with a couple
Of little tucks. There is vatican pleat
fullncss in the rear. and then my waist
has top OF ruched white silk muslin
oyer a rose c0lored lining. Below this 1
yoke, about the shoulders. runs q broad 1
fold CT The goods. bordered by band of
panne, 10 give requisite fullness and finish.
I'm common with all the gowns one
Secs nowadays. mine opens over the bust
10 display vest that is a continuation Of
The yoke. and across the top OF this V
shaped opening are drawn two straps OF
old rose ribbon. Chaste and comely is one
involuntary criticism OF this little cos
tune, that achieves the whole mis-
sion OF any well planned gown, in that II
becomes and will wear well for many oc-
casions. hat having a brim of smooth
drawn grey taffrta. crown OF ruched