The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21


The accession of the Princess OF Wales
to the throne of England will be the sig
nal for its conservation. Everyone is
aware that the new Queen Of England has
for many years previously adopted this
style. and. as a matter of fact. sovereigns
can impose upon their subjects their style
of dressing the hair, as well as fashion
in other respects. one can recall to mind
the long hair as worn by Francois /, the
advent of the wig with Louis XIV, the
baby hair under Marie Antoinette, the
Greek style of wearing the hair that came
into favor with the Empress Josephine,
the bandeaux and curl papers imposed by
the Empress Eugene. All these ways
were adopted by the women Of fashion of
their respective periods
For the benefit of my readers l will
record the results of several visits have
had to hairdressers shops:
on the Boulevard Haussmann, at the
establishment Ia Madeleine. l was told
there was a general tendency to a low
couture, with the chignon on the nape of
the heck. recalling to mind the style of
the Second Empire.
Broad, soft waves are now being con-
structed into light puffy bandeauX, which
in no way change the usual aspect of the
face. The chignon is worn extremely low,
and is composed of soft tresses frequent
" false. in which for the evening gar
lands of flowers are interspersed. This
style is very becoming and very young.
Sometimes. even. the flowers fall over the
neck. This, it appears, is a step in the
direction of the curls and ''anglaises'
worn by the mothers and grandmothers
of the present generation.
AT DondeTs ! was assured that, al
though all girls have now adopted the
low couture, there are many women
whose resistance it is very difficult to
overcome. Here also | admired the
speaking models of hairdressing, which
will obtain the SURFACES of a good many
women who have not yet made up their
minds Here also, waving. in all its
grace, is respected. Moreover, combined
with modern hygiene for the hair. which
has become so much more general in
recent years. the natural color of the
hair has been resumed. and dyeing kept
in reserve as the last resource for hiding
grey hair.
The return of the low couture brings
about great change in the ornamenting
of the hair / therefore paid visit to
Mime. Camille Brouillot, who has made a
special feature of this department-piquet
flowers, etc, for the hair, usually in har-
mony with the garlands of flowers which
the dresses on view at last years eXhi-
bition caused to bloom in all the windows
of the specialists.
Muslin flowers are the most stylish.
Small pompon roses, evoking the vatican
period, are usually preferred by girls, in
tiny wreaths, surrounding the chignon.
and garlands falling in cascades over the
corSage and forming epaulettes. The
empire dresses, so much worn this sea-
son, have brought in flower trimmings for
hD Inns lTs..u lii hl
stiffness Of the line garlands of fuchsia,
mixed with maidenhair fern. for Instance;
roses mixed with lilac. nasturtium, etc.
Gold roses appear to have had their
day. When bright colored flowers are no
longer worn ladies take for choice mer-
curry wings in spangled tulle or wreaths
in the ceres style, in spaHgled foliage.
All these flowers are made at present in
very subdued colors. with foliage in the
same style, of pastel tender green that
looks as though ii were frosted.
The same class of flowers in soft and
extinct shades, will be found, moreover,
upon spring hats.
No one can escape the law of fashion,
and even little children-boys and girls
have to submit to the same charming
but everchanging caprices of those which
rule the esthetic destinies of their moth
ers. Nevertheless, the one thing that is
Interchangeable is the lily wilderness in
which it is the custom to clothe the little
cherubs during their earliest years.
have admired the models designed by
their special style, and so attractive that
one would gladly prolong as far as pos
eible the delightfully."- pure days of in
fancy, of which the livery of white APP
pears to be the emblem.
i notice with pleasure that children's
dresses, unlike those Of their mothers,
are getting shorter every season. Their
ridiculous length few years ago made
the wearers look like grandmothers, or
like the comic heroines Of Kate Green
away. They are now shortened to the
ga.
Is not a dress of frilled nainsook, cut
with rows of Irish guipure insertion ex-
quisite in its diaphanous Wilderness. with
its four point collar forming a soft yoke
ana its half1ength sleeves, and with a
colored ribbon marking the line of the
blouse corsage tied negligenty on one
side?
Another dress looks as though the de-
sign had been borrowed from a dainty
old English engraving; the empire cor
sage, which is initiated by small pleats
graduated; the little round cut decollete
formed by Marie Antoinette fichu, with
a rosette of pink comet ribbon in the
front. The lower part of the dress is or
namented with a festoon of embroidery.
Another. also very simple, is fascinating
by its oid-time outline. 1t is cut in the
fourreau style, and very closely adjusted
IN the upper part by cores and openwork.
through which escape tufts of embroid
cry in pleats, which gives 4 combination
Of style and simplicity.
This enumeration, however, must De
limited, for however much i might enter
into details, l should never succeed in
conveying the Impressions of light and
airy grace suggested by these little mar
wells. / cannot. however. resist the pleas
ure of describing a lovely little mantle
that is eXquisitely suggestive. 1t is
tiny three-Quarter paletOt of white main
sock over a sky blue ground; the lower
part. which is rounded. is edged with mar
row Nalenciennes. Three rows Of inser
ton. inlaid. follow the same movement.
and large round collar. also incrusted,
encirclec the upper part, which fastens
with a ribbon bow The sleeves. which
are very wide and very ornate, are exqui-
site.
For the moment, silk for Infants dresses
is completely set aside. and linen tri-
nmphs all along the ling in its snowy
whiteness. without the aid Of silk, even
in the trimmings.
But. alas, the snow white days Of in
fancy are fugitive. and one ca mot dwell
upon them forever.
Let me mention three dresses for diff
ferent ages, which will give an idea of
their charm:
For little girl seven years Of age a
dress Of pink surah, with tiny shaped
founces all around the bottom. and ruches
of fnousseline de sole to match. The IN
per part of the dress is trimmed in simi-
lar style, headed with rosettes OF pink
mousseline de sole and scarf of the ma
terial around the waist
This costume is for girl nine years of
age. IL is made Of red lousine, a most
useful material, and is sun Dleated all
over, with yoke of Cluny guipure and
Sleeves with cuffs and puffs of Cluny lace
and small wristban
This costume Is for girl Of thirteen
III Is In the tailor-made style, and Is of
ecru linen. The skirt is ornamented round
the bottom with Greek pattern in white
piping cord. The bolero, which is very
short. Is trimmed In the same style II
opens over blouse of English embrold-
Is nj .gll