The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-05


NEW YORK March 1--WE are enjoying
a brilliant display of spring millinery here
in Gotham this week In spite of wind and
rain, snow and sleet, and are reveling in
lovely colors, fair blossoms and delicate
laces. even while we shiver a bit as the
wind bowls and old winter seems doing his
best to leave us with as bad a record as
he can boast. 1t is March. Let the Their
mometer tell what tale it will, Easter and
spring sunshine are on their way-wiIl be
with us before many weeks. Spring hats
must be considered and the all-important
questions of shapes and colors pondered on
and discussed While IL is several years now
since Easter ceased to mark a transition
donning special ffnery for that day, the end
of Lent marks also the end of winter: East
er means the budding forth into spring and
the season brings the demand surely as
when the seal of fashion was set upon
making the change sharply on the day
itself.
AS limited in my letter of last week. we
are TO have season of much loneliness and
of great variety. Yet, while this is true,
shapes take two general forms-the turban,
which preferably is boat-shaped. and the
big picture hat, with variations included in
each. White will be greatly liked and much
worn for the carriage and for formal oc-
casions, but champagne and pale blue are
close rivals and many black models are so
fascinating as to lead one to believe they
must be given first place. Tule and lace
are favorite materials. Chiffon has been
too general to continue smart and tulle has
delicacy and a charm that nothing quite
rivals. Jet is TO be freely used on black
and touches of brilliant spangles on colors
We are to have both flowers and feathers.
ribbon as well as lace for garniture. StraWs
are marvels of beauty. lustrous and soft OF
braid, and are so pliable as to be used as
trimming as well as for the foundation
shapes. Among the novelties is one woven
of straw and silk combined that is really
exquisite in effect and so beautifully SOFT
as to allow of making into all shapes as
well as into garniture of many sorts. The
day of stiffness is gone, and straw, as well
as other things, has yielded to the demand
until the braids shown are as delicate and
admit many possibilities as II woven OF
finest silk.
CONCERNING FLOWER HATS.
AS is commonly the case with the first
showing there are numbers of flower hats,
but, while they answer certain purposes
well. they are not new nor do they rep
| resent the seasons best. To be sure. some
novelties come up and tulle with flowers
| is both good and smart, but they serve
rather for between seasons wear than Tor
| really fashionable models for spring and
summer. There are some exceptions TO the
rule, however, and some flower toques that
| are essentially charming and chic, as one,
| in beat shape, made entirely of white hya-
cinths imbedded in white tuiie with only
| bits of the tender green foliage TO give
| color, and another that is all of double
violets set in violet tulle with single spray
of white roses at the left side with Sun
| a third that Is entirely made OF hyaclnths
| in the peculiar blush violet the Hover
| shows.
Big hats take many forms, but the n nsy,,
est and most notable Is unquesuonaDly,
| that known as the baby hat. 1t has fiat
| crown and dropping brim and Is trimmed
| with lace forming fall which greatly
| intensifies this last. In common with many
| others in picture style. its trimming also
| droops at the back, giving generally
sentimental air that is quite in keeping with
the seasons gowns. That they will be
| worn upon the street even in summer
seems impossible, but for carriage use
and the garden parties. that are quite sure
| 10 come with June. they most charm
| ing and certainly may be looked for In
numbers. The laces best liked are the re-
presse. white Chantilly and Lierre, but
| there is no fixed law. Whichever is chosen
| is draped over the foundation and arranged
| to fall over and below the brim all round
| while at the back droop loops and ends
| which often fall TO the shoulders. Trimming
| is tips and flowers as preferred. All white
| is held essentially smart, or cream with
| white, but roses and other coloreo mowers
are seen and now and again some colored
| ribbon is introduced. About the whole de-
sign there is a general droop. tendency
toward the downward lines to be noted
| in the shoulders of our gowns. that renders
| them quite in keeping with the 1880 revival
| and is suggestive of those old portraits
| to which we seem ever 10 turn for Ideas;
but. in spite of the similarity they are
individual and belong TO this epoch of 1904
as surely do the cloaks and the cos
tunes no matter from whence the inspira-
ton comes. Other big models are of tulle
shirred and finely plated and SHOW a
! crowns which make such an admirable
foundation for tips and plumes. In these
last black Is a favorite, either unreheved
or with color found In flowing or delicately
tinted tips One handsome one. for ex-
| ample is all black with a wide brim and
| quite high crown. both of which are COW
cred with the tulle shirred over the wires.
| so giving a transparent effect. Round the
! edge of the brim and at the base Of the
crown are ruches of black satin. and a
bunch OF black tips falls over the brim
| away from the crown az the left side. An
| other. that goes TO show how color is intro
! duced, is similar In shape but with lower
crown and is relieved by mass or crushed
| roses palest pink, beneath the brim. Still
a third model that may be classed with
| the black hats includes some white and
bits of lovely pale green. Its shape Is OF
| the modified baby order and the under-brim
! is all of shirred cream represse lace while
| the outer brim and crown are OF black
Chantilly and black Chantilly. edging
the crown Is trimming OF black velvet
| ribbon which also is formed into loops and
that Sroop ia, at the the e sbaS H6 the LEI,
| green 10 white and give a most charming
| touch.
SOME NOVEL EFFECTS.
All sorts of novel trimmings and treat
ments appear. The lovely. pliable straw
which / have already mentioned is used
in numberiess ways and new well at
tractive effects are Obtained. One OF the
handsomest black hats shown me is COM
! posed of lace friiis. one overlapping the
other with trimming OF black velvet ribbon
and lace and an under facing of tulle on
which are set small roset;es whose ceaters
are of straw Mohair braid too is 10 be
extensively used. One OF the imported
r,og,eIs o., view this week is composed OF
cream lace and white maine with an under
brim entirely OF the cream braid and num-
berless similar things are shown. A gen
,line novelty is the psieSf coIors with 2 mar
row edge OF black on the bTim that gives
peculiarly chic touch. one such is OF