The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-05

Physicians may decry the veil. and oculists encourage the fashion to their much profit, but just so long as fair femininity even imagines that she looks her most bewitching best in a veil just so long will the fashion endure. and no longer.
 The alleged evils of the veil have been pointed out many a time and oft. but if ever there was an excuse for it's pres ence. to say nothing of It's utility. 1t Is surely in those windy days with which old Dame Nature ushers in the spring and the early summer seasons.
 So long as the waved and frizzed pom padour was in vogue we told ourselves that 1t was to keep those curly locks in order that we chiefly wore veil. Now, however. that the fashion has switched around to wearing the locks au naturel, we find that the necessity for keeping all of those straight ends from flying out untidily Is greater than ever. And so. no matter what the fashion in cotf- lures. in hats and in hair may be. the veil flourishes irregardless. as Mrs. Part ington used to say.
 One hears lot about the outre de- signs that are to be the vogue in veil ings, and surely some of the recent ex- amples that have come over from Paris with the first influx of the spring hats deserve this not-very alluring title
 
 apart, thickly bestrewn with big. bright green chenille dots. There are all of the red and raspberry tints. with dots of matching and contrasting shades. and there are some purple wells with che nille discs and deep borders of artificial violets of the double variety. Surely caprice could go no further than this last. Its effect against the complexion would be simply horrlfying, and turn even the daintiest of rose-leaf coloring to a positively apoplectic hue.
 But the well-gowned woman will none of these monstrosities. Doubtless. they are imported for those who require just a touch of the bizarre to bring out the best points of their own Individuality. But the average woman will do well to steer clear of them. and stick to the more conservative designs. which are in better accord with good taste in dress.
 The shops that cater to the finest trade and always have their goods on view several weeks before their due season for wear, are showing some veil ings that are positively fascinating, both in design and in effect. The fine and sheer blond nets are among the most recent novelties. and these have rings and pin dots for pattern. The range In these is wide. the pattern being either medium-sized and well scattered or small and close together.
 The bordered veils-those of the made or pattern variety-are to be highly fa- vored of Fashions devotees. and, with all sorts and shapes of hats. The latest craze lets those veils stand well down and off from the face, being so draped on the hat that the design. and espe- cially the border. is seen to the best ad- vantage. The back is gathered into a pleat or two. and jeweled or fancy pins are relied to hold it in shape. A little clasp pin sometimes holds the veil to the hair behind. and this is especially noticeable when the coiffure is arranged with the little French rolls running up- ward from the nape of the neck. or the classical roll coil is used.
 The real lace wells have already made something of a sensation at the South ern resorts. and of these the Spanish and the Chantilly laces are far in the lead. The Marquesas is a new aspirant for yelling favor. and Brussels applique