Year: 1868

The 10th OF March was grand open
ing day" with the modistes, milliners, and
fashion-mongers of New York. The
World furnishes the following, as to the
latest Spring styles and fashions:


For this once, perhaps for the last time,
shall bonncts be treated with all due con-
sideration. There is not much left of them,
to be sure, and that little is threatened,
but we shall resist their entire extinction
to the last


The new head gear is lace coiffure, q
d" coifwe mantiUc," which is to be drapcd
gracefully over pufTs, curls, frizzes and the
like, and ornamcnted in the Spanish fash
ion, with rose, which draws it back from
one side of the face, leaving the other to
be thrown back, or brought forward as a
veil, at pleasure.


just at present the idea of appearing in
the street in such masqucrading attire
seems to nearly all women prepoatcrous.
land utterly impossible; but, after ALL it
would be less of change than that which
has occurred since 1860.


That year saw the advent of bonncts so
towering and formidable that the coronal
structure of a drum-major sinks into insig-
Ta6cance beside them. Each of the three
successive seasons added story to the
height, until the proportions became alarm
ing, and women came near being excluded
from places of public amusement as nuis-
ances and complete barriers to sight-see-
ing.


Those imposing edifces, which seemed
all right as long as they were worn, have
completely disappeared; it is really diff
cult to tell now whether a woman has
bonnet on her head or not, and so far as
the necessity for covering is concerned,
the new coifure mantiHe has decidedly the
most, if not the best, of the argument.
Still we have prejudice in favor of the
bonnet proper, and we mean to stick to it
so long as there is anything to stick to-


Those elderly ladies and staid matrons
who have laid the fattering JUNCTION to
their souls that spring would develop some
thing more suitable for them than the
dainty little "Fanchon" must make up
their minds to be disappointed. The
spring bonnets are not enlarged in size
in fact they are much smaller than last
year and are very little changed in style.
The only difference is this, that the very
small and exceedingly dressy little bonnets
which last year were confined to few
have this season become the popular stand
ard.


What the more exclusive styles imported
late in the season will show cannot now be
told. Perhaps they will be smaller still,
or give place altogether to the new Golf
fure.


One Improvement has taken place in the
little bonnets, and that is, that they no
longer lay fiat to the head The diadem,
tiara, or whatever the coronal circlet may
be called, that was introduced last year,
is now an institution, and in more or less
modified form finds a place upon all the
new designs-semetim as an ornament,
or simulated trimming, upon others as
com mponent part of the bonnet.


AS for describing special styles, it is
almost out of the question. No two are
alike, and there is hardly enough of any
one to hang description upon.


A novelty which may be considered
rival to the couture was displayed in sew
crai different colors and materials by Nine.
Demorest. 1t is called the mantille bon
met, and consists of little Fdnchon, with
raised coquettish btim and veil of frosted
suue, edged with blonde of the same color,
which is attached to the back and carried
forward to the front, where it crosses
aightly upon the breast, and is fastened
with an ornament.


One of those bonnets was in a new
shade of yellow green (Metternich), an
other in Snltana red Ga deep currant CO.
ior) frosted, and third in the new &c car
ameP shade, reddish chocolate, which is
highly effective in Grape and frosted tulle.
1t requires great taste and Judgment to
arrange trimmings upon the new and strik-
ing colors exhibited this season, and the
best way is to attempt no contrasts. A
pretty bonnet ofentire .Metternieh' green
or " Sultana" red frosted with steel, is
very distingue with black silk suit, but
much of the effect is lost if mixture of
trimming is used.