Year: 1878

1t has beer reported in almost every
paper in the country that Jennie June
said a fashionable bonnet could be
bought for two dollars, but certainly !
never said anything of the kind. What
/ did say was this: That a hat more
suitable for wear with tweed travelling
dress could be made at home, with the
help of proper frame, for two dollars
using the material of the dress for &
covering-than a fashionable bonnet
which cost from $50 to $40. For my
own part, | have never been able to
find pretty, well-made bonnets at reaN
sonable prices in ordinary milliner
shops-at least not within the past fif-
teen years. BOnnets are the most un-
satisfactory of purchases, tha cost Of
what is called stylish one being so
out of all proportion TO its value. There
was a time when bOnnets were bOnnets,
Notwithstanding their ugliness. The
first cost of fine one was a matter of
little Importance, for the Tuscan or
Leghorn braid, the English split straw
and fine Neapolitan could be cleaned and
made over many times if required, and
the handsome ostrich plume or piece of
real lace could be made to serve its puT-
pose over and over again. But 1t Is
very different nowadays. Money Is
thrown away on fine straw or chips, for
the shapes are so Insignificant and so
fantastic that they could not possibly
be considered permanent, and the trim
mings are a heterogeneous mixture
which change their color and variety
with every season, and must never show
themselves twice slike.


There was certain kind OF satisfaction
in paying from Sl0 to $40 for 3 bonnet
when it had a permanent value in itself
and its belongings. But there is none
now, when it seems to be a mixture Of
mere scraps and odds and ends; and so
insist that it is better 20 follow fashion
strictly, using ones own skill and inge-
nuity in working out ideas, than to pay
enormous prices for what is, after all,
neither suitable nor satisfactory.


Fortunately, there seems to be a pros
pect of improvement in this respect. 1t
has baeu hsFl for the mAlIiners to follow
the course Of city industries and reduce
their charges, but they have been
obliged to DO it. They viii also have TO
study how to accommodate themselves
to a mora diversified class OF purchasers.


10 the largest dry goods stores OF all
our large cities a lady can find ready
made suits and dresses at any price she
can afford TO pay, from the calico
wrapper at one dallar to the most ele-
CANT reception dress of $3.50 But the
fashionable millinery establishments
cultivate only one class of custom, and
that the most idiotic IS well IS the most
expensive class, for it is folly to pay
$50 tor simple walking hat, which is
what a fashionable milliner asked the
other day, with the apologetic remark.
for its law(?) price: Because it's only
a simple little hat you know"


In London the guinea bonnet Is an IL
stitution, can be found in infinite vari-
ETY. ana is tasteful, pretty, we'll made
and salts 'ac.ory In all respects. Il We
could go out and find such bounets here
for from five 10 seven dollars each, it
would seem like a fOretaste Of the mil
lenjum But We have never been able
to do this. By accident one can some
times 4 cover a plain, sensible nat or
bonret, Ct fairly reasonable price; out
It is 60 purely by accident that one won
dpT= hoe, il came there and that same
bgt or bonnet, or one like II, Is never to
be found where it is wanted,