Year: 1876




Tie rank assigned to young lady in the
scale of fashion is at present in proportion to
the distance between the end of her nose and
her new spring bonnet; the honors accorded
her increasing rapidly as she nears the last
rounss on the ladder of ambition, and she
whose hat hangs on in an absolutely impos.
sible way, is regarded with the same sort Of
admiration by her feminine compeers as the
acrobat who performs superhuman feats of
agility. Other acrobats of inferior degree are
ready te break their neeks il imitation and
so other young ladies buy hand glasses and
stand before looking glasses, where with saint
like patience they spend hours in initiating
the wonderful performances they have seen
What the human mind, when strongly bent
in one direction, may accomplish, is wonder
full indeed, and thus it comes to pass, as the
result of such determined competition, that
hats do hang on in very wonderful sort of
way, and were | a spiritualist, would have
no doubt that unearthly hands held them in
their place, since of earthly power beheld
none, unless it be shat pin," which, pro-
vided expressly for the needs Of the hour, is
made long enough 10 be run through and
through, and fasten it to the coil. Yet even
such an ingenious contrivance appears to me
insufficient to account for what | see, and
therefore | resign myself, if not to admira-
ton, yet to wondering amazement. Why such
very pretty hats should be removed so far out
of sight, is mystery likewise, for charming
they really are.


IVORY TINTED CHIPS


are trimmed with softly woven silks in faint,
yellow shades, and finished with delicate
flowers, which in graceful sprays or rich
moutures almost cover the outside. Orna-
mentation of all kinds is lavishly employed,
but both fabrics and flowers are so refined
that the effect produced are of similar char
acter Very light tints prevail, although
pale yellow shades come first yet we see
beautiful bonnets in pure white, or trimmed
with faint blue, pink or lilac. Very dark
brown is constantly used as an effective con-
trast, and the brilliant Cardinal red is as
fashionable as it has ever been. Constrasts
between very dark and very light blues is
indeed an idea of the time, and as dark
colors are placed as points of effect on hats
in which very light colors prevail, so on the
other hand, we observed dark straws light
ened with pale silks and delicately tinted
flowers, and white or creamy blossoms are
united with sombre foliage.


COSTUMES.


The ideas of that class of individuals who
devise spring costumes seem affected by
strange perversity. Thus in order to be
stylish, one must wear garments which seem
twisted out of their proper place. One side
must be different from the other side; if one
side is long, the other should be short: if
one hangs straight, the. other must be
rounded off; and, to sum up the whole
matter, everything must be crooked, twisted,
and pulled out of place. One circumstance
saves us from absolute confusion, and that is
the necessity for the wearing of wash fabrics
during the summer season. They must be
"done up" therefore they must be compare
lively simple, yet even here we find many
crooked ideas, and where an overskirt per Sc
may be of equal proportion, the trimming is
often placed in such way as to produce an
effect of disproportion. Polonaises are worn,
yet basques and overskirts are in the ascen-
dancy, and even in wash materials have OBJ
tanned the preference. have said that


WASH FABRICS .
save us from absolute confusion SO also do
some rich materials. Thus do extremes meet,
and while we find comparative simplicity in
suits OF linen, percale, lawn and pique, we
also observe some few rich dresses which
hang in heightened folds of the princesse
style. These various drapings are, without
exception, more or less boufant at the back,
and in support of the same crinoline, though
happily in moderated form, appears almost a
necessity. 1nconvenient as it is, it must be
borne, but the way in which women reconcile
themselves to whatever may be put upon
them is certainly more than human. heard
a woman the other day, an usually sensible
woman, too--say she s'really didn't feel right
without her bnstle," but in the next breath
she added, ''It's all very well as long as you
are standing up." She undoubtedly, has
learned the "curiosities of compromise"


OUTDOOR GARMENTS


seem in transition state of some of the ideas
of the jacket which is now almost thing of
the past, and also of the long sacques and
wraps Of the winter season The greater
number are comparatively short at the back,
with shadow" front; that is, fronts coming
down long in the manti!la style; then we
have the genuine mantilla shapes, circular
garments, and DQlmans in infinite variety.
All may be either en- suite with the costume,
or of independent garments, are in cashmere,
Sicilienne or silk. Long circulars of plaid
camel's hair cloth of light quality are in
favor as undress wraps, and are certainly
very convenient during this season of uncer-
tainity and change.


TIE FOUR SEASONS.


All these styles and materials as well as
almost every other, connected with modes,
are found well described and illustrated in
Ehrfch's Fashion Quarterly This periodical
which, as its name indicates, is issued four
times year, once for each season is large
and beautiful illustrated magazine of fifty
two pages, giving numerous illustrations and
accurate descriptions of goods and garments
with lowest New York prices and is perfect
mine of information to ladies living out of
New York How these four members, COM
prising over two hundred pages of illustrated
fashion articles can be furnished to sub
scribers at twenty-five cents year is mys-
terry; but that is the price. l would advise
my of your lady readers who desire further
on these points to take it and
see for themselves. The publishers, Messrs
Enrich & Co., have the best facilities for
making such a magazine interesting and reli-
able, being the proprietors of the great dry
goods establishment bearing their name on
Eighth avenue, one Of the finest of its char
acter in the world. On the 10th instant, they
had brilliant Centennial opening which
was as attractive within its limits as the big
one on the Schuylkill. On this occasion
svery lady visitor was presented with beau
tiful souvenir of the occasion. For men not
ar advanced in life to have taken an acknowl-
edged position among our dry goods Kings is
but is no less fixed fact.