The Fall Fashions.
Pretty New Things in Dress and Feminine Fixings.
(From Harper's Bazar from this week.)
Bonnets.
Bonnets of regular shape, with strings, are provided by French milliners almost to the exclusion of round hats. The strings are not necessarily tied in front, but may be fastened behind or passed around the neck in the way talle is now done. There is a fancy for making the bonnets of a demi-season of velvet and silk, without flowers and feathers. This is a natural reaction after the profusion of flowers worn during the summer, and will not last after the gay winter season begins. There are other imported bonnets for autumn completely trimmed with bird's wings. Sometimes six wings are on each side of the bonnet. There are small wings of larks, starlings and blackbirds, and are sold in pairs, as the right and left wing must be placed in natural position. Still another capricious trim is wings a la Mercure — a pair of wings arranged at the back just as they are on Mercury's cap. Birds will also be much used for trimming. These are quite large birds, such as pigeons, the bird-of-the-isles, the lopophore, and various others with bronzed shaded plumage. French milliners poise those in most fantastic ways. Thus a large blue bird is placed low on the back of the bonnet with outspread wings, as if flying down; in his beak he catches up the long ribbon strings that are tied behind. Sometimes a gay pigeon nestles close against the right side of the bonnet; in others, only the head and breast of the pigeons are used; a bandeau is made of seven or eight tiny humming birds.
September 5, 1875. Columbus Sunday Enquirer 17(207): 4. From Harper's Bazaar from this week. Only a portion of the article is included.