MILLINERY OPENINGS

[Welland Telegraph, Thursday, October 1^st, 1903]

Very fine displays of the Fashionable Headgear in the Parlors of the County Town Milliners.

Last Thursday and Friday were ladies’ days in Welland. Both Mrs. Cooper and Mrs A.E. White had spent considerable time and money to make the event this year eclipse anything of the kind seen in Welland before. The stores were tastily decorated, and the goods artistically arranged, making the scene a very pretty one.

A noticeable feature of this year’s styles is the attractive combination of color and the prettiness of the shapes. It has not been so gay a season for fall millinery for a long time. The hats this year, while not too light for winter wear, are bright and gay. While last year’s style came low down over the forehead, it is replaced this year by more sensible shapes, which do not cover the ladies’ beauty from admiring eyes. There are many quaint and pretty designs in toque effects. Some of the popular shapes are Shamrock, boat and torpedo. Turbans are also numerous. The prevailing colors are rich reds, greens, wood browns, champagne and nasturtium reds. In fact the color scheme comprises everything in bright and strikingly beautiful effects. The predominant materials for trimming are fur, velvets, cluny laces, feathers, bird of Paradise sprays, wide and narrow chenille, maline, wings, birds, marabeau, plushes, etc. Buckles are used to some extent and are large. All kinds of rosettes are being used, among the newer ones being the bird’s nest and the cart wheel.

At Mrs A. E. White’s

Mrs White’s show rooms were extremely pretty and attractive this season, with decorations consisting of ivy, hydranges, palms, ferns and cut flowers.

Very many pretty ready-to-wears were shown. Among them was a smart turban of white felt, with straps of ribbon and a large bird; another decidedly new shape was the Ivanhoe, which will be used very much this season,–a pretty white hat appropriate for street wear, flared a little at the sides, trimmed with green ribbon and shirring of green. A very conspicuous little shape was a grey Cyrene with a pair of green wings under rim, and steel buckles. A medium high crowned hat, which shows the combination of velvet and lace, is also most striking. The broad brim, slightly flared at each side is decidedly new for this season, and is one of the leading shapes. Lace plays an important part in the autumn and winter millinery and makes a very rich trimming, being greatly appreciated. Bonnets will by no means be worn exclusively by elderly women.

A conspicuous fancy of this season is the shaded pink hat with delicate tints of white. A hat worthy of description was a large black velvet one, the shape being square, with chenille medallions set in brim, with a single decoration of plumes. A plateau of rich brown mirror velvet hat, for the trimmings, wings and shaded ribbon; this ideal was carried out in old gold and shaded ribbon from brown to old gold.

One of the most attractive hats Mrs White had on show, for autumn was a green velvet shirred with green trimmings and buckles; this was decidedly unique. Another extremely pretty hat was of Burgandy plush with grey squirrel facing, and a single sea gull.

Besides the display of hats, Mrs White had also an extensive showing of furs. The fine collection was composed of coats, muffs, collarets etc. and certainly presented something in this line.

The opening days were a grand success, for not only were the visitors numerous, but a large number of sales were made, and Mrs White, and her assistants will be busy for some time to come filling the numerous orders received.

At Mrs Cooper’s

The windows were nicely draped with cardinal and resede green, two very fashionable colors, relieved with bunches of mountain ash berries. Two beautiful plants, one a palm and the other an asparagus fern were placed at the centre of the windows, thus making, although plain, a very finished and artistic effect. Inside everything was an evidence of good combination of taste and skill, beautiful vines were tastily entwined the rare plants and ferns of which the store had an abundance, together with harmonizing bouquets of flowers displayed to greater advantage, the rich stylish millinery, which was artistically arranged throughout the show room.  Then too, the courteous treatment received from Mrs Cooper and her assistants could not fail but to make a visit to this fashionable establishment one of pleasure as well as profitable. The sales are so numerous, the items so beautiful that it would be impossible to mention but a few of them. Suffice it to say that any lady so contemplates a new fall or winter hat, should not make a choice until having seen the display at this popular store. A Paris “Chapeau” made of white fur, in a plaque shape proved very interesting to many of the ladies. The rim was draped on the under side with cream lace, with a flat rosette of burnt orange caught in the centre with a steel ornament. Flat on the crown was a large white bird, with a knot of burnt orange velvet. A hat which proved a favorite with many was of the Gainsboro shape, made of black beaver, over the high side of which gracefully hung a long black plume and two steel darts. The boat shaped turban commanded much attention, it being one of the very latest shapes. The hat of black sequin was caught at the side with a handsome sequin mount and white osprey, while from the rim was artistically draped showered sequin. Another handsome model was a turban of blue mirror velvet with a draped rim, relieved with a fold of cardinal satin ribbon and finished with a handsome crown of white chiffon with duchess lace, while the left side hung a bunch of mountainash berries. Mrs Cooper has without doubt eclipsed her showing of all previous years, and has now a stock from which the most particular may select with ease.