Civil War Era Ladies' Headwear - April 1862 Peterson's Magazine

Civil War Era Ladies' Headwear - April 1862 Peterson's Magazine

Fig 1 - Spring Bonnet, from Mrs. Cripps, 312 Canal street, New York, who has, as usual, the earliest novelties in shapes and styles. This month she gives us two most exquisite bonnets. The shape is much more flaring at the side than those of last fall and winter, and not so high at the top. The crowns are rounded slightly, making altogether the most becoming style we have had for some time past. One we have selected is of fine split white straw, the edge is finished by a straw and jet gimp, the cape is of white tulle, bound by a green ribbon slightly frilled. On the center of the cape is a pointed piece of green silk edged with black thread lace, laid on in small plaits, and finished at either end by a bow of narrow green ribbon with ends. A large cluster of purple velvet pansies, with purple and green leaves, intermingled with steel balls and small white velvet flowers, ornaments the top. Under this cluster is fastened a white marabout feather tipped with black, which extends over the right side. The inside has a fulling of black and white tulle as a lining. On either side a full plaiting of green ribbon, finishing on the head with a bunch of pansies, purple and green leaves, and one small green spray of chenille, with a very small red flower falling from it. White strings, striped with green.

Fig 2 - Another Spring Bonnet from Mrs. Cripps. A Marie Louise blue silk, laid on the foundation in shirs, the crown being plain. The front of the bonnet is thin, bound round the edge with blue silk and covered with a fulling of black and white tulle, which extends to the shirred blue silk. The cape is thin like the front. Extending round the bonnet, and finishing on the cape with a fulling, is a white blonde lace about three inches in width. A plain band of bias blue silk heads the lace, pointed in front and fastened by a bunch of white roses with the velvet leaves edged with steel. On the center of the cape is a bow and ends of wide blue ribbon, surrounded by a fulling of the blonde lace. The inside is lined with full back and white tulle, which extends from the outside, and is terminated by a plaiting of black and white blond lace. A blue band extends across the front, which is trimmed with a large loop of blue ribbon on either side, and in the center a bunch of white roses. The strings are wide blue ribbon, like the bow on the cape.

Fig 3 - Bonnet with a white silk crown and black front trimmings. White lace and pink roses on the top.

Fig 4 - Bonnet with white silk face, and black tulle crown spotted with white. The cape is of black silk, bound with white. White roses, black lace and ribbon.