| "This is an unexpected pleasure!" I
exclaimed, as my cousin Florrie, together with
Thyrza and Lottie Beverley, entered my studio one
day towards the end of March. "What good
wind blows you all here?" "We have
been going the round of the studios,"
answered Florrie, "and felt the show would
not be complete without seeing what you were
going to send to the Academy too."
I busied myself in making my visitors welcome
and setting my pictures in the best light before
them, and regarding with an artist's appreciative
eye, the pretty toilettes of the three girls. We
had discussed the suject of dress some weeks
before, and all had gone to Redfern's in Bond
Street, who famed, as every on knows, for his
perfect cut and style; and as my eye rested on
Thyrza, I thought I had never seen her in any
costume which suited her so well. It was a black,
very fine serge, beautifully braided and made in
the new Directoire style, buttoning from the
shoulder to the waist; and her hat, of white
felt, trimmed with brown velvet under the brim
and white velvet bows and ends and long brown
feathers, was just the most becoming hat she
could have chosen.
Florrie and I had had our dresses made alike,
though of different materials. Mine was a dark
blue tweed, with large white check upon it. The
bodice had a double row of small buttons with
loops across a white braid, and the drapery of
the skirt opened in front, with a band of blue
velvet edging the tweed, opening over a stripe of
white braid, and the same was repeated at the
side. The braid only showed when walking for, as
a rule, the velvet bands hung so straight down
that they touched each other. Our jackets were
made - mine of dark blue and Florrie's of grey
cloth - with large double lapels folding back in
front and edged with the tinsel cord which is to
be much worn this year, and quite pocketless and
tight-fitting. Our hats, of course, matched the
jackets.
Little Lottie had on one of the newest things
in dust-cloaks, made of some pale brown soft
material and trimmed with silver and brown braid;
it fastened diagonally from the neck to the
waist, where it was caught in with a pointed band
of braid and hung rather full in the skirt, and
her hat of brown straw was trimmed with a brim of
dark brown velvet and bows of ribbon the same
shade as the cloak, and three blackbirds.
I had not many pictures to show then, they had
seen them all before; so as soon as the two or
three easels were inspected, the Beverleys
declared they must go on, as they still had three
places to go to, and Florrie and I set out
together for those I wanted to see.
The next day, while Florrie, who was very
often my companion, and sometimes my model, and I
were resting from our labours and having a quiet
cup of tea together, Thyrza and Lottie came in
with the most wobegone faces imaginable.
"What is the matter?" We both
exclaimed ina breath.
"Oh Daisy," Thyrza answered,
"what do you think happened yesterday? We
have ruined our new hats, and Mamma is so angry,
she will not give us any more!"
"Ruined your new hats!" I repeated.
"How did you do that?"
Thyrza mournfully shook her head and began at
the same time to laugh feebly, while Lottie took
up the tale.
"When we left Sir Frederick's studio it
was raining, so we took a Hansom, but the stupid
idiot heard us call to him and thinking we wanted
the glass down, let it down on top of us, and it
was some time before we could make him understand
what was wrong and get him to raise it again, so
that we could draw our heads in. It is all very
well to laugh, "she added, smiling to
herself at our irrepressible amusement ,
"but, indeed, it was no laughing matter, for
the rain beat on our heads and hats, and our
struggles, together, have finished the hats
utterly. You never saw such a wreck as Thyrza's
is, and we are going to Lady de Bonton's
tomorrow, and we do not know what we shall do,
for Mamma sternly refuses to let us go to
Redfern's and get others."
Whereupon there rose a Babel of tongues,
commiserating, advising, deploring, till at last
Florrie came to the rescue.
"I know what to do, girls, you have not
spent all your pocket-money yet, I suppose?"
No, they had some left, and named the sum.
"Then I'll take you to a milliner who,
though she lives in the unfashionable locality of
Upper Street, Islington, is quite as good as many
of the West End ones and better than a good many,
I think. Have you ever herd of Madame
Clare?"
"Yes!" Exclaimed both the Beverleys,
breathlessly; "the Maurices got their new
bonnets there, and they werer lovely. I had
forgotten about that. Oh! Do let us go there at
once, Florrie. Come along Daisy, how shall we
go?"
"We shall take the train to King's Cross
and walk from there - it is not such a very long
way and the day is lovely. Yes, come along Daisy,
it will do you good."
The walk was longer than we expected but the
result was worth it - Madame Clare's bonnets are
in such perfectly quiet taste that they were just
the kind to suit us. Each one seemed prettier
than the other, and it was very difficult to make
a choice, for they all seemed just the very thing
we wanted. Thyrza and Lottie were supposed to be
the only purchasers, but neither Florrie nor I
could resist the temptations set before us, and
after much choosing and re-choosing, I at last
decided on a little brown straw bonnet, with dark
brown velvet front and strings. The crown was
trimmed with bows of maize coloured velvet and a
deep yellow rose, with a wreath of loose rose
leaves which surmounted the face. It was bonnet
exactly after my own heart, and I feel I look my
best in it.
Thyrza's choice fell on a marvel of delicate
colour and flowers. At first sight it seemed all
lilies of the valley and green leaves, but closer
inspection showed that the front was of folded
maize crepe, above which came a band of
folded chartreuse green ribbon, then sprays of
liles, the more folded maize crepe, and
the crown was entirely composed of lilies growing
upwards. Bows of green and sprays of flowers and
leaves stood up in front, and the strings were of
green ribbon.
Lottie chose a hat of black fancy straw, with
circles of thick green wire round it, whose
trimming seemed more as though it had been blown
onto it, so light and delicate was the effect.
Two big yellow roses rested on top of the crown
and a long spray of leaves with what none of us
had ever seen before, a faded rose, the green
leaves and pistols which remain after all the
scented petals have fallen, a small group of
these also nestled under the upstanding brim in
front; black lace finished the trimming of the
crown, and one side continuing in a long lace
scarf which came from the back of the hat, round
the neck, and fastened with three fallen roses on
the shoulder.
Florrie being also tempted, bought a lovely
little summer bonnet of eau de Nil crepe, with
feathers to match. A full pleating surrounded the
crown and was held in its place by narrow jet
trimming. The top of the crown was a pretty jet
ornament. Jet flies held the folds of the front
and sides in order, and the black velvet strings
gave strength and added to the effect of the
whole.
There was an air of refinement about the shop,
as well as about its contents, which was
particularly pleasing. We were so well pleased
with our expedition that even Thyrza and Lottie
declared it was rather a good thing their other
hats had been spoilt, and we unanimously resolved
to pay Madame Clare another visit later on in the
season.
Sylvia's
Home Journal, 1889
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