Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-06
THE FLEETlNG SHOW.
Some of Its Facts and Fancie,
lWrittan for the ,IOIrRNAI. AND COURIER

Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.l
HATS AND OTHER HEADGEAK
Some antiquarian who has been tracing
the feminine bonnet back to its sourcs in
forms us that the earliest known headeov-
ering of the women of Britain was a cap of
felt or WOOL called in the Anglo Saxon
"hset," word of which the modern form
is 'hst." These caps were followed by
veila, which enwrapped head and neck and
shoulders In a manner more or less grace
full This fashion varied but little for
years, but In the thirteenth century the
wells were of gold tissue or beautifully en-
broidered silk, and over them ladies Of
rank wore dladsms, or ciIc!ets, or gsrlands.
These were followed again by hats some
what in the shape of a coronst; next came
hoods of various calors such as Chaucer
describes, and in the fifteenth century the
wells returned, this time as adjuncts to the
head covering below. 1t was at this period
that women wore that steeple- shaped affair
called the 'thennin." 1t projected upward
and backward. and WAS oone of linen
from which folds of the finest lawn hung
to the ground, or were tucked under the
wearer's arms At this time the doors ef
the palace at Vincennes were altered, in Or
der that the queen of Charles vi and the
ladies of the court might without incon-
yenience pass from room to room in all the
glory of the hennin. Judging from the
| pictures, this form of headgear was neither
graceful nor comfortable, but the wearer
must have, perforce, been digni6sd. Large
caps with wipg-like projections at the
sidee somewhat like the Normandy peasant
cap of to day, were also in fashion. These
were called ''bonets," wherein the deriva-
| ton of the word bonnet IL plainly seen.
The close of the fifteenth century found
women wearing curious hesd-d dresses OF
embroidered gold net These projected
from the back of the head. A stiffened
kerchief, laid across, carried out the
| spread eagle effect.
Naturally, after all this reaching up
ward, backward and sideways, came a re-
| action, and little close caps of network, be-
meath which the hair hung in long braids,
succeeded the stesples aud "bonets. VI
These were elaborated in the reign of Hen
~ VIII being made of velvet and studded
with gold and precious stones, some
of them having jeweled lsppets fall
eornered caps of the fur called
miniver were also worn, and the open
worked triangular cap of Mary, Queen OF
Scots, with the jewsled point in front Ii
familiar to US all from the pictures. Read
ers of the latest fashion notes will have
seen an item to the effect that just such
three cornered caps are to be crocheted o1
netted of tinseled cord, and worn Just al
Mary Stuart wore hers. 1t is true ths
Fashion delights in extremes, and aftel
rampant plumes, windmill bows and nod
ding rose trees on our hats it is nomore
than to be expected that we should return
to the close little Mary Stuart cap.
The forms Of the Elizabethan head -dres
were varied There were hoods and hats
kerchiefs and caps of wire, with ermin
bonnets forbidden to all but .'gentlewomel
born, having arms" Not that gentlewo
men of that date were in the habit of bein
born without arms. A coat-of-arms and
''crest," probably, must be the birthrigh
of her who aspired to to wear ermine, tn
use of that and other expensive article
and fabrics being regulated by sumptuar
! laws.
In the reign of William III rage fe
false hair set in, and the periwig must /
surmountsd by a high-croWned hat.t Tn
, was topped with ostrich or peacock featl
? ers. A little later the styles changed q
: most as rapidly as at the present day, pas
ing from small to great and from lofty
+ low. Little frilled caps, and then the lari
Ranelagh mob cap; the fly cap, butterf
= shaped and edged with garnsts, topaz
. and brilliants; then calashes, made som
what after the manner of o carriage to-
d Following these came fat silk or stra
It hat of email size, trimmed with ribbol
y and set upon the crown of the head, al
- afterwards large round gypsy straw b
% tied with ribbons under the chin. Stra
q hats are mentioned in the literature
1724, and perhaps there Is no earli
record of them, but they have held the
own ever since, and now are found in I
most bswildering variety of weaving az
u shape and color. The early part Of Il
+ present century saw great bonnets a,
broad brimmed hats, pokes and cslsshe
but for the last four decades invention q,
Is fancy have run riot and the vagsries