The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09
NEWS SUMNER HATS.
Some Fantastic styles and Some Real Changes
in the Faahions.

Whoever asks a salesman In a hat store to
show him the newest thing in hats is likely to
be confronted with a hat that will make him
blink his eyes in amazcment, unless he has al
ready happened to see one In the shop windows.
Certainly no such startling headwear for men
has been seen for years. The rage for colored
hatbands several summers ago accustomed the
public to almost anything in the way OF fiashy
contrasts. But these vivid felt hats are away in
advance Of any such display. Some Of them are
red. blue. and green in notified Jumps of
color such as the decorations of Easter
eggs frequently show. Dark greens and a pink
like that Of cinnamon candy make another com
bination which Is startling enough to the eye
without being placed on the head OF some seri.
ous-minded American citizen. Another sensa.
ton of these soft felt hats shows them in colors
of drab or cream with flowers in one color scat.
tered over them. One Of these hats had large
blue carnations on a cream-colored background.
These hats are almost as striking as the notified
red. green, and blue ones.
Very few statesmen can keep their faces
straight when they show these hats, and indeed
they never do 1t with any idea of selling them to
the casual buyer. The hats are intended merely
for country wear, and would be worn-if any
body wore them at all-in place of a cap. They
are imported in very small numbers, and their
greatest utility is to give variety to n shop win
dow. The gay colors in these hats first began to
be seen in the stores about three years ago.
Then they were confined to a vivid blue and a
shade OF peachblow. The colored flowers, as well
as the notified colors. are a later development.
Another and, be 1t said. a more serious nov
city in mems soft hats is the narrow rinmed
rather small hat made now in Paris. On the
Continent these have quite supplanted the
broad, rolling brimmed Alpine or Hamburg hat
that has been popular now for the last eight
and the customary soft hat is to be found In the
straight brim and the smaller size. The hat is.
" Western sae1, R stSfes more It Is sk mn .he o nHE IN mP brow m a .nd
Is not to be had in the shades OF gray or pearl.
These hats have gained a certain popularity In
heads OF strangers. The smaller, narrower
brimmed hat has quite taken the place OF the
outside OF England. A somewhat similar shape
made in Vienna is sold in some of the hat
There will be ono decided novelty in tho straw
hats this sumner, and II Is about an even thing
M MSGsnst or Will Z an, again s'y be w the Prose moss s strikinE
especially wide and the crowns win be Of me.
found in a binding of black ribbon that will run
around the brims, which are 10 be stiff. For the
made TO bring these round brims into fashion.
Soft-brimmed hats OF very flexible straw were
were bound with narrow black ribbon. They
were imported hats and, very few Of them were
worn. The brin with the ribbon binding, how
ever, will be Of American make this summer.
IL was telt said a salesman in q hat store,
thht some sort OF novelty was needed. Broad
brims and narrow brims, high crowns and low
crowns have marked the changes in styles OF
several seasons past and something more was
needed. Even the colored hatbands could no
longer give ian appearance Of newness. A lit
Ito black braid about the brim of n straw hat
makes a great deal more difference than ono
would expect. and this season 1t will he the
right thing for II man 10 wear. These
hats settle, Of course. the question of
with the black bindings. SO tho gay hatbands
will take another step toward complete Oblitera-
tion. The imported English hats promise this
yenr TO have a little more crown and, II possible,
a little less brim than ever before. II looked
last summer as though they had gone as far as
possible in this respect. But II they can DO II,