The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-09
NORFOLK vIRGINIAN: SUNDAY MAY s. 1891

If you happen to have 4 straw hat
hanging round from last season to use
to go "a fishing, you will find on ccmpar-
ing it with this years styles tina: about
the greatest difference is III tbs. height
of the. crown. Crowns generally will be
little lower. y very popular style Of
straw hat this summer will be the sailor
or yacht shape, with the straight, stiff
brim The fiat-topped, hat-brimmed
hat is, as q rule. very becoming"
"Oh, yes" responded the saleswOman
cheerily to an inquiry here interpola,ed,
both old and young men will wear
them The difference will not be so
much in shape as in proportion. The
older man will wear perhaps 81 little
higher crown and wider brim. or course
there IS in the curly brim hat which at
once suggests rather elderly style Of
man and face. IT would never do 10 call
the fellows who wear it elderly though"
the authority on gentlemans headgear
hastens to add. 'men are often as SEN
e;itive OH the subject OF their age as
women are"
''Wha, can you say about the straw"
was the next question.
well. sailors, for instance, come In
the split or smooth braid and scnnit or
rough braid The soft braid hat with
slightly curling brim will also be worn"
Panama hats will. as usual grace the
heads Of these Of the ma sculine pcrSu1-
ton who like something exclusive. They
are not nearly SO dear as they used to
be.
Eight or ten years ago Panama hats
ranged in price from $50 to $40. Now 4
good Panama hat can be purchased for
$l0,'' prominent Chestnut street hat
tie. said yesterday afternoon.
why arc they so dear?''
We'll. you see. they come from South
America. and have to be braided under
=,
and plilbc. AS to the prices Of the
straw hats generally woven, the bes:
ones range from So to So, although. Of
course. there are cheaper grades OF
goods"
During the last two years much
thought and taste have come to be ex-
pended on the ribbon which adorns the
straw hat Just keep your eyes open as
you walk along Chestnut street in a
few weeks, and you will be surprised at
the infinite variety or designs and colors
displayed in the bits OF silicn ornaments
ton which give the finishing touch to
Mr.. Philadelphia's straw hat. Men are
really very fussy about their hat rib
bons, and with the forethouGht which is
ever talisman Of success, the wide
awake matters are laying in Il supply of
fancy ribbons calculated to suit all tastes
and every complexion
TherC are patrons, however, who are
easily pleased: whose taste never tluc-
tuatcs--thc college boys. They stick To
their colors. Everybody knows the red
and blue. The Princeton fiaunts the
orange and black Of the best beloved
Tigers: Cornell men wear red and white;
Harvard, the crimson; Yale, true blue;
Columbia, blue and white Then the
Central High School and Manual Train
ing School boys have also taken to
Haunting the colors of their alma mater,
and hatters not infrequently have APP
plica tons from the best girls of these
popular students to fix up their sailor
hats i'll the appropriate cOlors.
Nowadays we have come to consd
or mans hat as one Of tho most unro-
mantle parts OF his apparel. And yet
as q matter of fact, the hat plays an inn
p0rtant part in the history and customs
Of nations. Some energetic historian has
been hunting up the biography Of the
hat, and he tells that lin Europe the hat
is an emblem Of authority since mon
archs and princes Of the blood alone are
allowed to retain it upon their heads
when all other men present have their
heads barred The greatest mark OF dis
tinction that can be conferred upon no
blcs and generals, an honor far more
highly priced than any mere titular dig
nifty, is the privilege of remaining cover
ed in the presence of the sovereign In
Great Britain there are only three men
who enjoy this prcrOgative-the mast er
of Trinity College, Cambridge; Lord
Forester, and Lord Kinsale. the latter
by right patent conferred upon one
Of his ancestors by King John, the Sign
er of the Magma Charta. IN Spain the
235 Grandces. many Of them untitled
who posses this curious privilege, take
precedence of dukes. marQuiseS, and the
entire nobility Of the Kingdom In Re
publican France the hat is important
If the President Of the Senate or the
Legislative cha amber dons his hat il is
sufficient to ipSo facto. instantancouSly
suspend the session. no matter how inn
portant the debate in progress.
Philndei pIfa Horse Show.