The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-04

NEW YORK, Dec. ITO sing of hats
Is ike a song sung in the encore, which
has been heard before. yet Is one OF the
good old favorites which is to be heard
again and loved
Just at this particular season there Is
nothing that claims a woman's attention
ike a hat. because this very week she
may be wearing her last winters coat
and a time-worn muff and boa, but she
husband this is obligatoy-be wearing
q new winter hat
The winter coat will wait until Christ
mas; and the muff and BOA are not looked
for until the gift season. but no woman
can be natty and up-to-date with a hat
which does not at this season fulfill fash
ions requirements.
Early in the year fashions had not yet
declared themselves; and You were di-
vided between silk and velvet, between
quill and plume. between ribbon and
rhinestone.
But now all millinery is known!
III -
The hat for winter is either the vel
vet hat or one that is trimmed profuse-
w with velvet IL not actually covered
with the soft. thick material f. is so
decorative that the hat itself is liter
ally "out of sight" Many of the round
hats-indeed the greater majority OF
them are round hats-that is round in
the crown and trimmed with bands Of
velvet, standing very high, so high in
deed that you sometimes wonder if the
hat is there at all.
one very pretty hat which was very
much like a sailor shape with somewhat
rolling brim and a great band Of ve'vet
placed around IL like wall around a
castle. The velvet wall lowered very
high and was "a little thicker al the top
than at the base The only other trim
ming was a bunch ol aigrettes at the
side. which were fastened in place by a
velvet bow and a rhinestone buckle That
is one kind Of a hat.
The little toque is decidedly I'm favor
caught at one side and trimmed. IL is
astonishing how hats are worn back on
the head and lifted at the side. Any
hat OF any shape and Of any material,
treated In this way, Will be more or
less a fayorite, with the chances toward
its being IaOre.
The tiniest toquos are used for the
purpose They are previously covered
with velvet which is put over "a foun-
dalton OF crinoline. the latter being laid
on in loose folds. The velvet sinks in
the indentauOns OF the crown and Is aft
ed by the curves Of the crinOline unit!
It's shape Is decidedly irregular. When
completed the entire structure is lifted
at one side ana caught with q very large
pin. The toquc IS then set upon the head
and spiked securely IN place.
VERY BROAD BRIMMED.
The woman who is making the toque
now studies the shape of the face, and
as the situation OF the little hat ca De
changed, she turns and twists il until
she gets exactly the right angle. This
IS marked by an ornament which Is set
directly over the middle OF her left eye
brow. When she puts the hat on. n she
has no lOking glass. she feels for the
ornament and Instantly sets II well back
on her head on a line with her pretty
eyebrow.
This is no fanciful description: IL is
a Bit OF the accurate detail OF putting
on a toque. il was given 10 the writer
by the best millincr on Fifth avenue.
WHO said that she invariably instructed
her patrons 70 put on the hat by a<.and-
marx. as Il were, not haphazard with
uncertain results.
The hat that Is broad orimmed Is very
numerous The brim isl very much
broader IN the front than in the back
and. sometimes, In the back il Is posi-
tively scant The front brim extends
far enough TO almost OVershadOW The
face. and indeed Il would DO 80 were
A. not 50 for back from the brow. Some
Of these very broad hat brims are six
inches wide IN front Ike a poke. and
In the back they are scarcely an inch.
The hat In this case IS trimmed with
velvet and the crown has wall OF vol
vet around Il. Many Of these hats have
a big soft crown. though not all.
A favorite new hat string is the sim
gle end coming out OF a rhinestone
buckle IL is made in this wise. A
niece or velvet is doubled. lined and
eewed I'm such way that II is square
nj one end and pointed at another. The
pointed end IL pulled through the bril-
liant little buckle and the square end
Is made to stand upright ike a bow.
This makes very neat little ornament
and you see hats entirely trimmed
around the crown with these little loops
and ends.
RHINEsToNEs
xhinsstonss are the ornament par ex