The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
CONCERNING NEWS HATS.
Headgear in Different Parts of the Coun-
try-American Hats Exported.

."''
The stiff, or derby hat is the prevailing char
acteristic headgear Of tho East for ordinary wear
as II has boon for thirty years or more or since
the close OF the Civil War. Before the soft
hats were commonly worn here. made in various
styles and in different shades of gray. black and
other colors The styles were sometimes dis
tingufshed by names. soft hat named for
Louis Kossuth when he came to this country OBJ
tanned very wide favor and came to be very com
monty worn Soft hats continue 10 be worn
- ~. r. -. -, ,,1 " WIN
Ia 'ho Sos'' anu IN consiuofaoie numbers; ana
there has been at least one season since the com
mon adoption Of the derby in which there were
-, - -, -. =, A.. A., -
W. woih hoie perhaps more sou mats 'han SUN hats
The soft hat now worn here is very different from
the old style straightforward and almost fiat
curs up at the sides and dips more or less at tho
front and back the ION is creased and tho sid.s
.'n, anu DaeA' .no Np 10 ''TaSeu ahu INC siues
Vi 'he ofo"h crushed III " Is 'afiousiy de-
scribed as alpine, tourist. and so on
!. a.. 80, -, a., .t so He
Is tho soft nat perhaps to the extent OF 80 per
n not more x,ensivelv than the stiff h,t
49,, a.. .,,,,,,r,. .,o,,',.ha 49, -,
more or less in cities; commonly in Northern
and Western cities and const,ntIv r,o,s ard
ON .9,,,a ~. g CIV H'o'e anu
area Of derby predominance may be said to be
constantly spreadinR. In the country III. cot,
W.. S"n.,,a ~ -, - -. ."o sUi'
nat prevails In some outlying districts Of the
remote West the soft hat is practically the only
hat uo,, tb,ough wide ,e,,ito,i.s
II is =, familiar fac, that suhs,,rt,,ur ~.
same fashions for mems apparel prevail through
'',t tho comnt,r This he hosn ,hn o"
OUT 'no country. Inns mas neeh 'he case Tor
years and Is due to easy and quick means of com
tror ,he East w.lrinr ,Iore. ~, s,,.o,s =, n.a,,
i'onn Wv 49,. 10 , r.e VA" S''ee,S Vi any
considerable city, say IN Texas or Colorado, would
find tho very great majority Of the men he met
dressed precisely as he was himself, and they
might be wearing a nat OIL the same block as
his own
The hne soft mats sold by city dealers in West
ern, Northwestern, and Southern cities are many
nl .'ic t 10 aoI ; @ vi nioucrn nav max
ing graceful IN Design ana excellent IN quality.
SIS and upward perhaps to $40 There are soft
hats that sell for higher prices, up TO Sl5 and
$50 and more: Hats at SIS and $50 while by
no means articles OF common sale still things
OF steady and regular sale. Such are the hats
among others, and the price is not by any means
fancy price, but II stands for tn, very best of
ma terial; and necessarily; in hat Of that size,
good deal more Of 1t than would be put into
an ordinary hat. These hats are the best that
can be made, and will Outwear half dozen cheap,
common hats, a cons deraton Of some importance
or maybe five hundred. to find hat store
For long time some American straw hats
nave been eNporteduO Latin American countries
south OF the equator, such as Brazil but not many:
tna'tIadeis mostly supplied from Europe, Amcri-
can straw hats have found a fair market in the
West Indies and more have been sold there since
the close Of the rec mt war with Spain than ever
before Inc straw hats seen in Havana are,
many OF them. like those seen in New York: and
such styles are spreading out on the lines Of rail
In soft and stiff hats there has long been some
export trade chiefly to Mexico and the Central
American states and the " est indies, with some