Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-09-10

Of course it's just fad and can't
have come to stay, but while 1t lasts
women are embracing the opportunity
for comfort it offers, says the Chicago
Chronicle 1t is like the shirtwaist for
men, so sensible on the very face OF 1T
that no woman can help being prouu OF
her sex for it's independence. And yet,
when one thinks of it, there is nothing
she is independent from but herself
herself and her hat. She has forgotten
rid of the conceit that her hair will
blow off or come down or look badly.
In fact. within the past few months she
has become quite proud of her couture
and is willing that the public should
gaze upon it unobstructed by hats or
wells.
Now that it is proper to be seen i'll
public bareheaded every woman is de-
lighted with the custom and is certain
she has always wanted it so. And yet,
when one remembers the trouble there
was over the theater hat and the de-
finance with which all women met the
innovation, it is hard to believe that all
women could so easily have been won
by sense and courtesy without the aid
of fashion. 1t is hard to find woman
today who ever thought it anything out
right and proper and to hear them talk
one would believe they had each been
ready and waiting for an opportun.e ~
to adopt the plan.
Women today are quite Independent
of their hats, but yet not so independ-
ent as to go without them while the
sun shines. This is not because they
are afraid of the sun; they court a
healthy tan, but fashion has ruthlessly
barred the day from the hat immunity.
AS soon as the sun sets millinery dis
appears and hatless women are seen in
every nook and corner Of the city.
Driving on the boulevards. at the the
alters, in the downtown cafes, every
where, women must go without the
least vestige of head covering TIC
shop next morning or even to market,
the hat must appear. So severe has
fashion been in her decree.
Fad Springs Up Suddenly.
Auu IL Is al 81 0uoQOA LA40 1eIS@Oko9
ness. A month ago the woman who
appeared without her hat was subject
for comment. She was very brave,
independent woman who had no re-
gard for fashion and had not even
heard the rumor from Newport of the
approaching popular fancy. She went
without her hat because she was more
10 Cha quito n
conscious that her good sense was a
forerunner of frivolity. Later on when
the whisper of Hats off, came from
the east this woman found everyone
focking to her standard and friends
who had previously disagreed with her
on the SUBJECT accepted her point OF
view with a haste which caused her
considerable surprise until she discov-
cred the true reason for the change Of
opinion.
Dear me- she said one day to a
friend, 81 thought at first I was re-
former. but find it is all by accident
that L got on the track Of fashion and
she ran me down.
Undoubtedly the new fashion is the
result of the persistent efforts Of re-
formers and legislators who espoused
the cause of a theater-hat-beridd
public Women, at first afraid to I'M
cover their heads III public for fear
their crimps were out of order had to
be forced to it under penalty of expul-
sion from the theaIer. Young girls
with new hats and middle-aged women
in tiny bonnets we're, of all the refrac-
tory ones, the most difficult to manage.
The middle-aged woman pursed up
her lips when tne rules were read to
her and she held her peace, bonnet on,
Habit had established a precedent with
her which would not be overruled.
Besides, she thought her bonnet was
small enough to evade notice. eff my
bonnet annoys anyone it is without
reason; it is not large enough to OBJ
struct anyones view" 1t never for a
moment occurred to her that the
aigrette on her bonnet was an annoy
ance in ITSELF There is no comparison
between her bonnet and the hat of the
obstinate young girl, but their per-
sistent endeavor to cling to their head
gear was laughable in it's similarity.
1t was like pulling teeth-those first
struggles with the hat. No woman
seemed to learn by experience that the
law must be obeyed. They wore extra
large hatpins, rubber bands and ties
on their hats when they went out in
the evening, assuring themselves that
main force alone would bring their
headgear out of place
Only Newport Could Do It.
A great many men undertook to
reason with their better halves on the
benefits of removing the hat within
doors. They repeated all the advice
which had been showered upon them
concerning the certainty of badness as
a result of hat-wearing. They pointed
out the pleasure of being able to give
SO much comfort to the unfortunates
in the rear seats. They referred to the
pleasure of being able to look in front
of one and find no line Of feathers to