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

after a time and there ceased to be
hat question. Custom barred the hat
from theaters, but it rested there,
making no effort to carry the reform
farther. There were few women at
the close CT the theater season TINS
summer who are still bound to their
hats. There was probably never per-
Torrance at which every woman re
moved her hat unasked. Custom was
a wonderful help to the reformers, out
it could not quite overcome the general
impression among women that mats
were better kept on.
Not until Newport took it up early
in the spring and with final effort
forced fashion to accept the hatless
woman was the question firmly settled,
though college girls, notably at Madl-
son, have long exhibited exhilerating
independence in the matter. There
was no doubt in the minds Of many
good people as to the property OF
obeying the law. Now that it is not
only lawful, but fashionable, for awom-
an to appear without her hat she
thinks there never was law more
helpful and practical Public opinion
so changes and adjust itself to the
whims of fashion.
In Chicago.
1t was one evening early in the sum-
mer, when Chicago was feeling the first
oppression of heat. 1t was just as hot
on the Lake Shore drive as it was in
the alleys at the back of town, and
people who were disappointed in their
search for a breeze were wandering
aimlessly down the lake promenade.
Everybody in Chicago knows and ad-
mires Mrs. Lydia Avery Coonley Ward,
and when she drove toward Lincoln
park with three feminine friends that
evening there was a flutter of excite
ment among the promenaders. People
looked admiringly after the party in
the victoria and, nodding to one
another, said laughingly, eyes, it has
really come to pass" For the remain
der of the evening there was general
topic of conversation on the drive and
a topic, too, which created excited dis
cussion.
"Oh, / am so glad it has come at last;
now I can do as have always wanted
to; now woman can be comfortable
without being stared at. Really it is
the greatest thing Of the year." said
one enthusiastic young woman.
That it had come there were no
questionings. Mrs Wards pronounced
Gictation was accepted without argu-
ment, andthe women who had observed
went home and did likewise. In tell
ing of it afterward a girl said: There
wasn't woman in that carriage that
wore a sign of hat
and how many women were there
in the carriage?" a cynic was unkind
enough to question.
The girls enthusiasm was not whit
dampened by the suggestion Why
there were only four, of course, but
you must remember who they were.
You don't suppose Mrs Ward would go
without her hat if it wasn't the style,
do your" And it was apparent that
the girls respect for style was over
Whelming.
Thus it was that Mrs. Ward, without
regard for the style, as everyone who
knows Mrs Ward knows, fostered a
very good fashion and brought 1t
instant popularity in at least one city.
There was a pronounced display of
barred heads on the Lake Shore drive
the very next evening and the fashion
has been spreading since until it has
engulfed the better half of Chicago's
feminine population.
Hatless Woman Everywhere.
Everywhere in the evening women
go without so much as a bow of ribbon
to adorn their hair All kinds Of
public gatherings, from church SER
vices to vaudeville performances, have
benefited by the fashion, until, go
where one will, a woman's hat will
not be the source of annoyance.
Like the shirtwaist for men, the
fashion of hatlessness has been long
time in establishing itself. 1t strug-
gled for recognition last summer, but
Milliners fought it, men fought it,
women themselves were not in favor Of
the innovation. That it reappeared
again this summer is no doubt due to
the theater and it's influence for the re-
moval of hats in public places. The
annoyance of holding their hats has
made women willing to listen to the
cry of hats off altogether" me an
noyance has made the fashion possible
and the fashion has given to women
way of doing away with the annoyance.
So that, altogether, the reform has
worked very well and even the reform
ers are pleased with it's steady growth
into popularity.