New-York tribune., 1901-06-16
HIS NAJESTY'S HATS.
STYLES THAT EDWARD VII HAS CREATED
AND THOSE HE FOLLOWS

From The London Express
Is il true that the first gentleman in Europe
leads the fashion in hats?
Yes and When the KING adopts a hat
its future is assured. but almost invariably II
has had a successful, if obscure. past. In the
course of his career his majesty has created
two three styles. of which one. the low
crowned silk hat. enjoyed some vogue, while an
other a sort of Welsh sugar loaf, lasted less
than a month And there are some shapes worn
by in every rank of life from the blood
royal downward which the King has never
patroniZed at all.
The supremacy of the black silk hat was GER
tainly due to his majestys encourasenent
Other men might white hats on HOT sum
mer days, but for years he elung To black
His majesty did not relinqush this palladium
of British respectahility even when being re-
ceived by Said Pacha under the scorchlng suns
of Egypt. nor when negotiating the turbd rapids
the head of tine ST Lawrence while exposed
TO the keen Canadian winds on "A lumber raft.
IL was ne who ordained that the proper and
only wear for Go0dwOod Was the tall black hat.
and il is only in recent years that he has relaxed
his rule. Hence it was with sense of
relief that he was observed at the garden party
in the grounds Of buckingham Palace in the
summer before the Diamond Jubilee t. be- wear
ing a " hite hat. color which turned up again
at Goodw"Od two years ago, and the descent
from this % the white bowler which he wore at
Sandown last year became inevitable.
hut for the King too. the narrow cloth band
would never have replaced the silk gallnOn for
ordinary wear. This cloth band was soon per
ccitcd t0 b. not only dressy. but also very con
vruiTnt. because most OF us are IN c"Ihph-
mentary mourning for the greater part of our
lives. tiis majesty. however, has always set his
face against the Crud"r display OF sdrt"riii grief
that marked the earlier Victorian regime.
To his majesty W. owe the habit into which
We fall unconsci0uSly ~ clinSing To- hats
at public functions as II they Mere our tails
mans Whether receiving address Of well
come AT exhibition. attending an afternoon
lecture. unVciling memorial in "a pubic
museum the Kings manner has been 20 hold
the hat i'm the left hand. resting lightly upon the
hip IL he be standing. upon the thgh-nOt
the knee-if sitting down when the proceed
ings drawing To "A close he fingers the nap
lovingly and uses the palm as an auxIliary
He has abandoned "a habit. which NJ once
taught us To observe. of using the coat sleeve
for this purpose.
The King uses the round bowler nowadays on
every possible occasion. He had AT time a
great affection for the brown bowler. and for
mary years patrUr.iZed the comely gray. In
nothing has the influence of the King been
mt.e paramount than in the Introduction into
Eng land obstinate. insular England of the
Homburg feIt For lounsing about the estate,
for diving along the Norfolk lanes, for taking a
morning turn the saddle, there is mo- doubt
that this comfortable shape is exactly suited 10
his majcsty's fac
ago in its older form of the Offenbach or the
Tyrolese. and both in the forests of mid Eu-
rope and in the English cOverts the tuft of
feathers in the back of the hat was never
omitted.
When on Deeside early boyish experience
taught the King to appreciate the Glengarry
bonnet. and ne dOns the national costume To
this day Hut there is no doubt of his prefer
ence for the cloth peaked cap.
The distaste of the King for the straw hat
arises from causes The flat topped low
crowned hat would be dsc0rdant with the lines
of his build. and apart from this he never has
occasion To indulge i'm those pastimes for which
the heating straw is the only perfect wear. His
maiesty's size is sevefs: he wears every thing
well down over the temples and the front line
of the brim is always horizontal