The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-27

much happy time on the deck of the roy
al yacht with the Prince Consort. He.
as ell young married men should do, took
great interest in the question of a suit
able hat for the Queen to wear on such
occasions, ard eventually, a well-fitting
shape with a br m that dropped over the
eyes-as many fashionable hats do now
was approved of. The miIliner added an
Improvement. in which the back part
could be turned up or down at viii. The
Queen was so pleased with this hat that
she sent similar hats as presents to the
Empress Eugene, then in her zenith as
queen of the worlds fashions, and other
ladies of the foreign courts.
At that time the wearing of hats was
confined only to the country and for trav-
cling purposes. If lady wore a hat in
town X was much commented upon, but
the Queen changed all that by constantly
wearing. when driving in the park large
shady hats, handsomely trimmed with
lace and feathers. Lady Jane Ely, the
Duchess of Wellington. and Lady Church.
i'll further helped to establish the fashion
of wearing hats in town. All these ladies
affected the same style of shape-a we'll
fitting boat shape that dropped at the
back and in the front, and was usually
made in the finest black Dunstable plat,
and was trimmed with long and hand
some black ostrich feathers. This style
of hat was for long time one peculiar
to the ladies' attached to the court and
had distinction of it's own, but gradual
ly 1t became a general mode in fashion
able circles. When the Queen reviewed
her troops at Aldershot she wore a fine
French felt hat in Amazone style with
long plumes of dark green COG feathers
to match her riding habit. Riding hats
for ladies were in those days in nowise
different from the hats worn by gent'c-
men. and were made in exactly the same
fashion. When. fifty years ago, the court
halter brought out an improved riding
hat especially designed for ladies' wear,
it attracted the attention OF one OF the
ladies in waiting. who brought it to the
notice of the Queen, then In town for
the season at Buckingham Palace. The
Queen was delighted with 1t, and ordered
several to be made at once, and thus made
the fortune of the halter. who retains
the royal patronage to this day.
As the Queen grows older her taste for
prettily trimmed headgear grows young
er, though it is always in strict accord
ance with the general lines laid down for
elderly ladies' acceptance.
She is most particular as 10 perfect At /
and extreme lightness, and is very fond
of the large-sized boat shape in fine Ital-
ian chip or English straw that she has
always been faithful to, no matter how
fashions have varied. Drawings of every
hat made for the Queen are in existence,
though not exposed to view. They are
a most inieres ling study of the fashion
from the earliest days of the Queens
married life down to the present day. The
collection also includes sketches of the
hats made for the late Duchess of Teck,
who followed the fashion set by her royal
cousin. One hat worn by the Queen was
made famous during her last visit to
Dublin by the practical loyalty which II
evoked among Irish ladies. The emart
ml,liners in delightful Dublin filed their
windows with TIE shape. and cou'd scarce
ly meet the popular demand that was
made for it,. They still ticket hats of
this style as 1.-The Queens shape" and
the wel-known man-millner IN Grafton |
shire who still makes the wonderfully be-
coming toques worn by the Countess OF
Cadogan and many ladies of the British |
court, has made a speciality of "thc |
Queens hat" with immense success, even |
sending them over TO England.
When the Queen goes out of town much |
pleasurabe interest Is taken In the royal |
circle in the choice of the Queens ha s. |
the careful, deliberate as to the style |
of trimming. the materials to be used |
etc. being a matter of considerable con-
Germ to the Queen, her favorite iadies-in-
waiting, and even the royal children, who
are greatly interested in their grand
mothers hats. These hats are ALWAYS
hardsewn and beautifully finisnel. The
Queen would uot wear a machine-sewn
chip or straw, and is particular
TO a degree about the most mi
cute details She Is a firm believer 70
the utility and charm of handsome ostrich
feathsr. OF which she has large collac-
ton, and from these she selects from time
TO time plurnes TO adorn her newest head
gear. one OF her most appreciated jubilee