Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-23
WOMEN WEAR SMILE
SPRING HATS FOR THE FAIR SEX
ARE BRINGING PLEASANT
FACES TO MANY.
Head Coverings This Year are of Great
Variety and Beauty and Some Of the
Fair Ones Have Already Made Their
Observation-Disclosures are Proper.

A certain smile which is worn by
womanlkind at this time of the year
can be taken to mean but one thing
that the wearer has ventured into the
haunts of the milliners, has gazed her
| fill upon the visions of delicious color
combinations and, best of all, has
safely slowed away in dust proof box
at home the particular creation which
is to signify her entrance into woman's
highest realization of spring.
To the uninitiated this smile Is
sometimes taken to indicate mere
pleasure at the flow of sunshine. In
cidentally the sunshine plays part,
but only as 1t appears to hasten the
glad day when the wonderful spring
hat" may make it's debut ia company
| with the proud possessor who has had
| it in hiding for some time.
There Is recompense about thus
keeping the hat in cold storage be-
fore wearing it. 1t cultivates a wo-
mans ability to enjoy things all by
herself, for, unless her husband Is a
marvel and appreciates such things,
her innumerable visits to the hat box
must be enjoyed alone. No outsider
could possibly be admitted to these pri-
VaCe dress rehearSalS
AS to Openings.
According to various leading hat
merchants, this city has outgrown the
rurality of inaugurating its season
with formal opening. A semi-formal
opening, to be sure, will follow later
+. in the season, but already the citizens
of >llatdom, which is woman's idea of
fairyland, have arrived Arrayed in
the most fascinating color combina-
bird in search Of Spring bonnet. /"
Several women are already qualified to
smile the superior smile.
OF course the "spring bonnet" is
not easily located in these modern
times. It's place has been taken by
the evolutions and inventions of cap
tivating curves in straw, ribbon and
flowers. Flowers, this season, are the
quasi non est of almost any variety of
a hat.
Superlatlves are Proper.
There is always certain type Of a
girl who always has at her last party
the most perfectly lovely time" she
ever had. In speaking of hats, most
women are inclined to resemble the
aforesaid girl in language. Each sea.
son seems to offer the most attractive
head coverings. But superlatives are
particularly in order in regard to hats
this season. The unusual soft beauty
of many of the flowers and the daring
but effectually pleasing color combin
ations, together with the plant grace
Of the horse hair and silk braids, pre-
sent result capable of dazzling even
the most phlegmatic of womankind.
A turban, new in form and already
popular in the eastern cities, where
Its street debut has been effected, is
the polo turban. 1t Is small round
turban ornamented with a bow, 8
buckle or cluster Of flowers.
Violet Hats Popular.
A small ,Napolean hat, fashioned
Of the colors of the violet, with the
violets also used to strike the deeper
notes, is popular. The violet hats
themselves continue to gladden. the
hearts of their past or would-be de
voices. The foliage hat, fashioned Of
almost silvery, soft colored leaves, is
prettier than ever.
4 The large hat still claims attention
This year it's brim is turned high In
the back and loaded down with flow
ers, while the front brim bends allur
ingly over the eyes.
/ AS for .colors, they are light blues
adorned with punches of lilacs, ant
combined with American beauties
symphonies in greens, brown combina
lions in which the golden sheen il
artistically wrought, red again, ant
all the colors. The roses, in the sof
pastel shades which reflect a ligh
never seen on natures rose, are no
the smallest charm of these 1905 ere
ations.