Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-11-09

Cow-shadowy Gypsy Hat Becom-
ing to Everyone.
The starting point here, as elsewhere,
In decorative arr, must be considera-
ton OF use, without which the pursuit
Of beauty alone might soon land us in
the ridiculous. Woman does not wear
hat or bonnet by accident or caprice,
but because of a certain utility in them,
the hat being to shelter from rain and
to shade from light, while the bonnet
is TO protect from cold. At least such
were originally the actual functions of
these articles of clothing, and approx
mate conformity to them is still-not
beauty, to be sure-but yet an indis-
pensable precondition of it.
A turban may show graceful curves;
but, IL IL neither serves nor suggests
service, 1t can only mock the artifciality
of its wearer. The hat has retained this
definite use and shape more than the
bonnet, and is, therefore, by far the
more beautiful and deservedly the more
popular Of the two. For these reasons
It can often be introduced into his pic
ture on grass or bench by an artist,
whereas the bonnet never can.
There is special reason for demanding
that the headdress be a pretty article
in Itself, and be made of superior mate
rails. for it occupies the place of honor
in the whole toilette, and can neither
collect dirt as does the skirt nor be con-
cealed as can the bodice. Dealers in the
west complain that this reasonable de-
mand is often denied, and in conse-
quence the effect of a fine gown ruined
by cheap hat or bonnet. In any case,
therefore, the headgear should consist
of handsome materials; but in the mat
ter of shape, the relation to the wearer's
figure, head and face is determinative,
and ought to be considered in this order.
The hat has beauty value for the
wearer's figure quite like that of the cor
nice for building. Both serve to bal
ance or counterplay the predominantly
vertical lines below them, to place
visible barrier to the otherwise indefi-
mite extension upwards of the main
body. The taller the body, in either
case, the broader should be the rim
on top; but, oh, beware the easy snare
of the too large hat, whether too broad,
too high, or too long. No observer can
miss noting that it is monstrous, big
to abnormality; and, whether he call 1t
ultra or outre, must wonder as to the
artistic sanity Of the wearer. Also,
unless the picture hat have a carriage
to shield 1t from the wind, it must make
for frowns that can look we'll only upon
faces of rare beauty, and they do not
need the picture hat
Sometimes the hat takes a tilt, or one
side or end of 1t assumes fare upwards
or downwards that throws it into the
same general line with some contour
of the hair or the dress; and such flow
ing lines are always desirable because
conducive to both grace and unity of
effect The simpler such lines are made
for girls the better, nothing being
more unsuitable in art nor unoomfort-
able for the girl than to be dressed like
a belle; but, as years increase, style is
both endurable and suitable, and is no.
where more telling than in headgear.
The artistic effect of the hat or bon
net upon the facial contour conforms to
the same rules as were assigned in pre-
Vious article to the hair. That is, both
should maintain balance between the
upper and lower parts of the head, or re-
store it whenever it has been disturbed.
In accord with this principle, the head
with broad, heavy chin should avoid
the small, round bonnet or trim tur-
ban In favor of large hat, heavily
trimmed with plumes or wide bows.
faring horizontally across the hat from
somewhere near its center, This larger
object will belittle TIE chin and re-
duce It to apparent conformity with
the normal and justly admired ovate
contour. All size is thus relative, SO
that larger always becomes smaller
when placed beside larger.
Finally, any marked linear quality of
feature SHOULD be counteracted by an
opposite quality in the headdress, on the
principle that we want too much OF
nothing. Thus, the face with deeply
arched eyebrows, globular eyes, snub
nose, circular mouth, and rounded
cheeks, clogs the art-sense with its ex-
cess OF rotundity, and therefore calls
for hat OF several lines trimmed with
angular bows or wings
1t follows from this, Of course, that
the face with angular features should
be compIemented with hat, the brim
Of which is modelled in graceful curves,
and which may be trimmed with plumes
and other soft, fuzzy shapes. But let
both types beware Of tbs fatal facility
with which ornaments, shaped and
placed at all like the horns OF ears OF
an animal, will impart to face of the
commonplace type the untoward aspect
OF COW, fox or a dogl
Another ha' that looks as bad on
vulgar face, and as inappropriate on &
grave, niddls-aged one. as it does well
90 young, beautiful and cultivated
woman. is the Gainsborough,
But, once more, any hat that can ap-
proximate the gipsy enough 70 throw
brows ana eyes into luminous shadow
IS becoming 70 anyone because 4 intro