The San Francisco call., 1907-01-06

is growing older; and even against
young. fresh compilations the unyieId-
ing line is too hard to be attractive
However, fashion at the moment has
ordered that stiff shapes be worn, con-
sequently they are worn, and the only
effort now is to obviate aa many of the
disagreeable points as possible. For
instance. the medium size or large hats
with the stiff brlms-those hats made
OF velvet for instance. or satin--are
made over buckram frame rather
than stiff wire one. the idea being
apparently. to get tho desired shape
without too much stiffness of outline
II this stiffness is not sufficient then
there are skeleton wires put in to hold
it out.
Almost without exception the stir
shapes have crowns--rouad. medium
Highland the crown is trimmed by n
fold OF satin or rosette OF ribbon or
something to soften It. II the hat is
made of velvet two or three folds Of
velvet soften il materially. and then
the trimming Is supplied to do what
ever else is required. The edges of
many OF the velvet hats are finished
with bands of satin or of mirror velvet
The satin shapes are still In fashion. al
though they were worn so much, last
winter that they are no longer too
hiiht / tld tuFS Go not nave any Irll1-
ming around the edge. but around the
crown there is always satin. tulle or
velvet.
a fashion Of Last winter tnat is not
so smart this year but Is always be-
coming. is the velvet shape with the
tulle let in. This softens any hard
lines and makes the hat more becom-
ing.
Ostrich feathers ere Immensely pop
in fact fGnfbArS ~ oil L;
in great demand. and vet at the same
time there never were 80 many hats
trimmed with flowers as there are at
present. The stiff hats look better.
for being trimmed with the soft ostrich
feathers. The feits. cloths and veivets
look smart with stiff quills or fancy
wings while cocks feathers. osprey
feathers and marabout are also seen on
the very latest creations"
For the theater or restaurant there
are enormous hats so-called pictu~-
esque They are made of colored tulle
and of velvet and are trimmed with
feathers galore OF all Kinds. These hats
are extreme. 1t must be admitted but
when put on at the right anglo they
are. il becoming, Immensely so. and are
certainly attractive. but the fashion is
one that requires careful choice In the
selection. for there is an extremely
narrow line between what is smart AMI
what is eccentric. what is picturesque
and what is conspicuous. and 1t re-
quires often a very keen eyesight t.
discern this same line
So much depends upon where the
seats are in the theater as to the size
of the hat that should be worn. In a
box large hat is much more effective
and becoming. while if in a seat
large hat is. OF course. an inpossibility.
There is no end OF smart little shapes
that are rather between headdress and
hat and they are called "theater hats"
that are very attractive but as almost
without exception they have some high
trimmings or the brims are wide, they
are just as Objectionable in keeping
a view of the stage away from the
person who sits behind as though they
were great big hats and consequently
they are not very popular. In fact,
they are very much frowned at. There
are plenty of small hats that are at
tractive. but none of them are good for
the theaters-that is. to wear in the
theater. In the present crude state of
affairs which necessitates a woman
holding her hat in her lap during the
play, naturally a small hat is better,
and we have not yet arrived at that