Evening star., 1908-01-12
Audacious Gowns
and Hats

hats. immense of size, tilted boldly
back on the head, supplemented
more or les. effectively by vagaries
of coiffure, trimmed in wildly wav-
ing feathers.
Here even more than in Paris the
tout ensemble is lamentable, for in
Paris the long skirt is moro in evil
dence than the trotting skirt; but
here the street skirt is short, and a
small, fat woman in a short walk
ing skirt and one of the latest ver-
sions of the picture hat is sight
to wiring tears from lovers of the
beautiful.
But truce to criticism.
Fortunately, as has been said be-
fore, there is much beauty in the
successful hats, even when those
hats are bizarre.
Mark the word Successful"
Never was unqualified success more
necessary in the handling of mil
linery problems than it is at pres
ent.
When hat or gown is audacious
it must be able to defy criticism.
Only the inconspicuous in dress can
afford a comfortable mediocrity.
The new hats demand handsome
materials. Without them they are
indescribably tawdry.
Cheap velvet, cheap feathers.
cheap buckles, cheap flowers massed
lavishly upon a conspicuous hat
shape, covered with cheap velvet or
satin, produce wonderful and fear
full results, and the woman who can
not afford an expensive hat should
avoid the extremes of present-day
millinery as she would the plague;
and never have the windows of the
cheaper millinery shops abounded in
more distressing illustrations of
what should not be worn than are
now ossoming in them.
There are, however, many pretty
shapes in fine felt or covered with
faille if one will take the trouble
to search for them, and there are
smart and unaggressive ways OF
trimming these hats if one will but
study the costly models and select
from them the details which do not
of necessity spell great expense.
One thing is general throughout
all the new millinery-the suppress
sion of the banieau. A little BAN
deau may be used to give the hat
the required tilt, but it must be un-
assuming, lost to view in the abund-
ant locks of the co.iure.
The modish hat sits low and fat
upon the head. dropping low at the
back and being set back far enough
to show the soft front locks of the
coifure, though the big hat perched
upon the back of he head behind
haircloth-sofa effect of pompadour,
a caricature much in evidence, is no
more fashionable than beautiful.
The dropping brim all around, as
sociated with mushroom and cloche
shapes, is sti in high favor, and
the fancy for facing, such shapes
with some contrasting color that
will be becoming next the face has
added greatly to their charm.
The contrasting facing is one Of
the triumphant innovation of the
season, and is to be noted not only
in the genuine mushroom and
cloche hats. but in the hats of up
turneo brim as well.
These last, ss rule, have the up
ward roll of brim restricted to front
or front and side,. the brim in the
back retaining the dropping lines,
and in majority of cases even the
front brim does not roll sharply up
ward save near its edge.
Some of the prettiest felt shapes
are in dark color, with facing of
white, and have wide brims rolling
in front at the edge like the aureole
shapes of last spring, or a sharp
little roll all around the extreme
edge of the brim.
Other felts, with white facing,
are smaller and roll more abruptly,
resembling in shape the panama
hats SO much worn during the sum-
mer.
Some very attractive and simple
little French hats in this last shape
are trimmed merely in big soft
scarfs, after the fashion of the sum-
mer hats, or in large choux of silk
or velvet set at the front.
The use of big choux of silk or
velvet in combination with other
trimming or as the sole trimming is
widespread, and clever milliners OBJ
tain excellent results in this way,
although the idea, being readily
susceptible of imitation in cheap
materials, has been much abused.
Where velvet is used for the
choux it should be of the softest.
finest variety, and the skill of the
designer is displayed not only in the
graceful shaping and posing Of
these huge soft choux, but in the
harmonizing of their colors.
Here, indeed, is the touchstone
of the milliner's art.
Subtle color harmony must be
felt, not learned, and it is in the
color sense that the Frenca milliner
excels.
To be sure, even the French mil
liner has her failures, but the mas
ter artists Of millinery, such as Car
ier, Reboux, Georgette and Talbot,
have wonderful surety of touch in
matters of colors, and handle most
daring combinations with signal
success.