The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-07

- HE astute milliners realize to the
full the value of suggestion.
Left to themselves women
- would doubtless be quite con-
tented and happy in their Inter head
gear until some balmy April morning
made them realize suddenly that
spring had come and a change in
millinery was advisable. But 1t is an
unusual woman who can ignore the
nagging, hurrying influence of hosts
of spring hats-along with other at
tracttve new spring apparel, constant
ly displayed before her eyes; and 1t
is a strong woman indeed who can
refuse absolutely to be urged by the
tempting array into an uneasy con-
seriousness of decisions which must
soon be made.
In New York in February straw
hats are no unusual sight on the
street; and indeed, seeing another
woman at the end of January in a
moderately fresh straw hat, 1t is i'm
possible to determine whether her
headgear is a last-summer model
caught in the grip of winter, or
midsummer model perching in the
lap of spring. But nowadays it Is
almost a Disgrace to be caught by
March fifteenth without ones new
spring chapeau all ready in milli-
ner's box in the wardrobe-or I'M
der the bed II one lives in a hat-to
be donned the minute the wind veers
around away from the north and the
high March sun makes itself felt.
Shapes, Not Trimming, Count For
Smartness.
There is no particular style of trim
ming that is smarter than any other
style in the new millinery. Small
shapes entirely eclipsed with masses
of ostrich or voluminous folds of mai
ines are seen side by side with big
shapes adorned chastely with half a
yard of inch-wide ribbon pleated into
a cockade and held under a button.
Everything is used in the way of
trimming. Feathers are used, flowers
are used, wings are used, malines are
used, ribbon is used, lace is used
even Turkish toweling is used. Some
OF the Paris hats ready for country
wear with smart suits of linen and
crash, are of java or leghorn straw,
with scarfs of the new Agaric
Greatly no more than common or
bathroom Turkish toweling) twisted
around the crown with all the airs of
a silken scarf. It is the shape of the
hat-its lines-the movement of its
brim-that counts for modishness, not
at all the manner of adjoining it. If
the shape is correct almost any old
trimming will do-provided it is
draped on with dash and chic; but If
the shape is beyond the pale not even
q fifty dollar plume can lift that hat
to modishness.
Tam Crowns the Craze.
In Paris everyone is wearing a
draped hat now. Tam crowns are the
dernier cri of winter and the premier
cri for spring; and most of the soft,
graceful tam effects are produced with
taffeta = the wonderful, lustrous.
changeable chameleon taffeta that
seems to have a different shade
whichever way you hold it. These
taffeta hats are built on foundations
of crinoIine and not an inch of wire
appears in the frame. AS a conse-
quence, the huge, toque-like affair
made of swathings of silk is as light
as a feather and it may be folded up
like a handkerchief without the least
injury to it's shape or style, the erin
oline and crisp taffeta folds spring
ing into place the moment the pres
sure is removed. Yards and yards of
the soft, chiffony taffeta are put into
these toques and the silk is draped.