The Washington herald., 1914-10-22

hats, expressing klnuS OF
The lecturer, young with of manner
and rapidity of uterance evidently knew his busi-
ness which with absolute clearness to reveal to
that audience new methods of workmanship. The
women followed with an eagerness of understanding
that suggested they too had an expertness of their
own. In astonishingly short time hats trim
med before our eyes and silk muf made.
Meanwhile the lecturer explained that he did not
pride himself on speed of workmanship. He was
Just throwing out suggestions. When he was really
making hat, a hat TO be worn, he spent on it at
least a day. What he wanted to emphasize was that
in the creating of hats the great essential skill
expressed through taste. And what he said Of spe-
cisl interest to was that the in Europe was
going to throw the mliners of this country more
and more their own resources and TO encourage
those manufacturers who produced material for the
mliners. There had been altogether too much snob-
bishness in the business. Milners did not have
enough pride in their work. They would make
stunning hats in their places of business and
into those hats they would put French labels to lead
customers to think the hats had been made in
France This year they could not resort this ex-
pedient They would have to take the credit they
deserved. They would draw the customers away
from snobbishness, and they would themselves be-
come more self-respecting workers.
According to this expert within a month after
the outbreak of the war; the manufacturers had
shown remarkable enterprise. Soon fabrics would
be on the market that had never been successfully
produced here before. OF course, the velvets of
France would be hard to compete with in quality
But there knowing what might be done now
that the rewards were encouraging. And already
America had shown that in the manufacture of plush
there was no country superior the world over. The
German dyes were pre-sninent, but even here Amer
can ingenuity might do wonders.
Throughout the talk l found myself repeatedly
reminded of the dependence of this country on
Europe, what, till the other day, believed to be
the dependence. Was it so real after all Was it not
largely habit, sustained by the snobbishness of buy
ers and by the shortsightedness of local dealers?
Perhaps the would break down forever the no.
ton, in this country that certain articles
to be good had to be made abroad. Incidentally it
might be the means of opening up European avenues
of trade to articles produced here and hitherto re-
jected by Europe.
In the course of the talk found myself let into
occasional secret Often l had speculated on the
mysterious forces that created and maintained and
swept away fashions. Now was present when Apos-
sible fashion was made the object of attack, 'the
boudoir hat" as worn in tJk automobile The
speaker felt strongly that it had no place there that
it belonged where it had come from, in the house
only. He urged all the milners to resist its escape
to out-of-doors. While he spoke thought of an
other reform in the hats of women that might have
been advocated. Why should all women be obliged
to wear hats obviously designed for women that were
beautiful? The charming girl for example who
acted as model for the lecturer looked charming in
each hat put on her head, and she made each hat
look charming Shed look well in anything"
heard one of my neighbors whisper. But many wom-
en-, in wearing such hats would not look we'll Was
not one of the tragedies of womens ornamentation,
conspicuous in headgear so closely associated with
the face that it had mercy on plainness that by
contrast, it actually gave it emphasis?