The New York herald., 1920-01-18
Her Hats and the "Reveillon" Parties
Are the Text for Miss
May Birkhead
By MAY BiRSHEAD, Fashion
Writer for the Herald in Paris.
PARIS. January I. 1920


"wo events are having their effect
on the French dressmakers and the
Paris shops in general until the
fashion world seems very much
turned upside down and it is difficult to
get anything made. The first is the visit
of the Queen of Spain to Paris and the
second is the "Reveillon" parties, which
have meant new dresses for everybody.
The Queen of Spain always likes the
prevailing fashions in Paris whatever they
may be. and never fails to call upon her
favorate partisan dressmakers and mod
istes and always buys lavishly. so 1t is
natural that the couturiers and mod;stes
should lose their heads when the Queen is
announced. for Queens are rare these days
and should be made the most of. The
Queen of Spain is rather out OF the or
binary. as far as Queens go. for she loves
visiting the shops and dressmaking and
millinery establishments to see for herself
Just what is being worn instead Of having
them bring their models to her. The con-
sequence is that all of the shops prepare
for her visit for who knows which may
be the lucky one. so one sees them at their
best when a Queen is in Paris. II an
american buyer should enter dressmak-
ing establishment and Say that he wanted
10 buy million dollars worth of clothes
IL would be nothing compared to the
Queens visit. despite the fact that the
Queen would probably say l want to buy
one dress, and of course. you must give
me reduced prices. for l am Queen. But
that is the way the Paris dressmakers do
business and seem to feel that they could
not be artists IL business should be done
any differently.
The Queen visited the Caiiot Sisters and
ordered a dress or two and also visited
worth's, where she purchased few
things, and visited various others for the
purpose of looking around. but made her
real purchases in hats, and Lewis was the
lucky one She bought nine hats from
Lewis and ordered twenty more for Feb
ruary, so naturally the Lewis shop was In
the greatest confusion. and Monsieur
Lewis thought her the greatest Queen that
had ever lived. barring none. not even
the Queen OF Roumania. who Is also his
customer and equally beautiful
The Queen bought one OF the new celiu-
Ioid spring hats. marquIse in shape. with
tiny little bunch OF ostrich dipped in gilt
sticking up In the very front Another
rnarouise shape Of her choice was in black
straw lame, with big Jet ornaments hang
inp from the side corners over the ears.
Black chantilly lace was literally nailed
10 the edge of the brim by row of huge
let nail heads. Another c'se-niy mooel on
fhe same order was a round turban. with
ne black lace hanging in a ruffle across
the back and covering the ears and held
in place by two jet pins The Queen GER
tainly runs to black lace and jet. so 1t is
not surprising that she wanted to buy all
the hats In Paris. Her favorite hat was
worn at the deieuner given by the Spanish
Ambassador on the last day of her visit.
Z was turban, made of little upturned
raIle ruff1es, edged with jet, with Jet
armament sticking up in the very front
IN give IL height. and what made IL par
tieiIiarly becoming was the jet beads
attached to the hat over the ears and worn
under the chin. The Queen Is tall and
handsome and this type OF hat makes her
apnoar more regal than ever. She always
wore iet bracelets with all Of these hats
trimmed in jet.
Hats are all very spanish looking for
0Ae moment with yards of chantilly veil
ipg han ginS ever them In all sorts Of ways.