Evening star., 1920-03-21
ny ANNE RITTENHOUsE.
Horseha Supple and Transparent Used by Mne Get the
Various Shapes That the Season Permits Leaves
a Bims and Cowns-The Arabian 7urbans

centric, SndpeIeSS ana worn on q
woman's head was washed in with
the tide" Ono could revive that old
seaside impertinence an q criticism
of much that the milliners offer today.
Those Of us who have lived. strug-
gled and rebelled at the bitter winter
that some freak Of nature threw upon
us-let 1t be the planets. II the as
trologers wish. for 1t is well to put 1t
off on something that can't answer
back-have reason to be cordially
grateful to the milliners, no matter what
liberties they took with their wares.
Why7 Any woman who lived through
months Of slush and ice can give the
answer. It Is this: They filled their
windows with these gay harbingers
OF spring, and to those who were ice
bound the sight was as an oil stove
blazing with flame in an igloo to Ad-
mirai Peary when he was In search Of
the north pole.
scene to watch those groups Of women
breaking and shifting before the win
dows in which gay sunshades and
brilliant hats were shown to give.
promise that skies must clear ana the
streets must some day be dry. It was
q bit Of Palm Beach and Havana
thrown ON the screen In order that
women might get courage. Many a
melancholy face smiled at the sight
Of mass Of Haunting. frivolous, dar-
ing hats Of flowers, feathers, colored
straw and bright ribbons. They made
q new kind Of rainbow in the sky
and cast their prismatic colors across
dirty piles Of black ice, sooty snow.
and puddles Of melting mud.
It was for all these things that the
public was grateful to the milliners.
Heretofore women have treated with
ridicule the January display Of June
hats. but this winter they regarded
the exhibition a. an entertainment
arranged to keep up their morale. 1t
was vaudeville in the trenches.
This month these gay forerunners
Of a happy day are posing themselves
on human heads instead Of wooden
stands. A virile change has come over
them. Some are like those exhibited
in the winter windows; others are
fashioned In . different way. They
suggest q fuller development Of in
genuity.
License runs riot, however, In spring
hats a. 1t does In spring gowns.
There are no leaders Ia the verdict Of
the designers; therefore the world
finds itself clutching at straws. This
10 good for the public and good for
trade. Paris may prefer the domi-
nance Of Q small set Of women as
through It the dressmakers are put
In q straight and narrow path: they
do not beat the air in vain.
This Is condition Of great interest
because it promises Individual taste;
Il compels q woman to think for her
self; 1t relieves her from slavish ad-
herence to q limited fashion. She can
choose according to her 'ype and So
cial opportunity. She NO longer feels
In the discard II she does not wear
what the shops pronounce as the latest
styles and that which her usighbor
bIinss home from . larger city.
Uncertainty, hesitation and some
anxiety are evident In the new hats.
The milliners have been throwing new
styles into the air In . lavish manner
that suggests the use Of the classic
cornucopias. They have evidently been
beset with anxiety to please. They
want money. We all want money. Yet
We are willing to spend whom We see
what We want.
Il 10 absurd for France ana England
to say that America Is pouring out
money ON frivolities ~ though her
gold mine was ottomless; 1t is absurd
for the reason that women Of London
and Paris have been equally reckless
for year. True, there II more rsa-
SON for thsi1 orgy Of extravagancs a.
peace after pain, surcsass from ter
for. have always resulted In q wild
awing Of the pendulum toward reek-
less gayety and an outpouring Of
money and vitality. 1t - nothing nav
that has cems into the history Of
mankind. It II a. old az heart beat.
It IL natural that the millinera along
with all their apparel colleagues,
should take advantage OF this won
drous chance to sell their wares The
pendulum 10 bound to swing back
again. The psssimists murmurs Let
them be merry, for tomorrow they
Ais." And the optimist VIII answer
backs what matters I'll We have
lsarnsA to catch folly - it dies."
Do not think that thlo world mad.