The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-01
FELT HAT TRIMMINGS

For so long we have seen the sim pie untrimmed little felt hats being worn that now we can rejoice at their sudden interest in fancy and decorative trimmings. Before this outbreak they bedecked themselves bons and bows. But now new spirit has entered their lives and they Haunt all manner of fine feathers and gorgeous flowers. Truly, the in spiration of the designers has been | reborn in the original and striking ways in which they have created fresh ideas from old ones.
 For example, Mercur Ike chapeau has all the beauty C. ne of the Greek helmets worn so long ago and still retains an up- o-date smartness that is charming. The shape of the felt is similar to our much disputed cloche with slightly larger brim, but is fundamentally changed by the sweep of feathers They carry the curve of the crown down and slightly out, ending in blunt points little lower than the rim of the brim.
 A unique touch is the beaded edg- ing of the feathers. This season it is positively indecent for feather to exist in it's natural state; either the edge must be bound with ribbon
 
 orated by means of beads or paint Interesting effects are gained by lin- | ing the feather completely with a silk of contrasting color or by paint ing the under side gold or silver Even felt feathers are used in some sport hats and they have quite a snap and style all their own. Uncanny indeed. must bird with felt plum age appear But then the hats which are covered with great swoops of glossy coque or circles of pheasant make up for any liberties taken with the poor, misrepresented birds.
 Feathers alone give great variety to the more sumptuously trimmed felts, but ribbons run them a close second. On draped, gray felt mush- room there was a huge ribbon flower placed right in front. The draping centered with the flower, making a charming point of interest from which radiated lots of little folds of the soft felt. The brim dropped slightly at the sides and was bound with gray silk.
 distinction from the rows and rows of narrow silver braid overlapping each other around the crown and un- der the brim. The hat was of a startling shade of apple green, so that the tiny bits of color showing
 
 certain brilliance and sparkle which couldn't be obtained in any other way. Still another was pulled out of the range of the ordinary by the use of gleaming metal ribbon. There was a wide band placed tightly around the crown and drawn l through slit in the brim, ending in a soft bow underneath.
 The contrast of strong colors in the way of trimmings also makes for smartness in the new hats. A tiny black felt cloche with brim turned up in front was made bewitching by stiff slanting wing of intense blue dashing across its front.
 Just a touch of inspiration makes | a hat an object to be worn with com plete assurance of achievement. Good taste is always detected by the type of hat a woman wears, and she who knows herself faultless is the one whose hat is the essence of perfect taste.
 Of course a hat must be becoming and picturesque, but it Is so easy to overstep the mark and appear ec- centric or fussy, in trying to be too individual or original. Keep your hat suited to your personality but study that personality well and discard anything not in keeping with the rare quality known as good taste"