Evening star., 1933-03-12
BY JEANNE VIVET.

TINE hat is the most important
feature Of the costume. 1t gives
character, Zest, and individuality
L to the entire ensemble. Rightly
chosen, it can transform the
most ordinary costume: wrongly chosen,
1t can ruin the smartest frock or coat.
Do you feel gay and debonair? There
Is hat to give just that note to your
costume. Do you feel dignifed and
impressive? It's easy to create that air
by the proper choice OF hat I would
revise the old saying to read, Il care
not who makes your costumes, If I
can make your hats For with hat,
can change not only the entire en-
semble, but the whole personality as
well.
That is why, to me, it is much more
interesting to be modiste, to create
hats. than to be a couturier and create
gowns. For the hat maker can en-
hance or ruin the effect of the smartest
frock.
A hat is a little thing twist of
velvet, a mere handful of straw. Draped
this way, it becomes bright, spontane-
Gus; draped that, it takes on a fitting,
roguish character. Often I have no
idea, when I take piece of felt or
satin into my hands, what 1t is to be.
1t is to be hat. But what is it to
express? What part is it to play in the
costume? Perhaps I take my inspira-
ton from the mannequin who is posing
for me. This morning, she seems sad,
pensive, so the hat takes on her mood
1t becomes sober little hat, with an
infinite grace. Or suppose this morn
ing, she is full of life and happiness.
Perhaps she makes droll remark, as I
pin and clip the felt. For me she
personif1es the warm, fragrant SPRING
time, and before know it, I have
added little bow, or a provocative
own eyes.
1T may be that I take a little vacation
L at the seaside Like so many
Parisians, like to drop everything and
run away for few days to Brittany
or Normandy. There l spend hours
wandering along the beach, or I watch
the men coming in from the sea. It
may be- catch sight of young sailor,
who has set his hat on his head at a
delightful angle. I visualize the same
hat set at tantaliIng tilt on the
head of a young girl. And the moment
am back in my work rooms, I set to
work to create the canotier that my
visit suggested
Or some late afternoon, I may be
walking along the streets of the Left
Bank OF Paris. 1t is just at the hour
when the students of the lycees are
pouring out of the buildings Here
comes young medical student, with
his velvet beret decked with gay rib
bons. He has the eyes of the dark
mannequin in my atelier. Next morn
ing she poses while I twist and drape
piece of velvet on her head, twining
through it band of contrasting velvet,
and tying 1t in chic bow. Often,
the mannequin enters into the little
drama of creating. She may not like
the way the fabric drapes above her
eyes, or she may suddenly have sug-
gestion of her own. We discuss the
problem, often most vivaciously We
argue. Perhaps don't like her idea.
but I'm willing to be convinced. For
know that creation grows out of every
sort of thing One can't close ones
ears or eyes If one is to create. Not If
one IS to create successfully. For crea-
ton implies a host of ideas pouring
into ones brain all the time. Some of
them will be good, some bad, but ideas
there must be.
II WISH that women would not limit
= themselves to one or two hats in q
season. Every woman should have
dozens Of hats-there ought to be a
hat for every mood OF course, you
will agree that each ensemble demands
Its own hat, but you need . hat for
every whim, every change Of feeling.
6ometimes you are full Of youth and
Gayety. Other times you feel severe