AUTUMN HATS ON SHOW IN LONDON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 54, 18 February 1949, Page 3

AUTUMN HATS ON SHOW IN LONDON

A novel, two-in-one hat, saucy Dutch bonnet and demure Victorian poke—was a feature of the collection shown by the Millinery Information Centre in London recently, according to the N.Z. Wool Board news service. By a simple adjustment of the ribbon trimmings, this stylish all-weather wool felt can be worn with the sides of the brim worn up on bright, calm days, or turned down and tied snugly under the chin in windy weather. And all this can be brought in England for 15/- to 20/- retail! Mr James Layer, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the Victoria and Albert Museum and one of the greatest living experts on the history of costume, introduced this interesting display of autumn millinery in a lively speech, illustrated by lightening crayon sketches. He traced the evolution of women’s hats from their first appearance in the time of Elizabeth, when they replaced the earlier headdresses, to the present day, and pointed out some of the main influences on fashion trends. Models Mainly Small The hats shown in the collection were mainly small. Most of them were off-the-face models, some with a sideways movement. There were a number of bonnet shapes, and berets in various forms. It was noticeable that the hats were either cut short at the back or fitted closely to the head, to accommodate the new upstanding coat collars. As the models shown were for autumn and winter, felt was, of course, the prevailing material. Velvet was used for much of the trimming, and veiling seems to have lost none of its popularity. Browns and beiges were the most general colours, although many of the hats shown are obtainable in a variety of colours. None of the hats was made especially for the disr play; all were examples of those obtainable in the shops. The prices, which ranged from under 15A to 4 guineas, were announced as the hats were shown.