THE HAT PARADE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 339, 21 January 1937, Page 2

THE HAT PARADE.

PARIS CREATIONS. Revival Of Beauties Of Former Days. London, December 28. The Paris hat shop of to-day is like the prints showing the beauties of Marie Antoinette’s day submitting to every inconvenience in order to have the newest creation. At the big designers there is a row of littie Salons, to saunter from one to the other of which is a lesson in psychology- Of furniture to-day there is hone, beyond the first principles of chairs or tabourets and mirrors—mirrors everywhere. Against the polished floor dark blue chair Cushldtis look distinctive. Otherwise there is nothing but a hat or two dr perhaps a pile which has been laid aside by a mannequin called upon to display them to a customer.

Living Dummies. Mannequins, unlike other human beings, can wear all hats. This is because their hair and their faces are so treated that they have become standardised. The only difference between them and, say, a dummy is that they can move. Madame, who is probably also treated, but with less standardisation, secs hats suiting the mannequin to perfection, and while she is much too clever to believe that the same thing will happen _tp. herself, yet she is encouraged. Also she knows that a too long nose or too many eyebrows or lints on the forehead wMI be dealt with by the milliner. When a style is chosen, discussed at length, and, usually, the colours and: the lines departed from, the business begins. A canvas is fitted to the head, and it does not matter what happens to htad and hair during a process of such sanctity. The milliner’s fingers feel their way; they press a little here, pinch a little there, add a little height here, take away a fraction of an inch there. Pins and scissors do their work — subtract, add, multiply. The basic principles of the hat are thus established. Upon this sure foundation the milliner builds or housebreaks. Passive Impatience. There is another trying on, fer which at the fashionable houses the

customer may have to wait in an overheated salon while other customers pursue their way, regardless of their sisters. It is of no use being impatient. The process is like a delicate operation during which the customer will only injure herself by being anything but passive. When she has reached the extreme of impatience and ill-will the milliner comes, bends over her beatifically, gives her the feeling that she has only been waiting for this moment, produces the creation in its newest phase, places it pontifically on her head, and then stands back as if in ecstasy at the effect. The customer is moved; she relaxes; she forgives; she makes a suggestion which is treated as an inspiration, even if it has not .much effect. The blue chairs, the shining parquet floor, the long mirrors, the hosts of other impatient customers seem to stand still for a moment, during which the perfect hat has been born.