CHOOSING A BECOMING HAT DURING THE MODEL A ERA by Marie Robinette
The chief requisite of a hat is that it is attractive. Some people find it very easy to select an attractive hat; others hunt for one in vain. Many people do not wear the hat most suited to their coloring, their clothes, or the shape of their heads and features. Good Taste It was of the Model A Era’s opinion that “good taste” or a sense of what is attractive in clothes and hats is inborn, those who lack this desirable faculty have no alternative but to do the best they can and to depend on the arbitrary advice of others. Perhaps the majority of people belong to the second class, but it is comforting to know that it is possible to encourage one’s awareness of beauty in form and color by study, observation, and the knowledge of a few simple rules that generally hold good. “Good taste” thus becomes an acquired trait.
The Cause of Bad Taste When we look around we see all our lives mediocre or poor taste rather than beauty in architecture, household furnishings, wallpapers, and carpets, it is a small wonder that we often choose incorrectly when it comes to our clothes. We think of the clothes themselves and forget that they should chiefly be background for ourselves. We must understand, for instance, that a mere change in the line of a collar will change the whole appearance of a face. The Duty of Women to be Beautiful As written in the “Millinery by Charlotte Rankin Aiken, B.A.”, it is the duty of every woman to attire herself as charmingly as possible, for the pleasure of her friends and all who come in contact with her as well as to aid her advancement in any calling. It is hard not be self-conscious when unsuitably dressed. It is embarrassing to feel either that clothes are not becoming or that the costume selected is inappropriate for the occasion.
Importance of a Hat in a Costume One harsh note in an outfit will spoil the effect of the whole, and frequently this unfriendly note is the hat. By paying a high price one can usually secure an attractive hat, but there are many people who do not wish to pay a high price and yet want an acceptable article. It takes more skill to make a good choice in an inexpensive hat because the designers and the milliners who made these hats were not high-class workers and the materials for these hats were not made of the finest quality materials. Materials count less in millinery than style. A lady will usually care less about the hat’s wearing qualities than about its style and being attractive. These are the chief
requisite in her mind, no matter whether she admits it or not, though most women do admit it quite freely.
Line and Color in Millinery Good lines and the right choice of color or of color combinations may seem to be matters of accident, and one time in a hundred they may be, but the other ninety-nine times they are the result of careful study and observations. Style in Millinery Style is an important element in millinery, but that alone should not decide the choice of a hat. The argument for style, though a good one, should not be the chief or only one, for there are many stylish hats and it is quite possible to choose one that is becoming as well as stylish. Styles change very rapidly in the Millinery Department of a store.
Extreme and Conservative Styles If a lady intends to have a number of hats, she can afford to purchase one that is rather extreme in style because she will have several changes. To be very stylish, a hat must be a rather distinctive, but one quickly tires of something that is rather extreme unless she has something else to change to.
What Constitutes a Suitable Hat? To be suitable, the hat must go well with the suite or dresses to be worn with it and a distinction must be made as to its purpose, where it is to be used for street, afternoon, or evening wear, or for a combination of these.
Suiting the Age of the Woman Another important consideration in choosing a suitable hat is the wearer’s age. Have you sometimes seen young girls wearing hats far too old for them, or an older woman made almost ridiculous by one too frivolous for her, one that tends to accentuate her age by contrast with its own youthfulness or appearance? Suiting a hat to a person’s age requires knowledge of color, of line and of form. Actively Becoming Hats One very well-dressed woman remarked, “I never buy anything because it is becoming. It must be actively becoming. I must look better in it than without it. It must add to my appearance.” Are any of your clothes of this nature that they make you seem even better looking than you are, that is, subdue your mediocre points and bring out the good ones? A good test question to ask yourself when you are trying on clothing or hat: “Is this actively becoming?” No two faces are alike, any more than two personalities. Every woman wants a hat that is individual. The Most Important Elements in Choosing a Hat Color and form are the most important elements to consider when choosing an attractive hat. While the quality of the materials, their softness and gloss, influence the appearance of a hat a great deal, these are not as essential as being attractive in color and form. Color is the foremost of these two elements for most people, because it is only a matter of constant eye-training.
Make Your Own Hat Now you are probably ready to try your hand at making your own hat. This is an easy pattern to try with store bought felt purchased by the yard. Two-Toned Felt Hat You will need: 3/8 yd of a lighter tone and ¼ yd of the darker. Suggested colors are two tones of tan or grey and blue as a combination. The cutting chart below gives all dimensions of the hat. The center crown is cut in a perfect circle 7” in diameter of the darker tone of felt. The side crown is made of 3 sections of the light material and 2 of the
dark, each section cut 6” wide and 7” deep. The brim is of the light felt cut 3 ½” wide and 27” long, one end slashed diagonally, the other slit so that the diagonal end may be slipped through it. These dimensions are for a 22” head size. They may easily be altered to fit a head that is larger or smaller. Join the side sections of the crown as at A. Pin side crown to center arranging the slight fullness evenly. Hold this fullness in as you sew the side crown to the center as at B. Then turn crown to right side and join brim to it as at C holding the brim portion slightly full as you sew. Arrange creases in crown and tack them invisibly. Add jewel pin if desired.
If it does not work the first time, try again. Felt is not expensive and very easy to work with. Next, show off your new hat at your next Model A function. Everyone will be asking where you found such a great hat.