HIGH FASHION IS HERE NEW HATS FOR SPRING

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 2

HIGH FASHION IS HERE NEW HATS FOR SPRING

(By

Mollie Mackenzie]

To most women spring means a new hat. It is usually the first real bit of spring, coming before the buds and bulbs have sprouted to gladden the eye, brighten the spirits and lift the jaded winter-time wardrobe.

It must be part of some basic psychology that milliners everywhere study and master, for right now the spring hats are here, different and delightful, giving the seasonal lead.

When I had an unofficial preview recently of the latest millinery collection to be offered by one of the largest fashion houses, I did not need a second glance to be won by their charms. The buyer took me into her sanctum and there, knee deep in boxes holding masses of hats, I went completely hat happy. I was not the only one. As this buyer and I enthused over the contents of one great box, a dress buyer from an adjoining department peeped inNo Escape “So they've arrived!” she said, dipping in her hand and scooping out a cone of white mesh veiling banded with matching white daisies and tiny rose buds. She took it to the mirror and popped it on her delicately pink-tinted hair. The effect was enchanting. She said: "I can’t escape it; it has to be mine.” Her singleness of purpose was admirable. For my money, the choice could - not be narrowed down quite so quickly. In that one box alone about SO hats, each an individual model, had its own appeal. And there were dozens of these boxes. My mind boggled at the investment tied up in all these fripperies of felt, fabric, feathers and flowers. “Beehives” Of the gala variety most suited for cocktail party wear, now, or With suits and frocks later in the season, these first ones were mainly veiling-swathed beehives. Predominantly white, with some pastel pinks, lemons and blues, they had often the ribbon bow motif dotted here and there in the folds (like Princess Margaret’s honeymoon hat) or were encircled with flower bandeaux around the browline. Rifling through layers of tissue paper in another box we discovered more dressy hats, this time in colourful effects with the

Christchurch women no longer need to look longingly at glossy fashion magazines from overseas for a glimpse of glamorous new styles. New Zealand manufacturers have caught up with high fashion and their garments are available here In leading city stores. For the next few weeks illustrated articles on the latest fashions available in Canterbury will appear on this page by Mollie Mackenzie.

floral theme for “wigs,” all of cornflowers, or roses, or Black-Eyed-Susans- Drifts of veiling in various coarse, fine or dotted weaves were wound in countless layers for entire hats, or merely as trimmings. A smooth Oriental style turban in cloth-of-gold brocade had delicately tinted ospreys curved across the front and immediately conjured up the happy picture of the mother of a spring bride. Casual Class Lifting the lid of a third box I glimpsed dozens of beautiful felts in the casual class. A white Garbo style with back-swept brim and high pinched crown is sketched. It has black stitching all over and an emerald satin rose well back at one side. Taupe and white felt in narrow bands from front to back were pressed in concertina folds for a chignonshape crown over a narrow rolled white brim of another. But time was running out on me. The store was due to close. “Come back agrin,” said the buyer, “I’m not displaying these hats till next week and if you can manage a whole day before then, we’ll have time to go through them thoroughly.” f