When you want a really polished look ...

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 16

When you want a really polished look ...

to make a hat has to be imported, and for the South Island that means a trek to Auckland to see what is available at the importers. The hoods arrive looking rather like the hats worn by garden gnomes! These come in straw and felts, some of natural straw and others of manmade ingredients. The hood has then to be shaped on a block and these, too, vary. Sometimes a wonderful de-

signer hat from Paris cannot be reproduced for a special client because the block is not available here. Ailie says sometimes she is lucky enough to find a retiring milliner who will pass on her blocks and also her stocks of ribbons and other treasures gathered over the years. Making a hat is a very time-consuming pastime. Finding the right- colour, shape, and trimming to

suit an individual face for a special occasion needs talent and tact! We have seen television glimpses of the Royals at the races, and both the princesses seem to have favoured straw hats with large brims — even huge can be said of the Duchess of York’s black hat with a large yellow rose in the front to match her yellow silk outfit. The Princess of Wales chose navy and white, a white crown and circles of navy

and white for the brim. Two predominant styles for this year are the extra pretty and the asymetrical shape. Flowers abound, with the rose still a favourite! Whatever you want seems to be in, a single rose, a cluster, or a whole brimful. Roses not just on the brim but also under it, nestled behind an ear, or right at the back to make the backview as good as the front. Milliners’ crinoline is

also in abundance. This is sheer nylon braid that can be sewn together to form hats, and also used with straw to give a delicate edging or inset. For the ultimate in femininity, try a veil! Nothing is more becoming, except possibly candlelight. Natural straws are also much in evidence, providing the perfect foil for the flowers. For a change, the trim can be petersham ribbon with maybe a bow. If a different outfit calls

for a change in colour the petersham is easy to alter. If by chance a drop of rain should fall, the natural straw will survive. Brims are bound on occasion for a different look, and with very large hats a bandeau is used to help keep them on with ease. Hats do make an occasion more special. Given that they are mostly handcrafted it is possible to incorporate fabrics from your dress or suit, and to

create hats to complement outfits. Ailie Miller will tell you her most difficult clients are designers. They always leave things to the last minute and still want perfect creations for their shows and photographs, quite forgetting the hours that go into each hat. So this summer make the most of the trend. Wear a hat for special occasions, for fun, and just to keep the sun off