HATS

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 5

HATS

MAN'S INDIFFERENCE Man’s indifference to the type of hat he wears was a subject discussed at tho first annua! luncheon of the Hatters’ Association in London. Mr Frank Battersby, in proposing the toast “ Next Season’s Styles,” said that style sold hats. Style was bound up with correctness. With a display of examples of hats ho explained the correct styles for different occasions. For formal evening wear he pointed to the opera bat as correct, because it was most suitable and practical to the theatre, club, and cloakroom arrangements. The.silk hat, he added, was not incorrect, but it was not such a practical hat for wear with. “ tails.” For informal evening wear ho referred to the black homburg with bound brim. Some men, he said, wore the black snap brim with a dinner jacket, but it was sloppy and incorrect. For formal morning wear, with full morning clothes, he pointed to the silk hat, and to the black bowler hat to be worn with short black jacket. For business wear he suggested the bowler hat or the bound brim homburg in dark shades. The snap brim, he emphasised, was not correct. For informal town wear he pointed to the navy or dark homburg or snap brim soft felt, and for general country wear the green “ pork pie ” shape, which blended with country surroundings. He said they saw many things on the top of plus-fours, but for golf wear with plus-fours the cap was the only correct style. Tho main difference between styles for town and country was that for the town the shape should be formal and the colour subdued, while for tho country men could be as wild in pattern and colour as they liked. The boater and panama were the correct hats for summer weather. Mr Austin Reed, who replied, said it was important that they should, create in the public mind a real hat consciousness. There should he a larger number of hats worn and a right hat for every occasion.