THE PRICE OF A HAT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10574, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PRICE OF A HAT.

Mrs T. P. O'Connor, who has been visiting America, writes: — "Apparently from the New York shop windows, every woman m the United States is going to wear ostrich feathers on her hat. There is every range of color, snowy white-pre-dominating, and every quality and every price — and all the hats from Paris are trimmed m ostrich plunie6. They stand up at the side m bunches, they hang down m the back, they curve over the ears, they slant forward, or sideways, or backwards — but they are there. Flowers, wings, aigrettes, are nowhere visible; it is an ostrich feather season, and the prices for imported hate are positively prohibitive. A friend desired niy company m the choosing of a hat. She bought a very pale French grey felt, a charming shape, with- a round crown and brim turned up just at the right angle, lt was trimmed m a twist of black velvet fastened by a large plain uncut steel buckle ; the brim was . also lined m black velvet, and two fine white ostrich feathers were posed at the side of the brim, becomingly resting on the hair. Prioe, 45 dollar - i -£9 ! Accustom, ed as I am to Paris prices, this sum shocked me. My friend then and there (for America is oiob a great Country for credit) smilingly paid the biU, and the hat was sent liome. As she is not rich, I ventured to ask if she did not think it rather dear, whereupon, as a well-dressed woman and (she says) a good manager, she delivered me a homily. 'It isn't cheap,' she said,, 'but it's exactly what I want — that's the main thingi It is my one hat for the winter, for theatres, teas and receptions. It can. be worn with any Costume. It is chic, but modest,, and note, I bought it at the second sliop we entered. We have, given- just 30 minutes to choosing my headgear at leasb, we have -saved time, and, my dear you and all Englishwomen spend too much money on little things, and you have too many clothes, and you don't wear what you have. So you are not a well-dressed nation.' She was too polite to say, 'You are not a well-dressed woman,' but I gathered that was what she meant. I took my lecture meekly, but made one mental reservation— never to pay £9 for a hat."