THE THEATRE HAT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8351, 24 June 1905, Page 4

THE THEATRE HAT.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Yeaim ago, wlien the dominating influence of the theatre, or raatinee, hat was out of its infancy— had attained an abnormal 6ize, in fact — " Punch. " depicted an irate gentleman immediately behind a lady who blocked his view of, say, a "Gaiety Six." /"Madam," said the sufferer, " I paid half a guinea for toy seat, and I want to see." "Sir," replied the owner of the chapeau, " I paid five guineas for my hat, and I want it to be seen." At the " wild West's show," the other night, I cordially thanked a couple of ladies not actually in front of me for their courtesy in showing how tastefully they had done their hair. But their friend whose bead-gear bobbed between me and the most attractive features of the entertainment, the pretty Brescian ladies, and the sweet damsels en neglige who poured water on the troubled " Bobbies " and their capture, the lady in the seat in front evidently had some strong reasons for keeping her head covered. She may have been bald at the top, I know not. If so", I apologise for this letter. I once sat patiently during one act at the theatre while a mild-looking gentleman impeded my view of the stage. When the curtain again rose I asked him to kindly remove his hat. He did so without a murmur. I regretted to find that a somewhat monk-like baldness gave his head a very comical look. He may have feared to distract my attention from the play. To return to the theatre hat. Two gentlemen near me mada sympathising remarks, and occasionally asked if I could <see well. I was enabled to state that, at the cost of some neck-straining, I was doing &c well as could be expected. Judging by the space given to fashion at race meet-

ings, newspaper readers will probably bo desirous of knowing a little about the hat that bossed the lady. It was of white woolly material, with crown something of the beef-eater type, planted in a fult-eared saucer of the same material, with black velvet trimmings round the saucer ed^e and as a band on the W.S.W. side — when it was still — was an erection of large black silk ribbon unravelled at the edges, and eminently suitable for mixing itself with scenic effects. My neighbours were unable to determine the colour of the reunited imitation of a flower which occupied a large space in 'the saucer on the W.N.W. side. One styled it mauve, and the other ventured, on purple. If you are a theatre-goer, I hope that my poor description will enable you to spot, and avoid, the hat I have immortalised. — I am, etc., ' J.H.N.

Christchurch, June 23