Spring and Summer Season Hats 1922
In pursuing the ensemble mode to its legitimate completion for the Spring and Summer season hats will fulfill a special mission.
This comes to us from Paris as the conviction of high authority and is reflected in America by those who agree with its principle—the charm of correctly interpreted unity of design.
Contrast will by no means languish—it will merely be brought into the unifying action which builds a cape or coat for a frock and then applies itself to the creating of a hat invisible harmony.
This, in a nutshell, illustrates the conviction of W. J. Valentine, who, in January, joined the staff of the Maison Maurice, 661 Fifth Avenue, as its style director.
Mr. Valentine, recently returned from a two years' residence in Paris, and formerly with Hickson and Gidding, is one of the acknowledged authorities in New York City known for the creation of hats of individuality with a clientele which recognizes this capacity, in somewhat unusual degree, one well known social figure having had hats made by no other designer for eight years.
Restaurant and Evening Hats
The arrival of the longer skirts and more picturesque frocks induces in Mr. Valentine's conception of correct related contours, a firm belief in the large hat of eloquent lines.
The transparent brim will be variously allied with the crepe or taffeta crown, or with the straw crown, or the facing of the brim with fabrics in pastel or intermediate shades of the season's colors.
Ostrich, of long luxurious flues and vaporous fringing, drooping lightly to the shoulder, will be used in these colorings upon the black hat.
Lace and net hats, but of altogether different treatment from the recent Spanish draping, will later be developed from the angle of their proper alliance with the tinted Chantilly and cire lace frocks, the embroidered net and lace mid-Summer effects.
A small restaurant hat is believed by this designer to express a demand which will arise as women returning from the French season will wear them, their vogue in Paris now being in its ascendancy.
In anticipation, there will be developed a transparent toque of most flattering line and textural interest, to be announced later as to its details.
The high glaze, wide brim taffeta hats in which this designer believes will be included in the picturesque afternoon group.
Hats for the Southland
With the immediate demand resolving itself into the cry for the close semi-sports hat, the many crepes approved will be utilized for the four and five-section crown, the down-drooping line at the sides and narrow, upturned front brim.
A charmingly simple example was executed in cerise crepe with tiny cherries and orange blossoms covering the front brim.
A new and debonair practical sports type is made with a felt brim and ribbon crown, the ribbon variously applied in the creation of the crown, with the gypsy sash deeply fringed and dropping to the shoulder line. Another example shows a taffeta brim gathered upon large cords with a felt crown.
An interwoven felt and straw will constitute a feature for the Summer season. For this group, Shredded Wheat straw will be utilized for dynamic, youthful shapes.
Cire finish ribbon of very soft texture is utilized for very adorable hats of medium size, of smooth brim lines slightly rolling upward at the right side.
With the ribbon folded dexterously into overlapping forms a crown of crisp contour, it is formed with the deeply fringed edges drooping over the brim-line, a fringed gypsy scarf completing it.
Straw faille of shiny surface is an exciting novelty which will be used for both large and small shapes.
A fabric straw, which Mr. Valentine calls Candy Straw because of its similarity to the glazed ribbon candies, will be utilized for demi-saison toques and turbans in town, for Pullman travel, and for resort wear.
These tuques are already shown in the new oval turban with a smoothly covered crown and the French season's swathing, which end in loops. This fabric is flexible and lends itself perfectly to such manipulations, as well as flat brim usage.
Lacquered effects for sports, semi sports and town wear, will be a feature of this collection, in hats both medium and large. Sewed braids will, however, be almost eliminated, the new woven effects and fabric manipulations achieving the initial success.
Colors
The general tendency to promote high colors for sportswear will be augmented here by a marked interest in pastel and intermediate shades as well. Yellow, Mr. Valentine believes, will be in high demand owing to the new development in the range of hues, but will turn his attention to lemon yellow, unglazed effects, both in woven straws and in taffetas.
Noisette, the "toast shades," from deep cream to seal, mignonette green, periwinkle, primrose and the clear reds, black, white and black with white, are under extraordinary development.
Brilliant birds are on the program for both Southland and town wear hats. They will be used with a different chic as a brim development. For mid-Summer, the all-white bird on the all-white hat will find a place. At the same time, no interest in wings, either as fancies or in natural effects, is manifested.
The introduction of color upon cloche and poke shapes will be achieved by way of a series of strikingly decorative rosettes. These will be executed in bright ribbons, floral and fruit motifs, novelty ostrich treatments, and much unique straw devising.
“The Milliner’s Hour: W. J. Valentine Defines His Color Line and Fabric Creed,” in The American Cloak and Suit Review: Devoted to the Women’s and Children’s Ready-to-Wear Trades, New York: John M. O’Connor & Co., Vol. XXIII, No. 2, February 1922, p. 142.
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