34 - Sunday, April 12, 1992 - North Shore News Carol Crenna FASHION STATEMENTS “IN YOUR Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, you'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade,’’ goes the song from the 1948 movie of the same name. Actress Judy Garland donned one of the most elaborate hats to stroll in the Easter procession on Fred Astaire’s arm. Thoughts still turn to a new hat at Easter for some women. And every spring the streets are brimm- ing with ladylike hats inspired by movie starlets of an earlier era. Since ’40s styles have returned to the fashion spotlight, hats and other feminine accents are making a comeback and are once again a vital addition to many closets — 4&4 Hats and other feminine accents are making a comeback and are once again a vital ‘addition to many closets — even if you sometimes have to invent occasions to wear them. 9F even if you sometimes have to in- vent occasions to wear them. Unfortunately, hats lost their appeal a few decades ago when they were seen as symbols of submissiveness. Along with neat white gloves and panty girdles, the appreciation of hats diminished. In the °90s things are loosening up, however, and frivolity is back in style. A hat is now seen as an acces- sory which can dress up the most sophisticated business suit one day and be tossed on with jeans and casuals the next. Top fashion leaders have been enthusiastically promoting hats in collections, and models parade down runways in hats with as much show as any Easter proces- sion. Matching millinery is featured with most outfits, even in the same fabric as the entire ensemble. This constant focus on head wear is making attitudes change. And men and women, especially in certain fashion circles, are mak- ing hats an essential part of their wardrobes. Spring hats are traditional HATS CAN be seen in many varieties of shapes and styles, but be sure your hat sults you and your outfit. The best dressed heads may agree that at times only a ‘‘genu- ine’’ ladies’ hat will do, and that is the major focus for head wear in 1992. Fedoras, driving caps, top hats and panamas have their place, but the chicest chapeaux this season are flirtatious and ladylike. Spring’s hat pack goes soft and feminine. Generously full-blown hats with lots of detail and smart compact shapes with just a touch of fuss are now made for today’s romantic heroines. Designed for gazebo rendezvous and boating trips through ponds of Monet water lilies, Victorian hats are back in style. Eliza Doolittle broadbrims with softly falling brims and other hats from the movie My Fair Lady are shown including stiff platters, pic- ture hats and mesh skimmers. Shapely straws and wicker are woven intc wonderfully romantic styles with handmade floral blooms, bows and simple gov- erness ribbon. School-girl straw hats with bows reminiscent of those worn by Leslie Caron in ‘the movie Gigi also have returned to fashion. Classic °40s cloches with round crowns are top. looks in head wear. Small retro hats with rolled brims, called Bretton hats, may have brims turned up high at the front off the face. The reverse is also in fashion, where the brims are pulled down over the face and ~* around the head, much like a small lampshade. . Lavish hats include Edwardian styles in soft, rich fabrics «und Complete, don’t compete with, IF YOU are not used to wearing a hat, there are just a couple of basic rules to keep in mind so that you look totally at home in your head wear. eKeep your seasonal styles straight; © pull hair into an. appropriate wearing style; ® choose a size and shape that is flattering to your figure and features; : emake sure you have got your hat on correctly. You can’t just wear any hat with any outfit. Your hat should complete your outfit, not compete with it. For example, trying to mix winter fabrics with summer ones will not work. Felt is oniy worn in fall and winter. Straw is only worn in spring and summer. And fabric hats can be worn all year in climates such as ours. Remember that your coat will be seen by most people with your hat in the spring, so it should also coordinate with your hat. For in- stance, a leather jacket with a straw hat, though they both may be spring garments, do not balance each other. And a heavy sweater worn with a light canvas hat also looks out of place. Your hair style should also suit your hat style. A short hair style car:wear almost any hat, depen- ding on its fullness, particularly in the back. Long hair often looks best when it is pulled back into a sleeker look for a small hat, perhaps in a braid or ponytail. Larger hats can have hair fall- ing loosely, but is should be kept well out of the face. But a full mane of hair poking out beneath will overwhelm any size hat. Bangs should be tucked and hidden for hat styles which come . down low on the forehead. The way ycu wear your hat makes a difference. If your hat is tilted backwards off your face, it will create a youthful, more casual! look. A hat tilted at a rakish angle covering your forehead or even an eye will sophistication. Hats which sit flat on your head look smart and sporty, adding a stylish confidence to your manner. Ask your milliner or a sales clerk which way the hat you have chosen looks best. Also ask where the front is. Everyone, whether short, tall, smali or large, can wear a hat. There is an appropriate style and size to flatter every woman. A large hat with wide brim and add mystery and - Mary Queen of Scots hats wit lots of regal accents. More casual Top it off Sane this