"A hat is properly worn in church, at luncheons, teas, on trains, ships and airplanes. A hat should always be worn when going into the city or a place of business. A rule of etiquette is that hats are worn and left on at all functions before six o'clock. I cherish this rule. It reflects gentility and good taste, and shows respect for your hostess."
Ruby Carnahan, in How to Make Hats. 1958.
Notice Ruby's first priority in her thinking of places to go?
Notice her lively lifestyle: luncheons, teas, trains, ships, planes, business?
And people say they are too busy to wear a hat!
More from Ruby:
Whatever you do, don't underestimate the importance of a hat. Without a hat, a street costume is incomplete. Without a hat, you miss your full share of beauty.
Isn't that an interesting thought? How many women want to look less beautiful? Do they say in their minds: I could look nicer, or more beautiful, but eh, why should I add to the beauty around me? Let people have less pleasure, I'll just go about my day in grubs.
Ruby had this to say about veils:
Your veil can be full face until 5 PM, but with late day clothes it should never come past the nose. Naturally, an elaborate hat and veil look most elegant on a simple dress- and vice versa.
Wow. Bring on the plain clothes and slap on a full face veil at 8 AM as you head out the door to take on the day! Now there's a world I want to visit.
Ruby knew what was coming for all of us though:
There's nothing like veiling to conceal tiny wrinkles and take years off your age. If you are mature, a veil might mean new glamour for you.
Well, it is just a little after nine AM, and I will be late to a meeting if I don't stop here. Thankfully I guess I can skip applying make up this morning; as a mature woman I think I will heed Ruby's counsel and tuck my tuckered face under a frothy veil, and wear simple slacks and sweater.
(Don't you wish you could be a mouse in the corner to watch all the other women's reaction when I show up in this get up? Oh yeah, this should be great!)
6 comments:
Did you really?
Oh yeah .. . I'd love to see.
I love the little line about the tuckered face. . .so fun.
My only question is, "which of all your veiled hats are you dressing in today?" My guess is either the black one, or maybe the little one. Vintage and all. Dying to know....your daughter
Yes, you must tell us how it goes....I'm quite fascinated to hear all about the reactions. Where do you get your gumption? I'm such a wimp.
Wow! I can't wait to hear if you did and if so, what was the reaction!?
Imagine living in the day where you re-dressed continally through the day: morning clothes, daytime going out clothes, staying at home clothes, after 5 clothes, and so on. That would be fine as long as I had help with the dressing and someone to keep my clothes cleaned and neat. (ha!)
This post made me laugh. :) I love dressing in vintage attire, and sometimes I feel a little self conscious, but whenever I do, I always get comments from people that are very flattering, especially older gentlemen. I think people like to see that look on women...
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