A painting, executed about 1850, illustrative of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, with the then Prince of Wales, afterward King Edward VII, shows the Prince wearing a straw Galatea, and any observer of the pictures of that time in the various periodicals such as _The Illustrated London News_ and _Punch_, cannot fail to notice how popular this “Jack Tar” style was among the youthful males. The other department of trimming in the straw trade, that of the “semi-trimmed” hats for ladies, is of comparatively recent origin compared with the boater, for at most it can claim an existence of only thirty to thirty-five years, but the trade has now grown to such large dimensions that any account of the straw hat would be incomplete without it. It commenced, as most things do, in the trade that was done for some years in sailors for ladies. Those in the main were on the same lines as those for men, that is they started with square edge crowns, upright sides at right angle to a perfectly flat brim. Developments of a fanciful nature in the brim formation in the direction of what is known as a “Breton” sailor, of which the characteristic is a slightly turned up edge, were the first to be made, and subsequently crowns of softer outline with overhanging tops attained for some time a great share of fashionable favour. But to-day, with the exception of straw sailors for girls and young ladies at school, there is very little demand for hats of this description. But the trimming, which was nearly a necessity of these hats, had established, in many factories, departments which on the decline of their sale, required fresh openings, and attempts were made on “Alpine” models, then in great vogue for ladies, which proved very successful. This whetted the appetite of manufacturers, and all kinds of “ready to wear” hats for sports were speedily on the market, one thing led to another, and now all manner of shapes, toques, medium size, and picture hats are being trimmed in a manner that from its departure from the early extreme simplicity, seems to trench considerably upon what has always been considered the proper domain of the milliner. Telephone: LUTON 311 Telegrams: INGAB, LUTON C. BAGNI R. G. SQUIRES C. BAGNI & CO. CODES: Schofield’s Marconi’s A.B.C. Private Importers and Exporters of ITALIAN, CHINESE & JAPANESE STRAW PLAITS FOR HAT MANUFACTURE 36 Guildford Street LUTON BEDS. INDEX Arab hats, 5 Argos, 3 Austin, T. G., 12