I was amazed to find out that a friend’s grandmother was 83 years old. She didn’t look a day over 60. She spent a lot of time working in her garden in the sunshine, but she always wore a wide-brim hat and long sleeves to protect her skin. I have tried to emulate her, especially since we moved to Arizona. Here’s a tip from 1912 that you can use to dress up plain straw hats and baseball caps.

Make any pretty crocheted insertion long enough to go around your hat. Tack your insertion on to a stiff piece of paper or oilcloth, and paint it over with gold or silver paint. If desired, tints may be added to the paint by using package dyes of different colors, and the result is a very handsome band for trimming.

Attach the band to your hat with a few stitches, add a pin that’s been languishing in your jewelry box, and you’ll be the best-accessorized outdoors-woman in your neighborhood.