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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 21, 1993                   TAG: 9303190363
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 18   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHLEEN WILSON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

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TOP IT ALL OFF

From old-fashion flowers spun of fine French ribbon to jeweled sticks that make your great hair look even better, if you must gild the lily then do it with this season's ultra-feminine accessories.

And when you want to look your best, there's no better place to start than right at the top.

You don't have to be the Princess of Wales or Hillary Rodham Clinton to look great in a hat. And the days you could claim you'd just look like Bella Abzug in one are long gone.

From trendy glitzy rhinestoned baseball caps in outrageous colors to the crocheted skull caps Ali McGraw made all the rage in "Love Story," there's a hat out there for everyone.

You'll find wide-brimmed straw hats with lace, silk organza, and a whole garden party of silk and paper flowers.

The best thing about today's hat is the high quality. You'll be buying a future heirloom. And when you're not wearing it, toss it on a shelf or a table and have it do double-duty accessorizing your home.

Surely you'll need an Easter bonnet. Or something wild to wear to the symphony polo cup. Shop early and get the best selections.

They run the gamut of prices. (Some may have you wanting to do the Minnie Pearl thing and let the designer label and price tag dangle for all to see!)

But you can think of a hat as an investment if you figure out the number of times it'll rescue you from springtime bad hair days.

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