Ruth Mary Packard writing in the Ladies Home Journal in March, 1956 gives important advice for spring hats, purses, shoes, jewelry and gloves...what every well-dressed woman needs to know.

"Your hat has more size...let it enhance but not overwhelm you..it must be scaled to your features as well as your figure. The shape is important...be sure it is becoming. Leghorn is the straw of the season, in natural, black and pastel colors."

 "A shower of yellow flowers on a small pale yellow straw hat by John Frederics for a yellow tweed suit by William Popper, or for neutral costumes."
"Pongee-beige pumps (one in calfskin, one in suede with calfskin tips) matching Nettie Rosenstein's top-handle envelope. Bangle bracelets pick up the color of the calfskin pump at right."
"The leaf hat in blue by John Frederics, with a wearable, medium-sized brim, worn with a linen-weave silk dress by Mollie Parmis."


"A patent-leather slipper edged with white goes with a linen bag with bamboo frame. Sunburst jewel by Frederic Mosell, is a pin for many occasions, for a dress or a suit." 
"The charm of pale beige, gold and light bright red in spectator pumps that are right for all wools and tweedy mixtures, a slim ladyfinger of a bag in bright red strawcloth by Morris Moscowitz, a new shape to carry with suits."
"The hat of the year, the shape that sets a trend - in natural Milan draped with silk polka-dotribbon, by Aldolfo. The bag is strawcloth by Coblentz; the dress is a simple silk shantung by Jerry Parnis, quiet accompaniment for the excitement of the hat."
"Pale yellow combines beautifully with cocoa, browns, coral reds. Here are a shell-trimmed cotton-tweed bag, long slender pigskin gloves, a grained-leather spectator and a calfskin toe-strap slipper - all for town wools and tweeds."