The Illustrated London News presented him replete with a tall, round Puritan hat, his flamboyance signalled by an ostrich feather.

ECONOMIST: Garibaldi

It was Major General Nathaniel Coles' hat that made the boldest statement: a beaverskin chapeau de bras, with a black silk grosgrain ribbon cockade, gilt-metal eagle pin and 20-inch ostrich feather plume.

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Elsewhere, and as always at Oscar, the proof is in the details: Stunning were a silver lame mousseline caviar beaded fringe gown, a black chantilly lace threadwork and ostrich feather embroidered gown, and yellow silk faille silver bullion floral- and bead-embroidered gown.

FORBES: Oscar de la Renta Got The Memo About Emerald

But Stein's book is fascinating (who knew there was an ostrich-feather bubble?) as well as prescient (over-reliance on credit, neglecting to diversify your assets, the belief that a commodity will never, ever lose value--sounds vaguely familiar).

FORBES: Magazine Article