Here is a little research project I've been working on lately. Although I don't get to attend 18th century events as much as I would like to, the time period is never from from my mind. I like keep up to date as best I can on what's happening in the reenacting world, the trending research, new sources etc. There is always something new to learn.
Lately I've been looking at 18th century hats, in particular those covered with feathers. Why I'm drawn to these I'm not entirely sure. Whether something like these would be appropriate for my typical living history portrayal remains to be seen and more research is certainly needed. My guess is that for a British camp follower in the years covering the 1750s to 1770s a fine feathered hat would be very unlikely. As an up middle class resident of say, Boston, they are a possibility. But as I said more research is needed. I have been researching in the historic newspapers without much luck as of yet. However, in the world of historic costuming and fancy dress events, pretty much anything goes. :)
Here are a few examples of feathered hats in period art.
And here are some serving hats in museum collections. All are dated to about the same time as the artwork above, 1750-1770 and are very similar looking. They are all around the same size too, approximately 13" to 14".
A round hat with a shallow crown and wide brim decorated with cock and
guineafowl feathers in natural colours and dyed blue, yellow, red and
green. The feathers are stitched to a linen ground which is lined with
blue taffeta. 1750-1770 (made) V&A T.90
-2003
Woman's feather hat (bergère) English or French, 1750–75. Round disk-like hat with crown only slightly elevated, foundation of linen completely covered with polychrome feathers; lined with pale pink taffeta, one pale pink silk ribbon. MFA 43.1832
Here are two more images of the same hat from the MFA. I find it interesting that you can see the edge of the straw base as well as the stitching on the underside. Zoom in for a closer look.
Although this next hat is a little different, only the brim is covered in feathers, it gives me hope for wearing a feather covered hat for living history events. The description says it was made in France but it's place of use was Boston.
Making a similar hat I believe would be very doable, though time consuming. I have a plain straw hat with a very low crown that could be used as a base and colored feather can be purchased at several places like Joanns. I also have left over silk taffeta to line the underside of the hat. Would I glue the feathers or stitch them in place? I'm not sure yet, likely I'll stitch them, but if I do attempt a crazy project like this you can be sure to read about it here. :)
If anyone knows of other examples, in art or surviving originals, I would love to see them.
Hello everyone! Today I want to share a quick and easy way to refresh vintage hats, or fascinators, that have been badly stored and are in need to new life. Be sure to look through all the photos and to check out the accompanying video at the end of this post. (Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.)
Lately I have been going through my vintage sewing and clothing items in an effort to de-stash. While sorting hats these pieces surfaced and I knew I finally needed to do something with them. I've had these vintage hats/facinators in my collection for several years now. They came to me along with some much nicer hats and had been badly stored by the former owner. I've never had much interest in late 1950s or 1960s fashions and because of their poor condition I really didn't know what to do with them. They were too pretty to toss so these sad little things have sat in a hat box unloved for the last couple of years. Until now!
Here are a few pictures of the hats before and after steaming. As you can see they were badly crushed and rather sad looking. These hats are all made from netting and have chiffon flowers and velvet leaves attached to the top, or in the case of the pink one, little velvet ribbons. So cute!
So, what will you need for this hat refresh tutorial?
Supplies
- Vintage hat/veil
- Hat form or tailor's ham
- Iron with LOTS of steam OR a hand held steamer if you have one
- Straight pins (optional)
A few things to keep in mind as you work. STEAM IS HOT!!! I know that
seems obvious, but please be careful! DO NOT touch or press your hot
iron directly on the netting or flowers of your hat. The heat could melt
or otherwise damage your item. Hold your iron several inches ABOVE the
hat and LET THE STEAM DO THE WORK. :)
I practiced this method on the
pink net facinator first as a test as it was the most damaged of the
hats. I wasn't worried about ruining it. Your iron should be set on a middle to high steam setting. Let your iron
heat up while your are placing the hat on your form.
If you don't have a hat form or hat block, a tailor's ham with work just fine
For this tutorial I used a hat form but you can also use a tailor's ham. Start by placing your hat over the form of your choice. Using your fingers, GENTLY pull/stretch the lace/letting. Do not pull too hard because you could cause the material to break.
TIP - To keep your hat from sliding around while you work place a couple straight to help hold it to your form.
Next, hold your iron several inches ABOVE your hat. Gently move the iron back and forth for a few seconds at a time to help the steam work its way into the flower petals and over the lace/letting. Let the steam to the work to relax the material and help fluff up the flower petals. It make take a few minutes so be patient.
If needed, use your fingers to lift up the flower petals then steam again. (DO NOT try and hold the petals with your fingers while steaming or you will get burned!!) Fluff, then steam. Save your fingers! :)
The flowers of the beige hat you see me working on in the video were really flat when I started. I found that several seconds of steam then using my fingers to lift up the petals followed by more steam worked well.
You may also find it helpful to tip your hat form as you work so the steam can really get under the flowers and around the netting.
That's it! What do you think? If you use this tutorial please let me know how it worked for you!
My apologies, the video is a little fuzzy at times. I think it's due
to the lighting in my sewing room. I should note too, the video cut stops a
little abruptly at the end because my camera decided to shut off. Silly
thing. :p
It's been a long time since my last Great Hair Fridays post! Today I want to share with you all some images from an awesome little booklet I own. This Fashion Do's and Dont's for Head and Face booklet by Colette is from 1943 and has 48 pages designed to help you look your best!
If you enjoy vintage fashion from the
1940's you'll find these images really useful. The
graphics are absolutely priceless. On the surface, this
book in 1943 was to help a any woman achieve beauty through choosing
the right make-up, hats, glasses, accessories, etc. suited
to her type. Today this little book is a treasure-trove and reveals the
fantastic LOOK of the 1940’s with lots of cool illustrations.
This book covers ALL the possible physical features
and "flaws" one could have and what to do with them. On my list of projects for waaaaay down the road, I'd like to reproduce this booklet so other can enjoy it in its entirety!
Pillbox hats and veils, what could be prettier? I came across the newspaper clipping below while doing some other research and luckily thought to save it. It's good that I did because I also found pictures that are almost a match to the hats described. Opportunity for a blog post? You bet!
Chiffon Veils Are Now Worn Harem Fashion This Type Tucks in At Top of Pillbox, Flows Around Front. By Alma Cunningham. There are so many distinguishing bits of femininity on the fashion horizon this season that a woman can be different and beautiful in her own way without even trying.
Take veils, for instance. They aren't news any longer, but their infinite variety offers a lot to the imagination. With a green and purple turban, say, you might wear a veil in flesh color to match your complexion, even to the rosy tints of the cheeks, and eye shadow.
A little newer than net or lace veils are the chiffon veils worn harem fashion. Thus type of veil is tucked in the top of a pillbox, flows down the back to the shoulders and comes around the front to cross and float back again. Incidentally, it covers up the back hair entirely, whether it's up or down. Can you imagine anything lovelier than a purple hat with a fuchsia chiffon veil?
I'd like to think that Mrs. Cunningham had a hat like this in mind when she wrote her article.
I'd like to think Mrs. Cunningham had a hat like this in mind when she wrote her article. Image source - Ebay
Not really a pill box hat but it certainly is striking! - Can't remember the source, most likely http://myvintagevogue.com/
Make your own pillbox hat using this tutorial from Tuppence Ha'penny. Make it into the harem fashion described above by adding your own chiffon veil.I would love to see pictures if you do!
Although this image is from 1962, it's another great example of a pink pillbox hat and veil.
Bodemeister, one of the favorites for the 2012 Kentucky Derby
Tomorrow is the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby
at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. That means for those lucky enough
to attend the Derby or for those going to a Derby party, it's time to
break out your best race day attire! Hats, hats, hats!
A Google image search for
Kentucky Derby hats and race day fashions turned up some really fabulous
hats. (And some absolutely ridiculous ones.) It seems the trend today is
to have the biggest, flashiest hat possible! Flowers and feathers and
bows, oh my! Don't get me wrong, I love good Gainsborough style hat. But a few I saw were just, wow, over the top. They screamed "look at me!" Of course, hat of all sorts have pretty much always been a part of the Derby fun and are as much a tradition as mint julep and the song, My Old Kentucky Home.
Are you planning on wearing a smaller hat, but are unsure of how to wear your hair? Take a look at this quick 1940s hair and hat tutorial posted today by Brittany of Va-Voom Vintage. Brittany offers a couple different hair tutorials. Just click on the tutorial/info tab on her page.
Scene from My Fair Lady
Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady
If you are watching the race tomorrow, enjoy! And don't forget your glass of mint julep!
I wanted to share a couple of videos and a news article I found today. The first video and article, posted on CNN this morning, is about stylish older women. See - Older fashionistas strut their style Not only do I hope to live past 70, I hope to still be shopping at thrift stores and antique shops for fun vintage finds!
The second is a fun little film was made by the National Film Board in 1950 and directed by Jack S Allan. Expert milliner John Pickworth shows his three-in-one
creation. A hat that can be worn in three
different ways!
Enjoy!
Australian Diary 39: Three Way Hat is Novel Fashion
Let's take a closer look at that fabulous, drool worthy, blue and white hat by Elsa Schiaparelli.
This hat from 1940 is made from a straw base with a blue and white striped cotton covering. A matching blue and white striped bow and a red silk carnation complete the hat. Looks like there may be some kind of bow attached to the underside of the hat as well but it's hard to tell in the picture provided on the MET website. A black elastic helps secure the hat to the head. This is a common feature on hats meant to "perch" on top of the head. This kind of fastener is very discrete, especially if it matches your hair color.
Description of the hat from the MET reads... "Red, white and blue are colors often used in nautical flags, and
Schiaparelli has playfully interpreted those colors in this
sailor-inspired doll hat from her summer 1940 collection. The
traditional sailor hat has an even crown and is usually made of straw,
but this feminine design, made of a jaunty striped cotton and straw, has
a sloping crown, upturned brim and a decorative carnation, which
throughout history has symbolized true love and affection. Red, white
and blue are also the colors of the French flag and as World War II
approached Paris (Paris would fall to Germany in June 1940) this hat
could represent Schiaparelli's subtle salute to the French nation."
Here are some close ups of the bow and hat brim. I believe the striped fabric around the brim has some kind of stiffener in it. Possibly some milliners wire but it looks to have more structure than that. Perhaps a piece of basket canning or something similar? The image below also shows how finely woven the straw base of the hat is.
This last image is a nice view of the silk carnation. It looks so real doesn't it? This really is a perfect little hat for summer. Makes me wish the warmer weather would hurry up and get here.
