Why should we all go out and get a hat? For so many great reasons: they protect against the elements, suit multiple occasions, are a great form of self-expression and can even cover a bad case of bed-head!
Hat History
Back in the day, hats actually ruled fashion. They were once a vital part of a woman's wardrobe and you would never leave the house without one. Hats were a status symbol where extravagant feathers, ribbons and extremely large brims were put on show. At one time you could take one look at a woman or a man and tell exactly where they fit into society just by the hat they wore. Later in history though, this became more difficult as more hat styles were made accessible to all classes; if one wanted to modernize their appearance, getting a hat would be their first point of action.
Millinery: The Art of Making Hats
Hatmaking also known as millinery, is a specialized art that requires skills in design, pattern-making and careful hand-sewing. Using traditional methods, a milliner would take the head measurements, then design a pattern to correspond. If a hat was made of straw, lengths of straw were sewn together. If it was made of felt or buckram (a stiff mesh fabric) it was wetted and shaped over a mould and formed the base of the hat when it dried. After the structure was created, milliners selected gorgeous fabrics to cover hats then lined and decorated them with feathers and ribbons. These techniques, though using modern methods of construction, are still the basis for hat design today.
Hats Fell Out of Fashion in the Late 20th Century
Although they are no longer the popular accessory they once were, every so often there is an attempt to bring the hat back to the mainstream. For instance, on the 1990s the hit television show Blossom's lead character of the same name had her commonly worn hat named after her. The Blossom hat is a floppy, cotton-printed hat had a wide-brim that was tacked up at the front and a fabric flower attached to the upturned brim. It was all the rage for several months with everyone's mother reproducing this mature but sweet-little-girly design. But other than that, the 1990s did not push for hats as an everyday accessory.
The lack of interest in hats during the last half of the 20th century was most likely due to the less formal etiquette required during modern everyday life. Also, with a new emphasis on hair styles, vibrant hair dyes and dynamic styling became the new form of headwear. This left the long-lived customs associated with hats lost in time.
Modern Hat Revival
Fashion writer Jody Shields claimed that wearing hats "tops fashion's extinct list"! Thankfully this year, however, we are seeing both men and women sporting fashion hats that go beyond ball caps. Brightly colored cowboy and girl hats were just the beginning. Even bowler hats and round voluminous caps with small peaks, bows and more adventurous shapes are revisiting. The art of millinery is back with a vengeance and it is perfectly in line with the stylish 1950s mode fashions we are seeing today. That era's popular coordinated accessories are helping hats stand tall as the hottest fashion necessity this spring.
Popular shops of all sorts are carrying stylish headwear. Le Chateau has towering hat stands with tweed, heavy wool and checked designs to the wilder red pleather or camo fabrics. Accents like buttons, small bows and bands embellish the designs.
Owner Wendy Friedman of Biscuit Clothing General Store commented on the increase in the hat business over the past three seasons: "It's not only people buying hats for winter like we have seen in the past, it's for fun and fashion". She expects a great interest in hats this spring and Canadian design companies like Big-It-Up and Deluxe who specialize in hats and other accessories are just some of the variety that will be available at Biscuit.
What's different about contemporary hat designs - compared to traditional millinery - is that they fit into our lifestyle designers recognize the need for this new approach.
