Article by MaryLuJones

A Brief History of Hats

At its simplest, a hat is any garment worn on the head, whether for practical purposes or for protection from sun, weather, or cold. Hats have been used in many ways throughout history. They have been ornamental, used to denote a specific social status, used for practical purposes, and worn for artistic reasons. The forms and kinds of hats have had almost as much variance.

One of the oldest kinds of hats is the wide-brimmed straw hat. Probably worn to protect against the sun, these can easily be constructed by weaving straw, or by sewing straw braid in concentric circles. Because straw is readily available in agricultural areas, the straw hat probably followed almost as soon as humans started growing grain. It also has the advantage of being relatively easy to replace.

Most of the earliest hats were probably worn for protective reasons. However, it also probably didn’t take long before they became decorative or symbolic. In ancient Greece and Rome, the Phrygian cap, a kind of pointed, curled skullcap, was awarded to freed slaves. Crowns, of course, signified royalty, and certain kinds of hats have often been used to denote priests and other clergy.

Through most of history, hats were either made of stiffened fabric, felt, leather, or straw. In modern times, you can add plastic and other man made materials to this list. Hat shapes have also varied over time. From simple, hoodlike styles and skullcaps, to the elaborate shapes of the tricorn and top hat, headwear and the way it’s constructed have evolved.

In general, women’s headgear in the early part of the Medieval period was oriented towards modesty. It was expected that the hair would be covered by a veil or kerchief. In the late 15th century, more elaborate hats began to be seen, and these eventually became the structured women’s hats of the 16th century. Slowly, these hats moved away from the modest ideal and became ornaments in their own right. It was at this time that the first makers of women’s hats specifically came into being. The first milliners were merchants who imported straw for hats from Milan and other regions. Women’s hat fashions progressed rapidly from this point on.

The bonnet was the mainstay of women’s headwear up until the mid 19th century. Around the 1850s, these hats became seen more as something worn by older women, and other styles became popular. These include the tiny hats of the 1880s, and the boater of the 1890s, developed from sport styles. This latter development was important, since it was the first time that women’s sporting wear had influenced mainstream fashion. Hats of the Edwardian era became enormous, and sometimes sported whole flower arrangements or birds.

After WWI, the 1920s saw the development of the cloche, a small, helmet like hat that complemented the newly popular bob. Millinery continued to expand through the early part of the century, but custom hats were soon pushed out by ready to wear ones in the 1950s. Since then, hats for women have decreased in popularity – they’re no longer a must-have item for every outfit. Hats are now more likely to be worn for special occasions or for fashion statements than as part of everyday clothing. However, this offers us more options when it comes to choosing whether to wear a hat, or what style. The beginning of the 21st century is one of the most flexible times in fashion history, meaning it’s easier to follow your own impulses, especially when it comes to hats.

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As with all decade, jewellery and clothing styles would overlap. While new jewellery styles including massive pieces could be introduced within the nineteen forties, there’d be jewellery inspired through the Victorian Jewellery Period and also the whitened on whitened filigree appearance from the Edwardian Jewellery Duration of the first 1900s. The Retro Modern Jewellery Period wasn’t an architectural style, nor could it have been an ornamental arts style.

In early nineteen forties, French jewellery designers would become active in the war. So in america, American designers would depend by themselves talents and masterpieces for that American market. Early nineteen forties jewellery would use semi-precious gems, as precious gems and metals would become scarce. Large colorful citrine quarta movement, topaz, aquamarines and amethyst could be used. Since the accessibility to gold was limited, copper would be included to gold in bigger portions leading to rose gold. Rose gold would then be utilized in lots of early 1940 jewellery products, with possibly a gang of gold. Massive geometrical lapel clips, large brooches, large bracelets and massive rings could be sought after. Within the U . s . States gold would more often when platinum use was limited to war usage. Gold filled or gold plated would be employed to make costume jewellery.

Ladiess fashion would change throughout the nineteen forties. Cork would replace leather and rubber on footwear, because these materials could be employed for the war. Clothes that will become fashionable could be military inspired suits with slim skirts and lengthy jackets, large shoulder pads, dull colors and square cleavage lines.

Following the war led to the mid nineteen forties, fashion and jewellery designs will come to flourish. French Fashion Brands would design more feminine fashion lines, finer materials and lighter colors. American women would begin to put on pants and culottes. Because the prohibit on platinum was lifted, jewellery designers would thrive using the new interest in jewellery. Precious gems and gold and silver would once more be accessible for his or her use. In the finish from the nineteen forties, French designers would introduce a brand new feminine look. Lengthy, full sweeping skirts could be introduced.

Within the late nineteen forties, jewellery would be 3d. Precious gems could be used in conjunction with semi-precious gems. A sizable citrine quarta movement could be adorned by rubies or diamonds. Blue topaz may be coupled with diamonds or rubies. Jewellery lines could be less sleek as Art Deco and would be sleek. The cone would replace the geometric cube. Jewellery could be inspired by character, but might have a stylized appearance. Polished finishes could be crafted in red-colored, rose, yellow, grey eco-friendly pink, whitened and gold or they’d be crafted in multiple colors of gold. Red-colored, whitened and blue jewellery could be popular. Belt buckle rings and bracelets adorned with bigger citrine quarta movement or topaz gems could be stylish. Also popular could be folded ribbon, waiving flag and bow motifs. Large, bold and colorful will be the overall look of nineteen forties jewellery. In the finish from the decade, colorful flower basket jewellery could be introduced. The flower basket jewellery might have a mixture fine gems for example rubies, sapphires, normally and diamonds combined inside a gold basket brooch. Popular jewellery pieces could be bracelet watches with ruby or gemstone crusted covers.

Costume jewellery would become large business. Throughout the depression many designers and merchants had switched to costume jewellery and wouldn’t switch back. Costume jewellery could be created in most characteristics as well as in a huge cost range.

Retro Modern Jewellery Characteristics

nineteen forties – nineteen fifties Jewellery

By: Chris Cosby

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