Picture hat

Last updated
Queen Camilla (left) wearing a Philip Treacy picture hat, while Catherine, Princess of Wales sports a hatinator Duchesses of Cornwall & Cambridge.JPG
Queen Camilla (left) wearing a Philip Treacy picture hat, while Catherine, Princess of Wales sports a hatinator

A picture hat or Gainsborough hat is an elaborate woman's hat with a wide brim. [1] It has been suggested that the name may be derived from the way the broad brim frames the face to create a "picture". [2]

Contents

This is a very broad category of hat; some versions may be similar to the halo or cartwheel hat. This style featured in virtually every decade of the 20th century, and has a history dating back to at least the 18th century. [3] [4]

History of the hat

Thomas Gainsborough portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, said to be an inspiration for the picture or Gainsborough hat Thomas Gainsborough - Portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.jpg
Thomas Gainsborough portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, said to be an inspiration for the picture or Gainsborough hat

The picture hat was first popularised as a style at the end of the 18th century and is said to have been inspired by the hats seen on portraits of society women painted by Thomas Gainsborough. It was then often known as the Gainsborough Chapeau. Other names included garden hat. [5] These early hats were large, with a wide brim and were designed to perch on top of the lavish hairstyles popular during this era. Hats incorporated details such as feathers and trims – some are said to have even included whole stuffed birds. [5]

The picture hat became fashionable again from the end of the 19th century – popularised in images of Gibson Girls in the United States and Canada and in the Gaiety Girls of the London theatre. [5] [6]

20th-century revival

London's Gaiety Girls, here photographed in 1896, helped to popularise the fashion for picture hats 1890 Gaiety Girls.jpg
London's Gaiety Girls, here photographed in 1896, helped to popularise the fashion for picture hats

In the early 1920s, The Times described Paris fashions of large picture hats in black velvet trimmed with traditional garden flowers. [7] In the same year, the picture hat was described as: "greatly in favour", alongside the toque. [8] As a fashion correspondent noted in 1922, its popularity may have been due to its adaptable nature: "They are wearable in every season, and vary more in the way they are put on than in shape". [9] Styles were simpler than those worn in the Edwardian era – following the prevailing fashion of cloches by including a more close-fitting crown to flatter shorter hairstyles. A 1920s advert for Harrods' spring hats showcased a black straw picture hat with a wide brim embroidered with silk and chenille. [10] By the end of the 1920s, picture-style hats were changing shape, as noted by a fashion correspondent: "Hats with higher fronts to the crown are being made, and one new shape has a turned-back brim at the side, in the style of the old-fashioned picture hat, but smaller". [11]

1930s designs

1941 picture hat worn by Carole Landis in Topper Returns Carole Landis in Topper Returns.jpg
1941 picture hat worn by Carole Landis in Topper Returns

A 1930 review of millinery designs created by Madame Agnès – who was also a sculptor – noted a trend towards more unusual shapes for picture hats: "The brims of picture hats are irregular and are attached to the crown in such a way as to lift the front away from the forehead or to form a little point". [12] Picture hats remained popular for sporting events and marriages, although by the middle of the decade some designs were becoming smaller. In 1935, The Times described summer designs worn forward on the head, with low crowns and trimmings of flowers, fruit or draped fabric. [13] Picture hats continued to be worn for both day and evening events – a Paquin evening gown of 1938 included a black velvet model with veil, worn with matching elbow-length gloves. [14]

The dramatic picture hat, as worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, became fashionable from the late 1950s Audrey Hepburn Tiffany's.jpg
The dramatic picture hat, as worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, became fashionable from the late 1950s

Post-war picture hats

Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the British royal family continued to favour picture hats in the immediate post-war years, and they remained a fixture at weddings and sporting occasions. By 1955, however, The Times had announced the disappearance of the picture hat in fashion, as streamlined cloche, cocktail and new conical-shaped hats came into vogue. The article noted: "A solitary wide-brimmed classic among some 60 models selected from those now going into the shops...but such a shape has for long been beloved of many Englishwomen, and by comparison the rest of the hats were a chic and challenging assortment". [15] The death knell was perhaps sounded too soon, as by 1958 hats were either very large or very small. Parisian milliner Claude Saint-Cyr was designing dramatic picture hats – relying more on shape than on trimmings for effect – very much in the style that would be worn three years later by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's . [16]

During the 1960s and 1970s, the picture hat persisted – although designs such as the pillbox and bucket hat were more popular – but tended to have a higher crown. [3] [4] The Victoria and Albert Museum archive has a photograph of a Madame Paulette model from 1963 that illustrates the fashion for height as well as width. [17] By the early 1970s, there was a revival – with memorable examples including the design worn at the Saint Tropez wedding of Bianca Jagger in 1971, and the outsize model worn by Farrah Fawcett at her wedding to Lee Majors in 1973. [18] [19]

Marc Jacobs showcased enormous Victorian-style picture hats at New York Fashion Week A/W 2012 Marc Jacobs Fall-Winter 2012 10.jpg
Marc Jacobs showcased enormous Victorian-style picture hats at New York Fashion Week A/W 2012

The picture hat remains a popular style for events such as Ladies' Day at Ascot and its high-profile fans include Queen Camilla, who is known for her wide-brimmed designs. [20]

Picture hats still appear on the fashion catwalk; notably Marc Jacobs included oversized fur designs harking back to in the late Victorian age his 2012 autumn-winter show at New York Fashion Week. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fedora</span> Type of hat

A fedora is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides. Fedoras can also be creased with teardrop crowns, diamond crowns, center dents, and others, and the positioning of pinches can vary. The typical crown height is 4.5 inches (11 cm). The term fedora was in use as early as 1891. Its popularity soared, and eventually it eclipsed the similar-looking homburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricorne</span> Hat with the brim turned up on three sides

The tricorne or tricorn is a style of hat that was popular during the 18th century, falling out of style by 1800, though not called a "tricorne" until the mid-19th century. During the 18th century, hats of this general style were referred to as "cocked hats". At the peak of its popularity, the tricorne varied greatly in style and size, and was worn not only by the aristocracy, but also as common civilian dress, and as part of military and naval uniforms. Typically made from animal fiber, the more expensive being of beaver-hair felt and the less expensive of wool felt, the hat's most distinguishing characteristic was that three sides of the brim were turned up (cocked) and either pinned, laced, or buttoned in place to form a triangle around the crown. The style served two purposes: first, it allowed stylish gentlemen to show off the most current fashions of their wigs, and thus their social status; and secondly, the cocked hat, with its folded brim, was much smaller than other hats, and therefore could be more easily tucked under an arm when going inside a building, where social etiquette dictates that a gentleman should remove his hat. Tricornes with laced sides could have the laces loosened and the sides dropped down to provide better protection from the weather, sun, and rain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloche hat</span> Close-fitting hats with a bell-shaped crown

The cloche hat or simply cloche is a fitted, bell-shaped hat for women that was invented in 1908 by milliner Caroline Reboux. They were especially popular from about 1922 to 1933. Its name is derived from cloche, the French word for "bell".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Reboux</span> French milliner and fashion designer

Caroline Reboux was a Parisian milliner and French fashion designer. She opened her first boutique at 23 rue de la paix in Paris in 1865, which she continued to operate throughout her life. Reboux opened other shops in Paris and London starting in 1870. She trained other milliners who became famous in their own right, including American milliner Lilly Daché and French milliner Rose Valois. Reboux's most famous shop was located at 9 Avenue Matignon in Paris, which carried on operating after her death for almost three decades under the direction of Lucienne Rabaté known as "Mademoiselle Lucienne" the most famous parisian milliner at that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bergère hat</span> Flat-brimmed straw hat with a shallow crown

A bergère hat is a flat-brimmed straw hat with a shallow crown, usually trimmed with ribbon and flowers. It could be worn in various ways with the brim folded back or turned up or down at whim. It is also sometimes called a milkmaid hat. It was widely worn in the mid-18th century, and versions may be seen in many British and French paintings of the period, such as The Swing by Fragonard, and in portraits by Thomas Gainsborough and Johann Zoffany, amongst others. It has been suggested that the hat was named after Madame Bergeret, who is holding a shepherdess-style hat in a Boucher portrait painted c.1766.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breton (hat)</span> Womans hat with a round crown and a deep brim

A Breton is a woman's hat with a round crown and a deep brim that is turned upwards all the way round, exposing the face. Sometimes the hat has a domed crown. Typically it is worn tilted to the back of the head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Draped turban</span> Type of headwear

A draped turban or turban hat is a millinery design in which fabric is draped to create headwear closely moulded to the head. Sometimes it may be stiffened or padded, although simpler versions may just comprise wound fabric that is knotted or stitched. It may include a peak, feather or other details to add height. It generally covers most or all of the hair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halo hat</span>

A halo hat is a millinery design in which the headgear acts as a circular frame for the face, creating a halo effect. The design is said to date back to the late 19th century, when it was known as the aureole hat; this name is sometimes still used. It may also be known as the angel hat or bambini – the latter said to derive from Italian for terracotta plaques depicting the infant Christ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartwheel hat</span> Style of wide-brimmed hat

A cartwheel hat is a hat with a wide-brimmed circular or saucer-shaped design. It may be made in a variety of materials, including straw or felt and usually has a low crown. It may be similar to the picture hat and halo-brimmed hat in shape. Typically, it is worn at an angle to show off the curve of the brim, rather than being worn at the back of the head in the manner of a halo hat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claude Saint-Cyr</span> French milliner (1911–2002)

For the French general and diplomat, see Claude Carra Saint-Cyr

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Half hat</span> Style of headwear

A half hat is a millinery design in which the hat covers part of the head. Generally, the design is close-fitting, in the manner of the cloche, and frames the head, usually stopping just above the ears. It may be similar to a halo hat in the way that it frames the face and can be worn straight or at an angle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mushroom hat</span> Fashion item

A mushroom hat is a millinery style in which the brim of the hat tilts downwards, resembling the shape of a mushroom. It is a style that first emerged in the 1870s and 1880s, when it was usually made of straw. It became fashionable again from around 1907 to the late 1920s; these versions featured a distinctly downturned brim although the size and shape of the crown varied according to prevailing fashions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lampshade hat</span>

A lampshade hat is a millinery design in which the hat has a small circular crown – typically flat, but sometimes rounded – and flares outwards to create a cone-like profile. In shape, it may have some similarities to the pillbox and bucket hat, both of which were popular at around the same time, although the classic lampshade design is longer and more flared than a pillbox and is generally made of stiffer material than a bucket hat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peach basket hat</span>

A peach basket hat is a millinery design that resembles an upturned country basket of the style typically used to collect fruit. Generally it is made of straw or similar material and it often has a trimming of flowers and ribbons. Some models may also feature a veil or draped fabric covering. It was introduced in around 1908 and caused some controversy over the succeeding year due to its extreme dimensions and decorations. It had revivals – designs were at this stage more modest – in the 1930s and 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvation Army bonnet</span> Former headcovering worn by female members of the Salvation Army

The Salvation Army bonnet was the headcovering worn by female members of the Salvation Army. It was introduced in 1880 in the UK and was worn as headgear by most female officers in western countries. It began to be phased out from the late 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tam cap</span> Type of womens hat

The tam is a millinery design for women based on the tam o' shanter military cap and the beret. Sometimes it is also known as a tam cap or the traditional term tam o'shanter might also be used. The tam became popular in the early 1920s, when it followed the prevailing trends for closer-fitting hats that suited shorter hairstyles and for borrowing from men's fashion; other traditional men's hats that rose to popularity in women's fashion during this period included the top hat and bowler. In the British Isles, the tam cap is often used as a headcovering by Christian women during church services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bumper brim</span>

A bumper brim is a millinery feature in which the hat brim is tubular in design, making it a prominent feature of the hat. In order to achieve this effect, the brim may be rolled, stiffened or padded. A bumper brim can be added to a variety of hat designs, from small to large.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coal scuttle bonnet</span>

A coal scuttle bonnet is a design of bonnet with stiffened brim and a flat back (crown). The name originates from its similarity to the shape of a traditional coal storer. It may be very similar in design to the poke bonnet – some sources use the terms interchangeably – however the poke shape had a wide and rounded front brim that extended beyond the face, according to fashion historian Mary Brooks Picken, while the Metropolitan Museum of Art notes that the poke generally shielded the face and had a wide brim that provided a large surface for decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela hat</span> Straw hat

The Chapeau à la Paméla, Pamela hat or Pamela bonnet described a type of straw hat or bonnet popular during the 1790s and into the first three quarters of the 19th century. It was named after the heroine of Samuel Richardson's 1741 novel Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. While Pamela hats and bonnets underwent a variety of changes in shape and form, they were always made from straw. The mid-19th-century version of the Pamela hat was a smaller version of an early 19th-century wide-brimmed style called the gipsy hat.

References

  1. "Definition of picture hat in English". Oxford dictionaries. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2014. A woman's highly decorated hat with a wide brim, as shown in pictures by 18th-century English painters such as Reynolds and Gainsborough.NB same definition is given for both "English" and "US English"
  2. "Terminology: What is a picture hat?". The Dreamstress. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 Grantland, Brenda; Robak, Mary (2011). Hatatorium: An essential guide for hat collectors (1st ed.). Mill Valley, CA: Brenda Grantland. p. 80. ISBN   9780984785902 . Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  4. 1 2 "The Gainsborough Hat". Life Takes Lemons. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Gainsborough Chapeau - Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages". Fashion Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  6. "The Gaiety Girls". vam.ac.uk. Victoria and Albert Museum. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  7. "Paris Fashions". The Times. No. 42739. 6 June 1921.
  8. "Paris fashions: Material and colour". The Times. No. 42703. 25 April 1921.
  9. "The Woman's view: Paris fashions". The Times. No. 42918. 2 January 1922.
  10. "Chic Easter hats from Harrods (advert)". The Times. No. 42992. 29 March 1922.
  11. "Paris fashions: Dress for winter evenings". The Times. No. 45397. 30 December 1929.
  12. "Paris Fashions: Hats for the spring". The Times. No. 45403. 6 January 1930.
  13. "Paris Fashions: British linens for the summer". The Times. No. 46973. 28 January 1935.
  14. "The rustle of silk petticoats". The Times. No. 48169. 3 December 1938.
  15. "Streamlined hats for autumn: goodbye to brims and trimmings". The Times. No. 53326. 15 September 1955.
  16. "The fashion roundabout". The Times. No. 54065. 3 February 1958.
  17. "Tania Mallet in a Madame Paulette stiffened net picture hat". vam.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  18. "10 favourite weddings: Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez-Mora Macias, 12 May 1971". 10magazine. Archived from the original on 20 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  19. Nocera, Kate (30 June 2009). "Farrah Fawcett reconnected with ex Lee Majors after more than 20 years of silence". New York Daily News. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  20. Orley, Emily. "25 photos that prove Camilla is the duchess of hats". buzzfeed.com. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  21. Mower, Sarah (14 February 2012). "Marc Jacobs/Fall 2012 RTW". Vogue. Retrieved 21 November 2014.