Help w/Hat - Material?

jauntyrooster

jauntyrooster

Alumni
I am quite captivated with this hat - don't know what it is about it, but I love the look. Unfortuntately, a tish too small for my head. I never thought I had a large head until I started trying on vintage hats! Vintage has given my both a bust and a head complex. :)

This hat came in its original box and the owner was kind enough to have written "3-27-62" on the box. I am assuming that is the acquisition date or wear date and that I can go with early 60s as a description (please correct me if I am wrong). My real problem is that I do not know how to describe the material it is made of. I tried to show in photos. It is quite stiff - wondering if it may have been heavily starched to keep shape?

As always - any and all input is appreciated. Thank you so much.

Maureen

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Hi,

It's made of what used to be called a "novelty horsehair braid", or horsehair novelty braid. Manufacturers of these braids would come up with new weaves, widths, colors and designs every season so the hat manufacturers and milliners would buy the new styles for the season's new hats.

Each new style of braid had a "novelty" name that was pretty much made up by the braid maker.

It is a cute hat!

Barbara
 
Wow - I would have NEVER gotten to that. Thanks so much Rue - will sound much better than "stiff straw feely stuff" in my description! :)
 
Hi,

I neglected to tell you that it is a synthetic horsehair, made of a plastic based material, but in the millinery trade it is still referred to as horsehair. It is correct to call it horsehair even if it is not made from a horse. You don't need to add the "plastic" part.

Also, you probably don't have a big head, as it was common place for hats to be made in smaller head sizes in the 1960's (unfortunate but true). This was because women did not want the hat to sit low on the head or face, and squash the hairstyles that were popular at that time. So milliners and hat makers usually made them in a size 21, while most ladies wear a size 22 or larger. That is unfortunate as so many hats of the late 50's through the 70's are too small for the average lady today, and would look much better if they were made in a larger size.

B
 
I really wanted to keep but of course, wanted to wear it low on my head. You are right too -I just need a little more room and it would go. Well, some lucky small headed person will get the pleasure of wearing. I will miss it though - I really love it!
 
Barbara,

Thank you so much for explaining that about hat sizes. I was always perplexed about this. It seemed strange that head size would increase so much over time. My head size is just over 22 and I thought that maybe that was really big compared to the those of the time. Now I know!!
 
HI,

Oh you are most welcome. I, like others, get so frustrated when I find one of those Flapper revival cloches from the 1960's that are beautifully made, fabulous materials, designer label, with a great 1920's look, BUT are always a size 21 or smaller! Instead of giving the flapper look, they sit on top of the head like a silly bubble!.... GRRR.

There is a way to make them larger, but that compromises the original design and requires cutting or totally re-doing the hat and does not always work. Why bother. Sigh...

B
 
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