Need your opinions, please....

MyVintageCocktail

MyVintageCocktail

VFG Member
I am desperate. Trying to figure out whether this hat was made as it is now, or whether it was altered. When I got it, I thought the open-crown with chiffon treatment was unusual, but was supposed to be like that. On closer study, I now think the top of the crown may have been very carefully snipped off (there are no blatant signs of cutting, though) and the chiffon possibly cut from the streamers (or what might have been streamers) at the back, as they are so short now. One of my reference books shows a sort of similar treatment, so I didn't wonder about it till just recently. The chiffon has been nicely tucked into the crown, and is hand stitched in, which I would expect anyway. but neither the trimming of the chiffon or the stitching are as neat as I think they should be!

I have little experience with this type/age of hat. If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. To date, nobody seems to be able to help (or willing to). This may not be the most gorgeous hat ever (LOL), but I have a chance to sell it and wish to be honest with my customer if it's been altered/butchered/whatever. Many thanks!

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Yes, Chris, that's why I started looking at the hat more closely. It does look uneven, but when I look very closely at the edge, it doesn't have typical "scissors jaggedness" to it. I wonder.... if it's been cut, perhaps with a razor (like an Exacto knife) edge rather than scissors.

I know it's very hard to tell from photos, but I guess the better question might be, is this a treatment that anyone has seen before? Perhaps the hat was altered to reflect a fashion fad later on? Rather than being altered because of damage to the crown....
 
Thanks, Marty! I hesitated to tell her it had or had not been altered without other opinions, since I am not a hat expert. I never thought about it being altered for the theatre, but, yes, that makes sense.... If she chooses this instead of one of the others I've shown her, I will neaten up the trimming and stitching myself. It won't take but a few minutes. The hat is for a one-time "fun" sort of event, so if she likes it, I don't think it having been altered will be a problem.
 
I don't think she will mind, Even if it was altered from damage to the crown what a NEAT way to slavage a hat. Perhaps this was a little trick women used in the day and you have just oncovered the secret....like using a pencil eraser for an earing back if you suddenly loose one or something like that. I think I will actually use this idea on personal collections of hats. :-)

Cute!
 
It's difficult to tell from the angle of the shots. A full view of the crown exterior and the back where the chiffon is tied would be helpful. I can only see one small section of the "cut" area, so seeing what the edges look like all around would really help. :)

Janine :12:
 
Thanks, Janine; I'll be shooting later today, and will try to get a better pic of the crown. I guess it's not a big deal if it's been altered, but I want to be accurate when I list it!
 
My question is why? Did this lady get overheated and need a vent, or was this an aspiring home designer who cut the hat and then may or may not have also added the chiffon - it just makes me scratch my head.
 
Did this lady get overheated and need a vent....
....- it just makes me scratch my head.
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Ha! Well, Marty's theory could be right--altered as part of a costume. Or, the crown might have gotten damaged. Or, altered to mimic a look the owner had seen and admired. I have seen some open-crown hats (only in books, though), and am thinking someone liked the look and tried to copy it? It's a puzzle, that's for sure.
 
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