All posts tagged: hats

1910s Tricorne Revival Hat thedreamstress.com

A 1900s-1910s tricorne revival hat

The Research: About this time last year I became slightly obsessed (as I do) with the early 20th century bicorne and tricorn hat revival: The tricorne revival was part of the overall 18th century revival that happened at the end of the 19th century, and flowed into an Empire revival in the late 1900s and early 1910s. (more examples are on my pinterest page for the topic) What’s not to love about it? It’s 18th century meets my favourite timeperiod, it’s wacky and quirky and a little bit pirate-y! There are mentions of tricorne & bicorne hats being fashionable as early as 1897, and the tricorne revival lasted until the mid 1920s.  Within the period there are definite changes – early tricorne revival hats, are generally very large, like turned-up picture hats, and are overflowing with feathers and flowers.  As the 1900s progress, the hats become smaller and more streamlined.  Mid-1910s examples are often quite severe, with only one upstanding feather tuft, or a sculptural bit of ribbon.  Asymmetry is another major trend in mid-teens …

Terminology: What is a picture hat?

A picture hat is a large, broad-brimmed hat, usually rather elaborately trimmed. The name is usually said to come from the way the hat frames the face, like a round picture frame, though I’ve also seen it said that it is because they were considered a revival of historical styles, so the wearer looked like a the women in the paintings of Gainsborough or Reynolds.  Perhaps the real truth is slightly more prosaic, and it is simply that they were worn by those who affected the picturesque. Picture hats became popular in the early 1890s, and remained popular until the early 1910s. The first known use of the term was in 1887, with the term appearing in the fashion notes of NZ newspapers from 1888, and becoming quite common by 1893.  Early mentions indicate they were also called ‘garden hats.’ Picture hats were fantastic for piling on the abundant trimmings of the Edwardian mode, and helped to preserve the complexions of their wearers.  Their attributes weren’t quite so much appreciated by theatre goers and those …