Hats and Fascinators

Millinery Hats Fascinators

How It Started

Hats in some form or other have been worn since time immemorial. Initially for survival from the elements wherever man was located around the world, then as protection from attack by invaders. This forming of people into a defence or attack groups which we now call armies also needed some form of head gear. Finally there was religion and the requirements of particular religions to cover the head.

Materials For Hats

First hats were made from animal skins and furs. Depending in which culture or society they were in hats for women mainly consisted of bonnets. In more modern times felt, wool, cotton, leather, nylon, linen, straw, plastic, buckram (a stiff loose weave cotton cloth that has been stiffened with starch or similar), silk  and paper. Hats can be made out of just about anything.

How Felt Is Made

Felt is made from natural fibres, such as wool. It is a soft fabric and matted together it becomes a strong fabric made up of permanently interlocking fibres. It is made by compressing the wool fibres into a dense mass using heat, moisture and pressure. It is then rolled into the thickness required.

Hat Styles

Depending on where people lived different styles developed to cater for particular needs. The wide brimmed western hat for cowboys

to protect from the sun and be able to give their horse a drink. The Russian Cossack style hats,

the Fez of Morocco and North Africa.

Bonnets for ladies tied under the chin the world over. Berets of France. The big ear flapped head wear of Madeira to protect from the wind. Flat caps that can easily be folded and put into a pocket. One could go on and on with different styles. Each is instantly recognisable.

Milan

In the 1500 and 1600´s hat making became popular in Italy. Not only that, they started experimenting in a basic way with designs. This industry was based in and around Milan in Northern Italy. These Milanese making hats became well known and so the word spread. That is where the name Millinery comes from, it evolved from the hat makers of Milan. It is said that the term ´Milliner´ was first used in London to describe sellers  of was ribbons and gloves imported from Milan.

Hats For Women – The First Milliner

Caroline Reboux, was a French Parisian and is said to be the first Milliner of modern times to acclaim fame. This occurred in the 1800´s when she is said to have cut and folded fabric and felt directly on the customers head. This way she was able to create individual designs. Her fame was made when she made hats for the French Empress Eugenie in 1868. Caroline Reboux had a famous salon where she made hats for women known as Maison Virot in the Rue Saint Honore in Paris that survived until the 1920´s.

Milliner or Hatter – The Difference

Milliner – Millinery Hats Fascinators

A Milliner is someone specialising in hats for women. This can be in the manufacture, design or sale of hats.

Hatter – Hats For Women Or Men

A Hatter is someone who sells, repairs or makes hats. This can be for men or hats for women.

Hats For Men

The term Millinery refers to hats for women. It could be to showcase new and different designs on Ladies Race Day at such places as the Kentucky Derby in the USA or Ascot in the UK or Melbourne Gold Cup Day in Australia or anywhere else.

It should however be remember that the wearing of a hat was also the normal dress of men as well. Everyone wore a hat or cap in the 1800´s until middle late 1900´s. However hats and caps became less popular after the war years.

G.A. Dunn and Company 

If you wanted a hat you went to a hatter and one company in the UK that was famous for hats was G.A. Dunn and Company.

George Arthur Dunn was a Quaker and founded the company in 1887. He started by selling hats on the streets of Birmingham and within 40 years had 200 hat shops and many franchises in other shops.

It remained a Private Company throughout and even in the 1960´s the chain had 186 shops. In addition to hats it had branched out into men´s suits, jackets, tweeds, blazers, flannels and trousers.

However in the 1980´s competition became difficult and after a sell off of some stores in the 1990´s it finally ceased trading in 1996 with the loss of 130 shops and 429 staff plus a further 75 staff at their Swansea Head Office.

You May Need A Hat Or Fascinator But Don´t Forget To See Our Ladies Fashion and Accessories and Swimwear Pages