HISTORY OF MILLINERY

I absolutely love millinery and everthing hats, so I thought I would do some research on the internet and find out a little bit more about the History of Millinery.........
I've always been drawn to vintage fashion and loved rumaging in second hand shops in my youth (when it wasn't fashionable to do so!!)  And in those days I got some amazing vintage pieces...... How I wish I'd kept them...
So heres a brief look at millinery in different eras!!

Headwear was worn as early as the Middle Ages (5th to 15th Century) when the Church decided that Ladies should cover their hair and therefore wear a head covering.  But it was during the 18th Century that Millinery was established outside of the home and as a profession.

The word Milliner itself comes from the word Milan, the Italian city was where the worlds textile and fashion trade came from.  A milliner traditionally is the name given to someone who makes and trims hats for ladies, whereas someone who makes hats for men is known as a hatter.

18th Century

In the 1770's when wigs and huge hairstyles were in fashion, the Calash Bonnet was very popular, this was a bonnet made from silk with wood or whalebone to ad height and structure.Its purpose was to protect the Hairstyle from the elements. Turbans were also popular in the 1790's in England and remained popular until the 1920's.

19th Century 1800-1860

Straw bonnets were very fashionable ind 1810, a cheap alternative that was used was

bonnet board, this was made from cardboard that was pressed in a roller machine.  In

1820 milliners experimented with buckram covered in silk with towers of feather flumes and 

silk bows.  In the 1830's hats grew in size until 1840 when the brim size reduced in size 

dramitically.

20th Century 1860-1900

By the 1860's hats had become less fashionable as ladies were using parasols and so hats became 

smaller and were used mainly for ornamental purposes.  After the 1860's hats began to become

more fashionable again and 'doll' hats were worn perched at the front of the head over large hair styles.

20th Century 1900-1920

In the early 1900's (Edwardian period) the 'Toque'  hat was popular, this was the name given to a brimless hat.  In 1908 hats began to become larger and by 1911 hats were at their largest.

20th Century 1920-1965

The Cloche was the hat worn in the 1920's and by the 1930's the brim became larger and the crown

shallower to accomodate the fuller curled hair styles.

20th Century 1940-1965

During the war there were many different hat styles and surprisingly hat materials were the only
materials not rationed.
Post war, many ladies chose not to wear hats and so the millinery industry had to be inventive, and 
many different hat styles were created and re-introduced; cartwheel hats, turbans and pillboxes to name
a few.

20th Century 1965-2000

Hats in the 1960's were in a decline and even the Catholic Church dropped its code of Hat wearing

in the Church in 1967.  It was not until the 1980's when Princess Diana came into the Media and

wore many different hats that people again started wearing them.

Today I feel hats are making a come back and with Racing being very popular with all ages, it 

has given us a reason to dress up and wear hats again; and even everyday hats are worn and very popular!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed doing a little research into Millinery and I hope you have enjoyed this blog
too!!
If you would like any help choosing your next Headpiece for your Ocassion, then drop me a message!!