1860's Cloth, Straw, and Felt Hats
The late 1860's "Postilion" style hat is made on a buckram and wire frame and covered with velvet.
The brim has a graceful curve encouraged by the dipping of the crown at front and back.
A hat band of vintage silk taffeta in black wraps the base of the crown and ends in streamers at the back.
In addition to the black silk taffeta, there's also a "mauve" narrow taffeta ribbon tide in at the back.
On the right hand side there's a layered ostrich feather made of three feathers combined and joined together for volume.
The ostrich feathers are wide and lush, hanging below the edge of the brim.
This hat is lined in satin
And kitted out with horsehair tabs to pin to the hair and an elastic to go under the hairstyle, at the back. Elastic was a daily new material in the 1860's, but caught on quickly!
Detailed view of the right-side-front, showing a double bow of the "mauve" ribbon at centre front.
This "gardening" style hat is trimmed simply, with a fancy beige gimp hat band and some neutral colored flowers.
Left-front view.
The back of the hat has a bouquet of vintage millinery flowers, and some "trailing ribbons" with a bow.
Here you can see the gimp quite well.
Left-side view. Here you can see the gentle slope of the brim which dips at the front and back, and flares out at the sides.
Detailed view of the smaller bouquet of millinery flowers at the front of the hat.
Detailed view of the back of the hat.
The underside of the brim is faced with the palest pink tulle that has been gathered softly.
This hat is a style called a "round hat"
It is made on a hand-blocked foundation of buckram and wire and is covered in light grey velvet.
The front of the hat has a pink satin bow, just off centre.
The base of the crown is trimmed with a fancy gimp trim in pink.
The back brim dips down gracefully.
The right hand side is trimmed with pink and white ostrich feathers.
The sides of the brim flare out slightly.
The brim front also dips down.
Inside crown is lined with a surprise bit of pink printed cotton.
The black velvet hat was made for a private client in 2019.
The front and back of the brim dip down, and the sides flare out a little bit.
The hat band is formed by a narrow braid.
One of the blue bows peeks out from under the brim.
3/4 view of the right-back.
The back of the hat shows the ends of the feather trims.
At the left side, and towards the front are a series of blue taffeta bows, behind which are placed several rooster and pheasant feathers in blue and brown.
This black and gold hat was made to resemble one found in Harpers Bazar in May of 1868.
This is the line drawing from Harpers Bazar that inspired the hat.
The hat started out as a 1960's pillbox from a thrift store.
Black lace gathered over gold ribbon covers the sides of the crown.
Gold roses and purple lilacs trim the back.
Details of flowers at the back of the hat.
Long black lace ties come from the back of the hat to join under the chin. Flowers trim the join and cover the snap there. Gold ribbon ties under the hair, at the back.
This velvet topper trimmed with brown velvet pansies was made in 2014 for the character Anne in “Hell On Wheels” The velvet is a two-tone blue and brown fabric.
The side view shows off the vintage netting as well as the wires, horsehair, and elastic used to hold the hat firmly in place.
The back of this covered-buckram topper is completed with a taffeta ribbon bow.
Riding hat made for “Hell On Wheels” 2013. Buckram frame covered with dark brown tweed, satin bows.
Natural ostrich feathers and brown goose biots trim this riding hat style.
Wide satin ribbon is pleated at the back to conform to the shape of the crown.
Brown velvet Round Hat with peacock feathers made for “Hell On Wheels” in 2014 has a wire and buckram frame.
Frame was covered with stretch velvet and decorated with peacock swords and eyes.
This round hat has a flared brim that allows light on the face.
The hat band is made of taffeta ribbon and black gimp, there are leaves and small ribbon roses at the front.
Wires and horsehair tabs allow the hat to be firmly pinned to the hairstyle, and a cord of elastic under the "bun" helps keep the hat down at the back.
Buckram Riding hat covered with green tweed made for “Hell On Wheels” 2012.
Brim and crown trimmed with hand dyed grosgrain.
Bow of shot organdie, “flirtation strings” of grosgrain, beaded rosette.
Riding hat made for “Hell On Wheels” 2013, trimmed with hand dyed grosgrain ribbon.
Additional trim of velvet flowers and emu feathers. “Flirtation ribbons” of hand dyed grosgrain.
This tear-drop style was made for Jann Arden to wear in an episode of “Hell On Wheels” in 2014 A blocked buckram frame was covered with lambswool and then striped silk.
Trim at the front is wired blue velvet loops and a gold-tone brooch with pearls.
Several types of feathers were also used to trim the right side; Curled burnt pheasant, royal blue and light blue coque feathers, and a pouf of ostrich in jade green.
The brim is of deep blue velvet on the bias.
Wires, horsehair tabs, and elastic cord serve to help keep this little hat in place.
Round hat made for Virginia Madsen in “Hell On Wheels” 2012, buckram frame covered with black velvet.
Binding of dupioni silk and embroidered ribbon, band and bows of dupioni.
Antique French silk veiling.
Ostrich feathers and Velvet flowers trim this round hat.
Inside my workroom with Mrs. Durant's hat in progress.
The trims of Mrs. Durant's hat are pinned in place to show the costume designer.
Riding hat made for Virginia Madsen in “Hell On Wheels” 2012, buckram frame covered with mauve wool crepe.
Trimmed with purple taffeta ribbon.
Detail of covered wire bobby-pin-places for attaching to the hair.
The wool crepe was glued to the top side of the curled brim using fish glue.
Detail of rosette at the back.
Taffeta ribbon, back view.
Round Hat made for Virginia Madsen in “Hell On Wheels” 2012 with cockatiel, pheasant and seagull feathers!
Made for Virginia Madsen in “Hell On Wheels”.
Buckram frame covered with burgundy satin, grey tulle veil.
Organza and satin ribbon trim.
Here's a photo of Ms. Virginia Madsen wearing the hat in the TV show.
Toque style of neutral plaid silk taffeta has bias brim of silk velvet and more than 40 vintage stripped cocque feathers!
The point can be worn to the front or the back of the head. This style was taken from a picture in Godey’s Ladies Book from 1865.
Lined with cotton, nylon horse hair/crin for pinning to the hair.
Detail of the feathers and metal “brooch”.
Side view of the small toque. Horsehair tabs are provided for pinning to the hair.
Round Hat made for “Hell On Wheels” 2012. Buckram frame covered with dark grey velvet.
Trimmed with dark grey silk organza bow, pink roses.
Pink ostrich feather trails to the back.
This pink felt hat was made to resemble one from Harpers Bazar from April 1868.
The pink felt came from a thrift store and was turned around from front to back and re-blocked.
Tiny pale pink roses were stitched on, just off the centre front. Behind them are 3 pink egret feathers.
Long natural rooster tail feathers droop gracefully from the left side.
Here is the drawing from Harpers Bazar which inspired this pink felt hat.
The right side of the hat remains plain. Horse hair tabs, a wire comb, and an elastic string under the hair are used to help keep the hat on the head.
This gallery shows hats from the 1860's made either of buckram and wire covered with cloth, or of felt. At the start of the 1860's hats were only worn by children or very young ladies; bonnets were preferred by grown women. As the decade went on hats gained more wide acceptance, first being used for less formal situations and towards the end of the 1860's becoming more popular than bonnets. During the early 1870's bonnets were used for mourning or worn by older ladies. Hat styles also became more numerous as the decade went on, but the "round hat" was by far the most common one seen in photographs and "cartes des visite's" from the time, with riding hats being a close second. Although these particular hats have been sold already you can have something similar made. Or something different if you'd rather. Easel Incorporated provides bespoke millinery services so you can have what you want or need for your production.
Click on any photo to see a close-up view.