1890's Cloth and Felt Hats
This variation on a boater was based on an illustration from 1892.
The buckram and wire frame was covered with a lime green nylon taffeta.
The hat band is made from a fairly narrow plain taffeta ribbon and warps the base of the crown before tying in a bow at the front.
Lime green rooster tail feathers and matching goose biots are attached in front of the bow.
Detailed view of the feathers at the front of the hat
Detailed view of the plaid bow at the front.
This hat features a bent brim at the centre front. This is a style that first appeared in the 1880's and was repeated in the early 1890's.
The side view shows that the front brim is much wider than the back.
This back view offers a good look at the plaid ribbon.
Side front view showing bow and peaked brim.
The inside of this hat has horsehair tabs for pinning and an elastic to go under the hairline. Both can be tinted to match the hair.
Based on an illustration from Harpers magazine, this hat was used in the tv series The Gilded Age.
This is the drawing that inspired the hat.
The "saucer-shaped" brim and small pillbox crown were blocked separately on a vintage blocks using buckram, the n wired.
The buckram frame parts were covered with stretchy brown velvet before being joined together.
The join was covered with a ruched band of dupoini silk in brown, and a wide brown rayon ribbon, plus an augmented bird.
The upturned brim was a popular style in the later 1890's and early 1900's.
As is typical, the brim is closer to the head in the back.
The little bird perches at the back on the hat, looking down on the wearer!
A purchased bird was augmented with extra rooster tail feathers.
The inside is lined with brown cotton for comfort, and horsehair tabs and elastic to tho under the hair are stitched in.
A re-purposed black felt hat with a satin facing was used for this 1893 feathered style.
Here's the image from Harpers Bazar that was in the inspiration for the hat.
The crown is flat, and the brim curls up.
The base of the crown is wrapped with fine black tulle.
Gold silk duppioni loops were formed with fine wire hidden under narrow black satin ribbons.
Several vintage and contemporary black ostrich feathers were tucked in amongst the loops.
A gold cord was knotted and placed at the join of the loops as a visual anchor.
The left side has less adornment than the right side.
The loops and feathers add the requisite height to this hat, typical of the 1890's
The brim curls upward and is bent into a slight point at the front.
From the underside you can easily see the satin facing on the brim, as well as the petersham ribbon that forms the inner hat band.
Flat “boater” style hat made for “Klondike” mini-series 2013.
Buckram frame is covered with shot silk taffeta.
Trimmed at the back with black silk velvet bow, ombré pink taffeta ribbon, green velvet flowers.
Band is of black velvet ribbon.
Large “Picture Hat” made for “Klondike” mini-series 2013.
Buckram frame covered with rust velvet, underside of brim is rust dupioni silk.
Brim curls up of left side and down at the back.
Brim is flat on the right hand side.
Trimmed with plaid taffeta ribbon and soft pink roses.
Plaid ribbon is wired to give height to the hat.
This existing felt hat was trimmed for use in the TV mini series "Klondike" in 2013.
Wired plaid taffeta ribbon was used to give the period height to the crown. Green, cream, and rust flowers were added.
The back of the hat is plain, with the decoration concentrated in the front.
Green petersham ribbon goes all the way around the base of the crown.
In the 1890's hats once again started to get larger. At the very start of the decade they were still fairly close to the sides of the head and height was still important. But as the decade went along, and as skirts returned to a more even fullness hats got wider until the early 1900's when the large "picture hats" and "Gibson girls" styles became popular. Wider hats were needed in particualr to balance the wide "leg-o-mutton" sleeves worn strating in 1894. You can request a 1890's style hat for your production in any style. A wide variety of vintage trims are available and any colour or shape of hat can be specified. Most orders can be filled within a few days, depending on the size of the order. Contact Easel Incorporated to have custom millinery work done for you!
Please click on any picture for a close-up view.