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Sam's birthday is this week, and chances are he'll be working so my mom and step-dad took us out for dinner at P.F. Changs, and a little shopping on the side. I wore my trench coat, and think I may have figured out what the little tab does at the neck. Scarf loop? Anyone know for sure? I even looked at a trechcoat book at Powells and found absolutely nothing on the detail.
But.
I did find what I think may be the best book ever. Seriously.
It's called "Clothes with Character", and this particular copy is from 1941. It has everything. A perfect balance of text and illustration, on clothing, textiles, styles, flattering tips, budgeting, history, care of. I could go on. And soon, a post will blossom from this amazing book. Or like, fifty.
Oh and I got a book from 1954 on the fur industry. Really interesting, and has some invaluable information on identifying furs of the era.
And we finally got some Martini "glasses". They're stainless steel, but I'm gonna go ahead and call them chrome, that sounds prettier.
They make me feel like Bruce Wayne. Or Chuck Bass. Or...some sort of awesome 30s temptress in a Poirot story.
Yeah, I'll go with that.
OH. And I started a Vintage Ryan Gosling Tumblr. Because I think those thinks are hilarious and for some reason there was every niche of "Hey Girl"s but vintage covered. But don't worry, I fixed that. So go submit something. Or just go giggle.
Burberry trench-Brown Bag Vintage
Cap, boots, and gloves-Urban Eccentric Vintage
Purse-Michael Kors
Sure, women wear hats in this time period, but not anything like they wore hats 60 years ago or more. Today, modern hats are chosen more for their function than appearance. Shading the eyes, keeping warm, shielding hair from rain.
So what about when you wear a vintage hat, one purely for decoration?
First I would like to clear one thing up:
A woman wearing a decorative hat, does not take it off once inside. It's often a misconception that since men take off their hats once inside, women should as well.
{The hat matches the dress, and is pinned on, not something I grabbed and slapped on}
A woman's hat is a part of her outfit as a whole, not an afterthought as a mans is. Also, your hair is probably styled around the hat, pinned on at various places, so if you take off your hat you may as well take off your belt and petticoat too.
Now, here's when we get into the slightly more complicated areas:
{This hat is mostly functional, and would be removed once inside}
If your hat is functional (but pretty as well!) it's probably best to remove it when you step inside. A soggy wool cap isn't exactly adding anything to an outfit when you're in the presence of dryness, and if you take it off and set it somewhere, it gives it a chance to dry off.
{A hat this wide is great for sunny days, but can be a nuisance inside}
A sunhat is generally wide brimmed, and an inside environment is quite a bit more constricted than outside.
Removing it will avoid any awkward "Sorry I turned my head and my giant hat knocked over your heirloom vase..." situations. Although I personally thing keeping a bonnet style on inside is ok, as it's only wide at the top, but do use your best judgment in the situation.
{This hat has a slight brim, but will not constrict movement in a small space (antique expo)}
A big, wide, or tall hat is not something for say, a theater performance, or anything where you may be in a crowd of people (church, funerals, concerts), as this will block their view of what's going on.
{Appropriate for tea, but not for the theater}
But tea is a different story. A wide brimmed hat (but not excessive) is fine, in fact it's the norm, since you won't be going around mingling, you're stationary.
{Out to lunch, a simple topper or cap is the best way to go}
A hat with a veil that covers the entire face isn't entirely appropriate for going out to eat or drinks, but if you must, the veil can simply be lifted and rest on top of the hat during the meal and replaced to it's intended place after.
{At a baseball game either wear an easily removable hat, or none at all}
But what about those times when everyone is supposed to remove their hats? In America that time is usually when something patriotic is in effect, like the pledge of allegiance, or while the national anthem is being sung. If you are wearing a hat, remove it. Wearing a complicated hat, that's pinned on and styled around, is not the best idea in these situations. Though if for some reason you're caught unexpectedly in this situation and can't take off your hat in under five seconds, leave it. It'll take you longer to fumble with pins and bands than it's worth, but be ready to apologize for your faux pas.
Hat's and formal wear usually don't mix. Cocktail hats are an exception, but when it comes to wearing a gown, or a formal dress to a dance, leave the hat at home and wear a pretty barrette instead.
{Casual family picnic needs no hat at all, but scarves and barrettes are a good alternative hair decor}
Before wearing that fabulous hat you just bought and can't wait to wear, stop and think "Is this really an appropriate hat for this particular event?"
As much as you love the pink floral topper that matches your silk rose garden dress, it's probably better suited for a wedding than a bbq.
These are all what I think, from experience and opinion, but sometimes I break my own rules! As long as you are being courteous towards others, it's fun to experiment with hats. But I hope this clears up some questions and concerns when it comes to wearing vintage hats in this era.
{First photo by Lara Blair, others are my own}
Wearing a hatpin is very basic. You simply pin it through the back band or lower crown of the hat, picking up a lock of hair as you pin it through. Here's a little tutorial:
For fine hair, a pin can slip a little. To prevent this, try crossing bobby pins at the back of your head, and pin through that AND your hair. Pins also work well if your hair is braided at the back.
Pins work well in felt hats, and some fabric covered hats. Be cautious when pinning through straw, as some of the older straw hats can be brittle, and can't handle a pin.
Of course wearing a wide brimmed hat on a breezy day is no good even with a hatpin. Pins don't secure a hat for high winds and dancing like a madman. They simply keep a hat from sliding off your head during normal movement.
Here's an unusual wide brimmed, asymmetrical hat. Usually if something has a brim, and is asymmetrical, it has a base closer to the head for a better foundation. This is the case with this 1950s hat, and the brown 1930s hat below. With this hat I placed a hatpin on the side, under the brim and on the base. On the other side, just for good measure and because the area is hidden, I slipped a bobby pin.
This is also an asymmetrical brimmed hat with a base, but I placed a pin at the side, base of the crown.
On 1940s tilt hats, there's usually a band, or base at the back for support. These are perfect for slipping hidden bobby pins, and often don't need a hatpin.
Another little side tilt hat, but this time a hatpin goes on the top side.
This one does sit on the back of the head, which usually just needs a pin in the back, but since it's a bonnet style with a brim at the front, an extra pin at the top is extra secure just in case there's a teeny breeze.
Pillbox styles usually require a pin at the front or back, whichever is more comfortable. If you use a pin at the front, it's a great opportunity to use a fancy one!
If you tilt it to the side, the pin goes on the top side.
{Hats from my own collection, not for sale. Brown 1930s hat from Poppycock Vintage. Others from Urban Eccentric Vintage}
Also see: History of Hatpins
Hatpins. If you wear hats, you most likely have to wear a hatpin. You may see varied lengths at antique shops, which correspond to the era/type of hat. In the 1900s when hats were large and elaborate, so were the hatpins. They could be simple, something to go with all the hats you have, or something ornate, sometimes matching one hat in particular, or being made of fine metals and jewels. At this time pins could reach up to thirteen inches, and were thought of as a weapon for Victorian women, as you can see in the illustration below.
They were so threatening that one judge ordered suffragettes to remove their hats and hatpins, just in case they used them as weapons in his court.
Even Arkansas and Illinois passed bills limiting the length of a ladies hatpin to 9 inches, or if you must have a more lengthy pin, you would need a permit for it.
"Excuse me ma'am, do you have a permit for that?"
The 1920s saw tight cloches as the height of fashion, so hatpins, if ever used, were generally decorative. Usually more like stick pins (you can tell the difference between the two by length). However after the 1920s, they were needed again, only this time on a much smaller scale.
Some hatpins you may come across are rusted, bent out of shape, or just plain dirty. For stubborn rust, gently scrape some steel wool along metal areas. For general dirt and grime, wash in mild soap and water, using a clean toothbrush to get to nooks and crannies. Though I would recommend taking fine metal and jeweled pins to a jeweler for cleaning, just to be safe. To keep your pins from becoming dull and rusted, stick them in a traditional tomato pin cushion, and sharpen them a bit using the emery sharpener (the little attached bit). For bent pins, take them to a professional, they can fit them right up for you!
Stay tuned for how to wear hat pins, and any questions you would like answered are most welcome!
Information sources: American Hatpin Society, (and 1st photo source) Bartitsu Society
A couple of years ago when down in California we went to The Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial. It's a beautiful memorial, and I could have spent ages looking at all the plaques (handsome fighter pilots, cute nurses). You can see my post featuring some photos here.
One plaque in particular never left my mind though, and that was honoring Parmely T. Ferrie and Rosemary (Egan) Ferrie. He was a captain and she a nurse, and besides being adorable, Rosemary wore a wedding gown made from the parachute Parmely used to bail out of a B-24 bomber.
That right there made me incredibly curious as to what her dress looked like, and what kind of life she led.
Today she popped into my mind again, and I googled her name, only to find her obituary. First I was sad to learn of her passing, but then I clicked on the photo album, and photos of her in her parachute wedding dress popped up.
So although I'm sorry she's gone, even though I've never met her, I'm glad that she seemed to live a nice life with Parmely and now I can share her wedding dress with you, for those who were as curious as I!
They married on July 27th 1946, and had six children. She got her AA degree in San Diego, traveled extensively with her husband, and spent most of her nursing career helping alcoholics and drug addicts. Yep, this lady sounds like someone anyone would have liked to have known.
All photos and information from here
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