Edwardian Hat

I unpacked my box of millinery stuff which has done a few travel rounds. London, Rome, London again and now Verona and there's still another box or 2 in London. I also left my precious notes and patterns  behind. Drats!!!

I've never been happy with this hat. It was my first Edwardian piece at the end of the semester and I 'cheated' a bit to save time.
(My Gran always said "the more hurry the less speed")

Instead of doing all the hat in stitched straw braid. I bought a ready made straw hat from Baxter and Hart and unpicked the crown. Then cut out a really large 'boater' shape using 2 layer of black buckram. About 25 cm in diameter.


The stupid thing I did was to make it perfectly round when heads are OVAL!! duh!

I discovered this when the crown was already made and didn't want to unpick it.

Then another not so bad 'cheat'
On the inside I cut a normal  head size in buckram, so it would sit on modern hair.
(I need to post a photo of the inside)

These hats were meant to sit on a huge
amount of hair.

Rule of thumb with historical hats. Research the hair as well the hat. The hair style comes first then the hat.
Again if I was doing this professionally today then I would not only have the performer's head measurement but check out who is doing the wigs.
Historically Edwardian hats look like there's a big drawstring 'bag' on the inside. And it was held in place with hatpins.



So I've decided to leave the hat as is and just trim it differently than the last time.

Ready to go! Watch this space ....................................