Category Archives: hats

How to Make a Modish Hat, 1904

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Happy Saturday!

Today I have a great article from the Ladies Home Journal from 1904 that tells how to make a hat for $3.00 (which equates to about $75.50 today, via the Inflation Calculator).  Although that might seem like a high price, we need to remember that ladies would usually only have one hat to last them through, in this case, spring and summer for a year.  They may even wear the same hat for several years and simply change the trimmings.  Most women didn’t have the luxury of having several hats or a collection of them, the way we can do today with our costuming or even our regular wardrobe.  So a little bit of an investment in a do-it-at-home hat could give a lady a hat that would be chic!

In the article it tells how to make the hat pictured.  If you try to take a go at it, please do let me know and share pictures!

Click the image above to be taken to a larger image you can read.

Have a great weekend!

December Pretties- Millinery & McCall’s Magazine 1908

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Hope you’re having a lovely weekend!

Here’s some pretty things from a magazine in my collection that’s over 100 years old- McCall’s Magazine from December 1908.  There’s lots of lovely hats- I’m a sucker for Edwardian millinery… or really anything to do with the fashion, actually.

Click on any of the images to be taken to a larger file on my Flickr.
mccall december 1908

winter novelties 1908

december millinery 1908

I’ve added a few of these images to my CafePress shop, too.

Hope they’ve inspired you for your winter millinery creations!

My New Goodies- Purchases Made at The Vintage Marketplace

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I admit that, even as a seller, one of the best things about The Vintage Marketplace is the shopping!  There’s not really many vintage clothing items, but I did find some pretty fabulous finds this time.  In fact, more than I was expecting! Haha.  I was a bit naughty.  But I want to share my new/old pretty things.

Warning! Lots of pics ahead!

My first find was this super cute sewing caddy I got from Rita of Mammabellarte.  She is one of the two ladies who runs the show, and when I went over to her booth to ask a question I spied this little cutie and snapped it up for only $20!  Beats the normal shoe box or plastic bag next to the couch for holding evening projects ;)

sewing caddy
It even has a little shelf inside for holding thread!
sewing caddy
These pretty little floral furniture appliques also came from Rita.
furniture appliques

These cute little earrings were made by Janis of Graceabounding‘s daughter. She’s saving up to go on a choir trip to England and was selling these cute little handmade earrings to stash away money for her trip. I am a sucker for cabochons and filigree.  I want to highlight some of Janis’ lovely work in an upcoming blog post.
handmade earrings
All of these came from the same seller, at different times during the weekend. As a inside scoop, sellers will often bring new things the second day, so keep your eyes peeled and shop early!
I can always use more lace, and this one was darling and would be perfect on antique style undergarments
vintage lace
When talking on Friday, she was nice enough to mention she had vintage fabrics, so she brought these on Saturday for me to paw through. These two had to come home. The floral will be a 1940s house dress (complete with rick rack), and the blue will be a 1930s sporty dress.
vintage cotton fabrics
And then my husband found these two hats for me from the same seller! Quoth he, “If I didn’t get them I knew you’d kill me.” Lol! He knows my weakness for hats, and the sillier the better!
vintage 1940s hat
vintage 1940s hat
vintage 1940s hat
vintage 1940s hat
vintage 1940s hat

And lastly, I bought these two darling items from Sweet Magnolias Farm for my mom. Since she’s seldom online I know I can post the photo here without ruining the surprise. I have lots more photos to share soon from Sweet Magnolias Farm, since I want to highlight this fun company run by a mother/daughter duo- Abbey and Sara.
Sweet Magnolias Farm

This Easter’s Hats and Bonnets- Ladies Home Journal- April, 1897

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If you’re following me on Facebook you may have seen a photo I posted this week of a lovely find I recently received in the mail- several years of bound Ladies Home Journal magazines.  I have been itching to share some of the content with you, so today we’ve got hats and bonnets from the April, 1897 issue.  The layout of this page made it quite hard to share a scan (the magazines are a large format), and the layout was bizarre with very small pictures, so I have transcribed the article here, complete with the remastered pictures a little larger than they appeared in the original.

 

The fashionable materials for this Easter’s hats and bonnets are chip, manilla, Leghorn, Neapolitan, Madagascar and English straw, and all the straw braids, especially those imitating satin.  Black velvet is largely used for trimming with moiré and stain ribbons, deftly looped.  Ostrich tips and long feathers are in vogue, though flowers are given preference over everything.  The big Parma violets, as well as the enormous roses and poppies that were so generally used last season, continue to obtain, while camellias, tuberoses, white lilies, lilies-of-the-valley, blue hortensias, ragged robins and primroses are counted as quite new.

An extremely smart little bonnet (no. 1) is made of dull red straw, the front being turned back, exposing the hair, somewhat after the fashion of a Scotch cap.  Very slightly to one side of the front is a bunch of black ostrich plumes, caught in place by a Rhinestone clasp.  The simplicity of this bonnet is its special charm, while its style is cited to show that the woman who looks best when her hat is off her face has been considered.  A little bonnet (No. 2), which may or may not have ties, has a small frame covered with a drapery of white satin embroidered with jet, turquoises, and silver spangles.  It is raised on the left side and decorated with pink camellias and one large black silk poppy.

Click the link below to continue reading. If you see no link, you’re in the right place!

Continue reading →

Catalog Inspiration: In Fashion Headlines with Hats- 1939-1940

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Wow- I kind of fell off of the face of the planet this week! I didn’t realize I haven’t posted in quite a bit. Oops?  To make up for it, here’s a few pretty pictures of hats from the National Bella Hess Fall and Winter catalog of 1939-1940. I’ve been an an exceptional vintage hat kick lately, and making my mental wish list of hats I’d love to own someday. Hmm… a mustard yellow one, and a sporty little red straw breton, and  one with loud feathers and a jaunty brim… the list goes on…. and all from around the same era as these scans, preferably!  1939 and 1940 were exceptional years for hats, in my opinion.

I know I posted this recently on my Facebook page, but I wanted to give you all a heads up that I’ve got a TON (probably about 200) vintage knitting magazines that date from the late 40s until the 1970s that will be making their way up to my Etsy store. Most date from the mid 50′s through mid 60′s.  Keep an eye out if you like vintage knitting, and keep checking back ’cause it will take me a while to get through them all!

Hope you’re having a great week so far!

>Finished Project- 1880s Tall Hat

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I just finished up a project I started last week- this hat will accessorize the bustle dress I just finished.  I just LOVE making hats.  It’s one of my absolute favorite things.  But even more than making hats I love trimming hats, and I like mine to be like patisserie for the head, if that makes any sense.  Fancy, feminine, and sweet, with maybe a little too much yummy decoration to the top. ;)
 
Hats, 1885.   Image source here

I looked at a lot of books when trying to decide on how to trim mine, but in the end I just went with the vertical trim thing + a lot of flowers and fluffiness.  Since this is only the second time I’ve tried to use straw braid over buckram I did have some parts that needed to be covered up a bit with trim- but from experience more trim on Victorian clothing and accessories is often a good thing.  
 This hat pattern was from Lynn McMasters Late Victorian Hat Pattern.  I used the method of sewing straw braid over buckram from a class she taught at Costume College.  I believe the article she has on her website is the construction we learned in the class, so for the method visit here.  I was not able to find straw braid so I tore apart a cheap hat from Michael’s craft stores and used that.  The wide blue plaid ribbon, fringe trim, and feather ornament are all vintage.  The flowers are artificial like you use for creating home decorations and arrangements and  were bought on clearance, also at Michael’s.
I hope you’re all having a lovely weekend!

>1911 Hats and Millinery Supplies- Gimbel Bros

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>Mmm… hats!  Thought you might enjoy these images from a 1911 Gimbel Bros catalog.  Here’s hat blanks, hat trims, and some made up hats.  Maybe they’ll provide inspiration for some millinery creations!

 

According to the inflation calculator $1 in 1911 was equal to $23.10 last year- for a bit of fun build your own hat and see how much it be relative to today.

>A Crocheted Dutch Cap- 1924

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>Off and on the past few months I’ve been trying to pick up crochet.  I started with little swatches, moved to an entirely overly-ambitious sweater which I will be lucky to finish, and have now been going through my vintage magazines and booklets looking for simple little projects I think I could tackle.  I’m not sure, but I might be able to make this up ;)   It reminds me of Irene Castle!

This little cap has a darling caption for the photograph- “A fairy web of a cap to keep the hair in order when motoring to the country club dance.”  Too bad some little munchkin thought their pencil would make the lady better looking!

Click on the image for a larger version to save or print
This pattern comes from The Modern Priscilla, July 1924.
Enjoy! If you end up making it up please share pictures :)

>Spring Hats, 1916

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>It’s not often when working on images for the blog that something makes my heart truly sing, but I can honestly say these images did! All at once I was transported to my childhood fantasies of the romanticised past.  Color illustrations from the earlier part of the last century always do that to me- like the images of Harrison Fisher or even in black and white by Charles Dana Gibson (which, of course, bridged the 19th and 20th century with the Gibson Girl).
I love the fashion of the “teens”.  These hats are no exception! Here’s a couple of color images from a 1916 catalog.  I hope you enjoy!

Oh yes- and speaking of hats- did you see Casey’s version of one of the hats from the Sporty Toppers pattern?  It’s so cute!

>Sporty Toppers, a 1930s Hat Pattern

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>I’m pleased to announce the newest pattern, a reproduction of a hat pattern that is suitable for looks for 1936-1938, though it would be equally fun when made to mix and match with modern looks.  This hat pattern is absolutely adorable and so much fun to sew.  I had a lot of fun making up the samples and keep dreaming all the outfits I can make with matching hats!  For my samples I used mid heavy weight linens that I had scraps of in my fabric stash, and had a lot of fun playing with matching ribbons.  There are five hats in this pattern.  Two of the hats are really fun and quirky, very appropriate for 1930s collegiate looks- the pointy pixie hat and the strappy cap.  The flat beret style hat and the ladies fedora would be perfect for two piece dresses or suits or tailored dresses.  The wide brim sun hat would look dreamy with cool summer frocks or casual garden dresses, or if made up in colorful printed cottons would be playfully chic with beach pajamas or swimsuits and cover ups.
This pattern is now available on my website.  I hope you enjoy it as  much as I’ve enjoyed sharing it!