Saturday, April 4, 2015

Circa 1944 Handwoven Black Straw Hat From WWII Era



The saying goes that there is nothing new under the sun, and so this could have been said when the English took the fashion world by storm in recent years with their fantastic Fascinators. This hat from circa 1944 could be used to prove that point because of its fascinator-shaped silhouette. 
The resounding design issue for milliners during WWII was to create elegant fashion that would fit within wartime budgets and this is a terrific example.  This hat style could not be simpler in design nor more frugal in materials. 
The hat is a tailored, forward-thrusting style that was considered quite stylish and popular during the 1940s decade; it was handwoven entirely from genuine black straw. 
Such hats were coined “doll hats” or “toy hats” and were worn by fashionable adult women. 
The loop designed onto the back of the hat was draped around a chignon styled or loosely coifed hair. This allowed the hat to safely perch at a seductive tilt to one side, over the forehead and slightly to the side of the head. As everyone knows from the fascinator styles designed over the more recent years, this design especially emphasizes the eyes. 
The hat is simple in design because clothing for the fashionable woman during WWII also became simple in line and materials out of necessity.
This simplicity allows the hat to be trimmed in any way that the wearer might wish, even with a simple ribbon or a brooch from your jewelry box. In the 1940s, women always had a small collection of silk floral millinery pins to trim their hats with. 
The hat is designed to fit a size 22 inches or 56 cm. Unfortunately, it has no maker’s mark whatsoever.



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