Did women really wear hats like this in 1911 when this postcard was sent to my grandmother? They did. Consider that when Coco Chanel opened her millinery salon in 1910, the Gibson Girl look, complete with swept-up hair and giant wide-brim hats, was predominant. The fashion would soon give way to those head-hugging cloches emblematic of the 1920s, however.
Chanel is credited with designing the bell-shaped style that looked so great with bobbed hair and dance dresses, but she began her millinery career by remodeling existing hats from the first decade of the 20th century, many of which were fashioned in the style pictured above.
I can't say that green was a prominent colour for the body of a hat, which makes the postcard all the more striking; but, green foliage was regularly seen on hats in support of the many magnificent floral trims of the day. Images of the real thing can be seen in my book, 1,000 Hats.
Contemporary millinery designer, Maria Curcic, has done the opposite with this creation of a green straw fascinator, trimmed with pink ostrich fronds. I am proud to have this piece in my personal collection.
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