HATS/MILLINERY

According to an old saying, whatever is worn on the head is a sign of the mind
beneath it. Since the head is one of the more vulnerable parts of the body, hats do have a
protective function. But they are also a fashion accessory.

I. Hats Through ages and their functions:

Hats were always an important part of regional and national costume. Hats always
functioned as more than just head coverings, through that functional aspect were often
important. Hats were decorative accessories that could also proclaim the rank and status of
the wearer.
Some wide brimmed hats protected against sun or rain. Veils and bonnets partially
concealed the head, for the sake of modesty, though sometimes these modern styles enhanced
the wearer and encouraged flirtation! The mans top hat was once regulations dress for
gentlemen; later it was worn only on formal occasions. Often in the world of fashion,
womens hats hardly functional at all, though they were the most charming of decorative
accessories.
Hats from various countries are appreciated for their folk arts and styles.
1. Minos: Hats are believed to have originated in Minoan Crete. A range of styles developed,
including caps, pointed hats, turbans and bonnets. Ceremonies required special headgear
such as the tiara, a toque or a flat, round hat. In the late Minoan period men sometimes
wore a beret style cap.

2. Greece: Greek headgear, for men, took many shapes. There were several variations on a
cone shaped hat: a truncated cone, a cone with a small brim and an extended truncated cone.
The Phrygian cap appeared, too, in classical Greece. The bonnet was another known style,
as was a hat shaped like a pagoda.

3. Etruscan: A typically Etruscan hat was the tutulus a sturdy, pointed tiara style
headdress with a brim at the front. Etruscan men wore beret like hats that varied in height.

4. Byzantium: Farmers straw petasos is common by men. In court circles men and women
wore crowns and headdresses designed by skilled jewelers. Church dignitaries wore the
infula a knotted fillet of white wool which, as time progressed, became more elaborate,
ornamented with jewels and gold embroidery.

5. Medieval English: Throughout the middle ages the taste for adorn the head fluctuated. In
the second half of the 12th C the hood became separated from the mantle, and was combined
with a small, shoulder length cape. This was a practical innovation, keeping the head warm
and dry without impeding movement. Hats featuring wide brims were known and often worn
over a hood by men on journeys.
By the end of the 13thc women began to wear a hairnet or crespine (a band of fabric
worn horizontally round the temples) and the fillet.
 But the 14thc, women also wore veils, made from a semicircular piece of linen and
draped to frame the face. During the 14th and early 15thc a cushion head-dress became
popular.

6. Renaissance: Portraiture reached a peak during the renaissance. Straw hats were
popular with men. The chaperon- a turban style hat-evolved from the hood. Hats were also
adorned with jewels and feathers. Through the 15th and 16thc Italians women often wore
turbans. Hoods were common in the Loro countries while French women wore velvet caps.

7. 17thcentury: By 1690 the tricorne a three cornered broad brimmed hat featuring plumes
appeared and remained a fashionable addition to mans appearance for another 100 years.

8. 18th century: From 1789 men and women adopted a range of military style headgear.
Revolutionaries wore the Phrygian cap the soft, felt hat which was introduced by Greeks.
The tricorne evolved into a bicorne, which was initially worn only by army officers but was
eventually incorporated into mens wardrobes.
From the revolution on, women adopted a number of head coverings as a head bag
was worn to keep the hair tidy. A variety of bonnets also became popular. The calash was
made of whalebone loops which were encased in transparent fabric. This could be raised
from or lowered on to the head with the help of a piece of ribbon. The dormouse was a
bonnet worn in bed at night and sometimes in the morning at home.

9. 19thcentury: The mans hats of the 19th and 20th centuries in Europe, which was derived
from the medieval helmet, protected its wearer both physically and psychologically. The
heavy crown kept the head safe from blows, and the brim shaded the face from strong
sunlight and close scrutiny.
In 19th C America, the cowboy hat became an enduring national icon. Late in the
century, the top hat was status symbol of a special kind.

After decades of prosperity and popularity, the mens hat industry began to collapse in
the years following World War II. This was soon true for the womens hats industry, called
the millinery industry, as well. Because of more casual approach to dressing and popularity of
womens beehive and bouffant hairstyles, mens and womens hats sales hit bottom in 1960.
During the freewheeling 1960s and 1970s, a hat was worn only on the coldest days strictly
for warmth, not for fashion.

During that time, the millinery industry and its active trade association, the National
millinery Institute, researched published and campaigned in an extensive effort to reverse the
trend, with little success. This was not surprising, since, as we have already learned, no
amount of sales promotion can change the direction in which fashion is moving.

II. Factors influencing growth of hats usage:

However, the pendulum has begun to swing back toward the popularity of hats for
men, women and children. Several factors have contributed to this development.
1. One was the fierce winters of the late 1990s, which led to the increased popularity of all
types of winter hats and caps. David Chu of Nautica designed a polyester fleece cap and scarf
that provided warmth while wicking away moisture. The fleece stocking cap for kids was a
run way best seller. A variation like a jesters cap was also popular on the ski slopes and city
streets.

2. With the rise of hip hop fashions and ghetto fabulous clothing styles, a new range of
headwear, from streetwise kangol hats, berets and caps to elegant fedoras, have become must
haves among young fashion addicts.

3. Another factor was the featuring of flamboyant hats in designer shows, especially on the
runways of Paris and Milan. Philip treacy, a well-known British hat designer has designed
hats for the runway shows of channel valentine and Versace. Treacy has also expanded into
handbags. August accessories of Oxnard California uses neoprene in a line of reversible
weather proof hats.

4. The awareness of the dangers of overexposure to the sun. Dermatologists recommend the
wearing of hats for protection in all seasons. Straw and canvas hats with large bills or brims
offer shade without undesired warmth. Baby hats that tie under the chin or bonnets, have long
been popular for infants; they are now widely used for toddlers as well.

5. The growing popularity of baseball caps as a fashion accessory started with young
consumers. In this instance boys and young man have worn them as mark of support for their
favorite teams.

6. Through few manufacturers the mens felt hat industry in the United States is still alive.
Cowboy hats and Indiana Jones hats are the most popular styles, through derbies, port pies,
hombergs, snap brims and fedoras are being made by a few firms. The largest manufacture is
Hatco of Garland, Texas. It owns the famous stetson brand of cowboy or western hats as well
as the Dobbs and Resistol brands. A few mens custom hatters can still be found, among them
are O Farell Hats in Billings, Montana; and the custom Hatter in Buffalo, New York. Well-
known European brands for men include Kangol and James Lock and Co. of England and
Borsalino of Italy. Womens millinery firms are also more in 5th and the avenues of New
York City.

III. Purpose of headgear

1. Protection or defense: The most common use of headgear is as protection for the head
and eyes. Turban, worn by men and women in Saharan Africa as protection against wind and
sand. A baseball cap is used by sports players to keep the sun out of their eyes, and by some
chefs to keep the hair out of their food. . A rain hat has a wide rim to keep the rain out of the
wearer's face. Some traditional types of hat such as the Mexican sombrero also serve this
purpose. There are also hats that are worn for protection from the cold.
2. Fashion: Headgear is also an article of fashion. The formal man's black silk top hat was
formerly an indispensable portion of the suit, and women's hats have, over the years, attained
a fantastic number of shapes ranging from immense confections to no more than a few bits of
cloth and decorations piled on top of the head.

3. Religious significance: Some headgear is worn for religious practice. In Judaism, men
cover their heads out of reverence for God. Jewish religious headgear for men include small
cloth skull-caps, called kippahs or yarmulkes.

4. Symbol of status or office: Headgear such as crowns and tiaras are worn in recognition of
noble status especially among royalty. Wigs are worn traditionally by judges and barristers.
Feathered headpieces, such as the war bonnet worn by tribal people.

IV. Parts of a hat: Commonly found parts of hat include:

1. Crown: The portion of the hat that covers the top of the head.
2. Brim: It is the projection of stiff material from the bottom of the hats
crown, horizontally across the circumference of the hat
3. Hat band: It is the leather strip, ribbon, or string at the intersection of
the crown and brim to hold the hats size.
4. Sweatband: It is the inside part of the hat, which touches the top of the
wearers head.

V. Headgear types
1. Bonnets: Bonnets, as worn by women and girls, were hats worn
outdoors which were secured by tying under the chin, and often which
had some kind of peak or visor. Bonnets worn by men and boys are
generally distinguished from hats by being soft and having no brim.
Piper wearing a Feather bonnet

2. Caps: Caps are generally soft and often have no brim or just a peak
(like on a baseball cap). For many centuries women wore a variety of head-coverings which
were called caps.
3. Crowns: Headgear, such as the crown, coronet, and tiara, have evolved into jewellery.
These headgear are worn as a symbol of nobility or royal status.

4. Fillets: A fillet or circlet is a round band worn around the head and over the hair. Elaborate
and costly versions of these eventually evolved into crowns, but fillets could be made from
woven bands of fabric, leather, beads or metal. Fillets are unisex.

5. Hair covers: Hairnets are used to prevent loose hair from contaminating food or work
areas. A snood is a net or fabric bag pinned or tied on at the back of a woman's head for
holding the hair. Scarves are used to protect styled hair or keep it tidy. Shower caps and swim
caps prevent hair from becoming wet or entangled during activity.

6. Hats: Hats often have a brim all the way around the rim, and may be
either placed on the head, or secured with hat-pins (which are pushed
through the hat and the hair). Depending on the type of hat, they may be
properly worn by men, by women or by both sexes.
Napolon Bonaparte in his familiar bicorne hat

7. Helmets: Helmets are designed to protect the head, and sometimes the neck, from injury.
They are usually rigid, and offer protection from blows. Helmets are
commonly worn in battle, on construction sites and in many contact
sports (most commonly being associated with American football).

8. Hoods: Modern hoods are generally soft head coverings which are
an integral part of a larger garment, like an overcoat, shirt or cloak.
Historically, hoods were either similar to modern hoods, or a separate
form of headgear.
Queen Mary I of England wearing a French hood

9. Masks: A mask is worn over part or all of the face, frequently to disguise the wearer, but
sometimes to protect the face. Masks are often worn for pleasure to disguise the wearer at
fancy dress parties, masqued balls, during Halloween or other festivals, or as part of an
artistic performance.

10. Orthodontic headgear: Orthodontic headgear is used to control the growth of the
maxillary and mandibular bones during orthodontic treatment.

11. Turbans: Turbans are headgear, mostly for males, made up from a single piece of cloth
which is wrapped around the head in a wide variety of styles. Turbans for women are a
popular choice during treatments and religious practice.
12. Veils and head wraps: A veil is a piece of sheer fabric that covers all or part of the face.

13. Wig: Wigs are headpieces made from natural or synthetic hair which may be worn to
disguise baldness or thin hair, or as part of a costume.

VI. Hat size

Hat sizes are determined by measuring the circumference of a person's head about 1/2
inch (1.3 cm) above the ears. Inches or centimeters may be used depending on the
manufacturer. Felt hats can be stretched for a custom fit. Some hats, like hard hats and
baseball caps, are adjustable. Cheaper hats come in "standard sizes", such as small, medium,
large, extra-large: the mapping of measured size to the various "standard sizes" varies from
maker to maker and style to style
Traditional hat size is worked out by adding the fore and aft and side to side
measurements (in inches) then dividing by two. In the UK, an equivalent hat size is an eighth
of an inch smaller than in the US.

Hat sizes
Youth Youth
size XXS XS S M L XL XXL XXXL
S/M L/XL
Age (years) 0 1 1 2
Circumference 51 - 53 - 55 - 57 - 59 - 61 - 63 -
34 43 47 48 49 50 65 - 66
in cm 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
24
Circumference 20 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 -
13 17 18 18 19 19 - 25 - 26
in inches 20 21 22 22 23 24
25
6- 6- 6- 7- 7- 7- 7-
UK hat size 5 5 6 6 8 - 8
6 6 6 7 7 7 7
6- 6- 7- 7- 7-
US hat size 5 6 6 6 6-7 7-8 8 - 8
6 6 7 7 7
French hat 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8-
0 1 1 9 - 9
size 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

VII. Nature of the Industry:

The millinery industry today is small because of the diminished demand for its wares
is made up, as it always has been, of small firms, numbering fewer than 100, all of these are
specialists in this one field. The industry has been untouched by the drive to bingers and
diversification that has affected other areas of the fashion business. Smallness is no handicap
in the industry, however as there is little opportunity to mechanize automates or develops
huge runs of individual styles. The ability to move quickly on a new idea is the strong point
of small operations is an important asset in the millinery field.
 Periodically, the importance of the total look in fashion sparks renewed interest in
millinery. Designers dutifully put appropriate headwear on their models as they parade the
runways; retailers show millinery with other outer apparel; some customers even buy hats.
But one still sees few, indeed, on the streets and in other public places. That tide may form, as
tides often do in fashion. Meanwhile, even the most prestigious of fashion retailers gives only
minimal space to millinery department in which expert salesperson helped women choose
the right hats for their outfits, or the right hat to enhance their morale, for an important
occasion has not yet returned. Until it does the millinery industry will remain small.

The mens headwear industry generally responds to more functional needs. The
industry has some fluctuations as fashion change. But in general the industry is more stable
than womens millinery.

VIII. Economic importance: Retail sales of millinery for 1994 were estimate at $700
million, which represents a healthy increase over the $58 million production in the late
1970s (millinery information Bureau, 1995)

Mens hat sales for 1994 were $227 million. These figures include baseball caps,
which enjoyed remarkable popularity among young people, both men and women, in recent
years. Worn both forward and backward, these caps like shirts have become a place to
express ones support for a favorite team or cause.

IX. Construction of Hats/Millinery:

1. Product development and design: Basically, the millinery industries output falls into two
categories; hats and caps, and millinery. The former category can be made by machine or by
hand. Millinery type hats are made by sewing velvet, satin or other fabric and trimmings over
buckram frames, or by shaping and trimming felt or straw bodies. Millinery made by the
latter methods involves a great deal of hand work, and the processes lend themselves readily
to custom work for consumers or for sale through retail shops.
Hat manufactures produce two seasonal collections per year. The spring collection is
centered on a wide variety of straw and fabrics such as cotton and linen. Fall collections are
dominated by felt and fabrications of velvet, velveteen fake for and corduroy.
Hat collections are usually divided into groups organized around fabrications, color
schemes, themes, or price ranges. Hat designers are aware of fashion trends, especially color
projections, and use many of the same design sources as apparel designers.

2. Production: Traditionally, fine hats were referred to as millinery. Designer millinery is

mode of the finest materials. Natural straw, imported from China, Indonesia, Japan Ecuador,
or the Philippines. Felt or straw is first steamed and then hand blocked over wooden forms.
Blocking makes the straw or felt into the shape of a hat. The edges are hand trimmed and
then wired or band with ribbon. The best anility ribbons, flowers and others trims are
applied by hand.
 Soft parts and caps are made from fabrics. Patterns are made for the crown and brim
of the hat and used to cut the fabrics. The pieces are sewn together, some over stiffening
material and then hand trimmed.

3. Marketing: Market weeks for early spring lines are in November, spring/summer in
January, fall lines in May, and holiday/resort in August. The manufactures show their lines in
their New York showrooms, followed by regional markets. They may also show their
collections at the Fashion accessories expo or accessories circuit in January, May and August.
Some designers show at the same time as the apparel shows. Manufactures also have sales
representatives at major market centers such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas.
The millinery Information Bureau gives annual mills awards for outstanding hat design.
At retail stores, hat designers are using sales training and personal appearances in the
stores to promote their designs. Many upscale. Stores create comfortable areas with chairs,
mirrors and special lighting for their customers to try on hats. Some stores are opening hat
shops on apparel floors to help customers accessorize their clothing purchases.
The great unknown for millinery today is the customer. It still remains to be seen
whether promotion, publicity and fashion creativity can reverse the trend toward hat lancers
and convince women that smart millinery is essential to the total fashion look.
Mens headwear is sold through all major retail channels, including sporting goods
stores for caps and casual hats. Mail-order merchants have also increased sales.