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When Everyone Wore A Hat...
- Thread starter oldMohawk
- Start date
Lots of interesting comments coming out on this thread. It looks like as time moved on, hats were relegated to special occasions. Pity though, as several have already said, they can be so elegant. But I think choosing the right hat shape is the key otherwise they can look quite the opposite.
Your granddaughter Eddie looks a lot happier in her straw hat than I did. And the funny thing about my photo is I was a tomboy at this age, so my mum was obviously trying to make a very special effort to impress my grandmother on our trip to Sutton. And how do you turn a tomboy into a 'butter wouldn't melt' girl? Plonk a hat on top of her head and put her in a polka dot frock!
Oldmohawk, I think your mum and her friend are wearing toques. These hats were brimless, often crocheted, hats. Here's an example. And you could crochet collars and cuffs to match!! All suggests adding a bit of glam to your existing 1939s wardrobe. Viv.
Your granddaughter Eddie looks a lot happier in her straw hat than I did. And the funny thing about my photo is I was a tomboy at this age, so my mum was obviously trying to make a very special effort to impress my grandmother on our trip to Sutton. And how do you turn a tomboy into a 'butter wouldn't melt' girl? Plonk a hat on top of her head and put her in a polka dot frock!
Oldmohawk, I think your mum and her friend are wearing toques. These hats were brimless, often crocheted, hats. Here's an example. And you could crochet collars and cuffs to match!! All suggests adding a bit of glam to your existing 1939s wardrobe. Viv.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Yes they do look like crocheted hats, I remember my mum did a lot of crocheting and even taught me how to do it.
My parents seemed to have a habit of plonking funny hats on me before taking photos as shown below.
Maria Magenta
master brummie
I'm a hat person as well. Currently I've got a red cloche with a blue band, a black velvet hat with a wideish brim, and a straw summer hat. As well as some others I don't wear.
Dad's aunt had a big collection of hats. There's a wartime letter from mum to dad in which she comments that Auntie has bought yet another one, and it's expensive!
My wedding hat was from Brecknell's. Is it still there?
maria
Maria Magenta
master brummie
From about 1923. My father, his mother and her mother. Three hats.
Maria Magenta
master brummie
I wonder if tartan was fashionable at the time?
Going off the subject a bit, I've wondered how they afforded the sailor suit, as the family was poor and my grandmother was a single parent. I suppose they saved hard.
paul stacey
master brummie
Were they Scottish?, Paul
Maria Magenta
master brummie
No, but I liked Scottish dancing at school, and did wonder if there was Scottish blood somewhere!
Tartan was made popular by Queen Victoria, I think - perhaps they were behind the times.
B
BernardR
Guest
My sister wore tartan skirts - just something that went around. Could it have been as in the 1950 we often saw the Royal Children in their tartan kilts?
Maria Magenta
master brummie
I had some tartan trousers when I was about five.
The thing about hats for men is that they can raise them in greeting. Grandad, I was told, used to wear a billycock hat. Is that the same as a bowler, or different, does any one know?
Yes Maria it would have been a Bowler hat. Here's the Wikipedia's description:
"The bowler hat, also known as a bob hat, derby[1] (US), billycock or bombín,[2] is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the British soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester. The bowler hat was popular with the working class during the Victorian era, and later on with the middle and upper classes in the United Kingdom.[3] Later in the United Kingdom, it would come to be worn as work dress by the officers of the Queen's Guard".
Lovely to see these hat photos. Whether it's Oldmohawk's impromptu prop for the photo (seems to be an adult hat again, as was the WW2 tin hat in the earlier photo!) or Maria's family photo of the three generations. It's often noticeable that the older generation stick to hats of their generation and the younger ones show off the newer styles.
Viv.
"The bowler hat, also known as a bob hat, derby[1] (US), billycock or bombín,[2] is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the British soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester. The bowler hat was popular with the working class during the Victorian era, and later on with the middle and upper classes in the United Kingdom.[3] Later in the United Kingdom, it would come to be worn as work dress by the officers of the Queen's Guard".
Lovely to see these hat photos. Whether it's Oldmohawk's impromptu prop for the photo (seems to be an adult hat again, as was the WW2 tin hat in the earlier photo!) or Maria's family photo of the three generations. It's often noticeable that the older generation stick to hats of their generation and the younger ones show off the newer styles.
Viv.
Maria Magenta
master brummie
Thank you, Viv. Grandad used to say, if he thought a man looked smart, 'lovely collar and tie.' It became a family saying.
I've been thinking about hats I have worn over the years, and other people too. I've still got my father's cap, though he died over ten years ago, but I couldn't get rid of it. It's sitting on a shelf!
maria
I've been thinking about hats I have worn over the years, and other people too. I've still got my father's cap, though he died over ten years ago, but I couldn't get rid of it. It's sitting on a shelf!
maria
farmerdave
master brummie
Flat caps for the boys and a bonnet for the girl. I reckon this studio photograph was taken in the early 1920s. My father is on the extreme right and he is with two brothers and a sister. Note the boots worn by the boy on the left. I'm sure that they would have all dressed up very smartly just for this photograph. Dave.
My dear mother, Elsie Tovey (who preferred later to call herself Freda), in 1906/7 when she was around 6 or 7. Probably photographed in the back garden of her grandmother's house, where she lived, in Station Road, Knowle. I wonder if it was a special occasion, hence the HAT!!
Chris
Chris
Attachments
Maria Magenta
master brummie
A great photo, and I love her hat!
maria
maria
Chamberlain celebration 1906 at Aston Hall. All the women are wearing hats, all the men are carrying top hats. Wonder why they took them off for the photo? Was this some sort of social etiquette? The lady in the centre (Mrs Chamberlain?) has a whopper of a bouquet too, bigger than most wedding bouquets. And her hat has pretty well obliterated the lady standing behind her. Viv.
They have just finished the photographic session and they are about to enter the building as in those days they was true gentlemen's
Not like today walk in with hoodies on flat caps and crash helmets like they do today
Bearing in mind those top hats was quite tall and the ladies looked like true ladyfolks not like years later when they introduced the sacvk dress,s
By the way whom was the fashion lady of the Yeats gone bye whom designed and intro duce the sack dress does anybody know
Was it or not Mary quant or was she known for her hair design ,surely our older ladies of the forum may recall it
Not like today walk in with hoodies on flat caps and crash helmets like they do today
Bearing in mind those top hats was quite tall and the ladies looked like true ladyfolks not like years later when they introduced the sacvk dress,s
By the way whom was the fashion lady of the Yeats gone bye whom designed and intro duce the sack dress does anybody know
Was it or not Mary quant or was she known for her hair design ,surely our older ladies of the forum may recall it
norfolk brummie
gone but not forgotten
Vidal Sassoon, was the hairdresser that fashioned the 1960's hair styles, including that of Mary Quant. She designed dresses, and was responsible, I believe, for the mini skirt, with the help of models like Twiggy.
I think Vivian Westwood also designed very outrageous sack type dresses. I have no idea who designed the hats.
I may be wrong there. I am no fashion expert. It is just that I was in the London music business in those days, and saw the fashions all around me. Great days.
Eddie
Apparently 7th July 1906 was Chamberlain's Day. there is a Pathe film (https://www.britishpathe.com/video/chamberlain-day-1917/query/Chamberlain) showing some very impressive cars going through Birmingham that day. Ignore the 1917 in the original link title - The page explains that it was labelled originally with the wrong date
devonjim
master brummie
See #5 in this thread!
In the late 50's a girl I then worked with realised she was considered "grown up" as the man next door had "doffed" his hat and greeted her "G'morning Miss B----". She was about 18 at that time.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Alan - The man appears to be wearing a bowler hat so he is not one of the 'toffs' in the pic !
oldmohawk
Hi oldmowhawk
Many thanks for putting right I am using a note book and not a comp,, and the picture is not as good as my comp,
And to add misery to it and what as thrown me is the photographer and the angle he as taken it
As got the light above him and at first I thought it was a ladies hat with full set of flowers and then I said to myself now said it was a gentleman
Then I got the impression of a cache across is breast
But you are abouselly correct
Thanks again mow have a good day, even thou its bucketting down here in Worcestershire Alan,Astonian,,,,,
Many thanks for putting right I am using a note book and not a comp,, and the picture is not as good as my comp,
And to add misery to it and what as thrown me is the photographer and the angle he as taken it
As got the light above him and at first I thought it was a ladies hat with full set of flowers and then I said to myself now said it was a gentleman
Then I got the impression of a cache across is breast
But you are abouselly correct
Thanks again mow have a good day, even thou its bucketting down here in Worcestershire Alan,Astonian,,,,,
The 'bowlered' man hiding at the back might have been in charge of the staff catering for the event. Bowlers distinguished the gaffers from the workers. I notice the lady in the window is dressed to the nines too, almost like she's helping herself to the buffet.
Mike - thanks for the link. Great convoy of motor cars. Also like the way you can spot elderly ladies in their precious Victorian outfits despite everyone else having moved into Edwardian fashion. Viv.
Mike - thanks for the link. Great convoy of motor cars. Also like the way you can spot elderly ladies in their precious Victorian outfits despite everyone else having moved into Edwardian fashion. Viv.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I read in the comments about the Chamberlain's Day parade that they used Westrumite to coat the road.
What was 'Westrumite' I wondered, but my friend Google showed me ...
Westrumite was a road-dust preventing material composed primarily of petroleum and ammonia. It was developed around 1900 in response to the spread of motoring and the dust raised by cars using the roads.
They probably wondered why their tyres did not last ... :friendly_wink:
What was 'Westrumite' I wondered, but my friend Google showed me ...
Westrumite was a road-dust preventing material composed primarily of petroleum and ammonia. It was developed around 1900 in response to the spread of motoring and the dust raised by cars using the roads.
They probably wondered why their tyres did not last ... :friendly_wink: