Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken.

[venta]

OK. Let's talk about hats.

On Saturday, I am bidden to a wedding where the invitation suggested the wearing of "prepostorous hats". There are many forms of prepostry, but I was hoping to acquire an over-the-top posh hat.

Sadly, I have failed. Being too mean to shell out for decent millinery, I have been trawling charity shops. I have found many, many hats answering the description.

Not a single one fitted me. Hats, these days, are simply not designed to be worn by someone who has long hair, and has it "up". Which, if I were going to a posh-hat-worthy occasion, I would have. I had the same problem earlier in the year when seeking a non-prepostorous hat for a wedding.

If you watch - say - the Rupert Everett film of An Ideal Husband then the female characters are constantly donning a stream of stunning hats. They all have their hair up, and the hats are worn tipped forward over the face and secured with pins. I want a hat that does that, and I've no idea how to find one.

Earlier in the year I found exactly that shape of hat in Debenhams. It was available in white, cream or black, a coquettish tipped-forward number with a froth of veil. Then I realised: it attached to the head via a broad and clearly-visible Alice band. In fact, it looked completely ridiculous.

I did locate one which was almost-suitable in Oxfam this lunchtime. Sadly, it was a little too small and also virulently pink. Basically, it was like a normal broad-brimmed hat, but the crown was very shallow such that it perched on the very top of the head. It had a narrow black elastic which I assume was intended to put under my chin; I'd have removed that and bought a nice hat-pin and perched it at a much more jaunty angle. However, it was too small and I don't think it would look right with what I'm planning to wear.

So, oh LJ, help me. Some of you might have the same problem: what sort of a hat does one wear with an up-do ? Where do I find coy, tippy-forward Edwardian hats (or, more accurately, copies thereof) ? What do I call hats of that style, or hats with a shallow brim-draft, such that I can search for them online or on eBay ?

Yes, I have considered fascinators. In fact, that was my solution earlier in the year and will very probably be my solution on Saturday. They're all very well in their way, but they're hardly hats.

Comments

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

I think the elastic goes around the back of your head, rather than under your chin!

[taimatsu]

Vintage shops might have something of the sort, but not likely in Oxford.

It seems to be the late Victorian period as well as the Edwardian which really went for the big hair and small, tipped-forward hat thing - see here. Perhaos widen your search to both periods?

If you can find a felt or fabric hat of an appropriate shape you might be able to alter the brim to the shape you want. Alternatively, buy something with a stupid alice band, remove it from the band, and attach it with a hat pin (which, if all else fails, you can buy from a craft shop like Hobbycraft and decorate yourself with a couple of beads to match your outfit or the hat).

[the-alchemist.livejournal.com]

I would tend to alter my hair rather than the hat. Sometimes I wear it in a low bun, so the hat brim goes above it; sometimes in a high bun, under the crown of the hat; sometimes in two plaits crossed over my head - these are so flat that hats fit over them OK, but if you have thicker hair you might need four plaits.

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Suzi has a collection of hats and was/is? always on the look out for them. Department stores are good, as are things like TK Max, anywhere thats a little odd. One of my favorites was nicknamed the Mad Chicken had and was a simple black afair with *LOADS* of shot green feathers, was an absolute stunner if you had the head to wear it.

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

I have a very bright blue-with-black-ribbon hat which worked well over my up-do hair last time I wore it anywhere posh.

It is however very bright, and is more regularly hat-shaped than the things you describe. However, if it will do, I'll happily lend it to you.

[mr-tom.livejournal.com]

Presumably in the post-Ascot haze, Big Silly Hats appear all over t'eBay and what have you.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Try: merry widow, pompadour.

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

ebay!
My Mum's amazing hat from out wedding was an ebay purchase. I'd offer you the loan of that hat, but sadly it has not been sold on.

[stripey-cat.livejournal.com]

Modern hats are designed to be worn square on the head (or possibly tipped slightly backwards), relatively low across the forehead. That's the current fashion (well, in so much as big hats are fashionable). You can dress your hair low on the neck, as someone suggested, but you need it brushed smooth over the crown so it fits.

If you want one that'll go on top of big hair, you need to either look at vintage/replica hats from periods when hair was dressed up and bulky, or have custom work done. I'm thinking there's no time for the latter (and no budget unless you've got the skills yourself). Try late C18th (for the broad-brimmed, Gainsborough styles) or slightly earlier for more masculine riding hats, and various periods of the mid-C19th - early C20th for a variety of smaller hats, some perched flat and others tilted forwards. 1940s hats were often pinned above a roll of hair, and probably your best bet for actual vintage rather than replicas. If they have elastic, it's intended to go under a relatively low bun - it doesn't work well with more elaborate styles, and slips off higher up the head, but you can always cut it off a replica or tuck it up into an actual antique.

The headdresses attached to alice bands or small skull-caps do work quite well if your hair is curly and you dress it to hide the foundation - think of them as part of your hairdressing rather than a hat and you'll be on the right track. If your hair (like mine) won't hold a curl, or you want it dressed smoothly, you can carefully disassemble the headdress (maybe attach it to a smaller foundation to keep it in place) and pin just the decoration into your hair.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

I was going to say: cut off the alice band and pin it on, but lots of other sensible people said that first. So I shall just say: I'm not sure if I've ever seen you with your hair up properly, but I imagine it looks very nice. Pictures please!

[floralaetifica.livejournal.com]

What on earth is a fascinator?