Anatomy of a Hat

After I posted yesterday's blog about hats, it occurred to me that although I probably know a bit more about hat styles than the average (hat-wearing) bear, there are quite a few terms for hat styles that I'm not entirely solid on. And I suspect that a lot of the folks who read that column don't have the slightest idea what makes a hat a "spectator hat" or a "cloche" or what the top part of a hat is called (it's the "crown"). So I thought I'd do a little research for you and put together this handy guide to women's hat styles.

First of all, we need to understand the "anatomy of a hat" - what are the different parts that make up a hat called?

Anatomy of a hat, from the Hats Unlimited website

This diagram is a man's hat, but all the various pieces and parts are the same for both genders. Here's a bit more information about each part:

• Crown: The upper part of the hat is called the "crown". An actual crown is pretty much just a ring that sets on top of your head; the crown of a hat is exactly the same thing.
• Crown shape: The top of the crown can be domed, flat, or "dented" into various shapes. The crown shape plays a significant part in making a hat a certain style.
• Hat band: Hats are often decorated with a ribbon or strip of material (fabric, leather, beading, etc.) circling the base of the crown. This hat band may be embellished with a knot or bow or other fancy details.
• Hat decoration: Certain styles of hat have a very specific type of decoration tucked into the hat band, which may range from small feathers to hugely elaborate loops and bows.
• Brim: The brim juts out from the base of the crown and shades the face. The brim may be any width, from narrow to wide; it may be not-existent (e.g., on a pillbox hat); or it may be a partial brim (e.g., on a baseball cap).
• Underbrim: The underside of the brim may be lined in a different material or it may simply be the underside of the brim.
• Inner band/sweatband: Exactly what it sounds like: The sweatband absorbs sweat from the brow, and also serves to keep the hat in place. Not all hats have an inner band.
• Inner liner: Not all hats have an inner liner, but sometimes the crown is lined with fabric. 

Now we get to the various styles of women's hats. The style is defined by the relative size and shape of some of the various components listed above. There is a large degree of variation in many of these styles, primarily in terms of how they are decorated. It's really the basic structure of a hat that defines its style, although a few types of hats require a very specific style of decoration (e.g., a man's Tyrolean hat is traditionally decorated with a small feather). Let's go in alphabetical order.

Beret

  

A beret is a soft fabric hat with a round, short crown and no brim, although it may have a kind of band at the base, as seen in the second photo above. Traditionally, they are decorated with a small "apple stem" at the top. In the 1940s, they were sometimes worn in a very flat style called a "pancake beret," as in the third photo, above. They have their roots in military garb, and are still worn by military members such as the Green Berets. They are often associated with artists, particularly French painters. 

Boater (also called a skimmer)

A boater hat is a straw hat with a medium-width brim and a low, straight-sided, flat-topped crown. Traditionally, it bears a red-on-blue striped hatband with two long tails trailing down the back, as originally worn by Venetian gondoliers, but today the tails are often omitted, and the hatband is more commonly black. Modern variations also change the height of the crown from quite short to relatively tall, and occasionally add a slight dome to the top of the crown. You may also recognize the style as being worn by traditional barbershop groups, and styrofoam versions are sometimes worn at political rallies, likely because of their red, white, and blue colors. 

Bowler (or derby)

   

Although primarily thought of as a men's hat, bowlers can also be worn by women. Generally made of sturdy felt, they have a high, domed crown, and a 2-inch brim that is bound along the edge and turned up at the sides and sometimes all around. If you are of a certain age, you likely associate a bowler with Patrick Macnee from the Avengers television series, or perhaps with Charlie Chaplin. A bowler hat and a derby hat are exactly the same thing, bowler being the British term and derby the American. However, a man's derby hat should not be confused with a woman's Derby hat, which is a highly decorated hat worn to the Kentucky Derby (see "Derby hat," below). 

Cloche

  

Popularized in the 1920s, a cloche is characterized by being very close-fitting to the head and somewhat bell-shaped, with a brim that may flare slightly or not, or which may be only on the front of the hat. A cloche may be made of wool, fabric, or straw, or even knitted or crocheted. It is often embellished with a hatband and bows, feathers, or flowers placed at the side, back, or front. Famous wearers of cloche hats include Clara Bow and the entire female cast of any version of The Great Gatsby ever filmed.

Cocktail hat (see "Fascinator," below)

Derby hat (or race hat)

  

A woman's Derby hat (not to be confused with a man's derby hat) is defined not so much by its shape or structure but by its size and elaborate decorations. Originating at the Kentucky Derby, large ornate hats are traditionally worn on race day still. Most Derby hats use a large sunhat as a base (the broader the brim, the better), and are whimsically and colorfully decorated with giant flowers, loads of huge feathers, yards of ribbon, and even full-on dioramas and figures.

Fascinator

  

Fascinators became hugely popular following the royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, who often wears them to formal events. A fascinator is a small (but often elaborate) hat or ornament that is pinned to the hair or worn on a headband, usually at a jaunty angle or on the side of the head. Fascinators can range from a small flower or feather accent to an oversized extravaganza. A fascinator is often incorrectly called a cocktail hat, the technical distinction being merely is that a cocktail hat is perched on the head while a fascinator is clipped to the hair or held on by a headband.

Fedora

  

Another style generally associated with men (particularly Humphrey Bogart and every other film noir detective in the 1940s and 1950s), the fedora is a varying style with a short to mid-width brim that turns up in the back. It may turn either up or down in the front (hats which can be converted from one style to another are called "snap brims"). The crown narrows slightly at the top and usually has a front-to back or teardrop-shaped crease and often a "pinch" at the front (shown clearly in the Bogart picture above). A fedora is generally unadorned by anything other than a hat band, which is usually the same color as the hat, which may very in width from very narrow to quite wide, and which may have a flat bow at the side. It is often worn at a rakish angle.

Kettle brim (also called up-brim)

  

Although this term is probably unfamiliar (I'd never heard of it before), the style is quite common as a casual sun hat. It has a somewhat short, straight-sided, flat or barely domed crown and a very broad brim that is turned up several inches or even rolled all around the edges. It is often worn quite low over the forehead, and usually straight across or just slightly tipped back. Most variations are straw, but dressier versions are sometimes made of organza or sturdy cotton. As a sunhat, it is often devoid of any decoration, even a hat band, but it can be dressed up with ribbons, bows, and feathers. It is commonly used as a base for a Derby hat, since the turned-up brim makes a convenient "shelf" for ornate decorations.

Picture hat (or Gainesborough)

  

Something of a precursor to the Derby hat, a picture hat is an ornately decorated hat with a wide brim, often featured in portraits of wealthy women painted by artist Thomas Gainesborough during the late 18th century, and the style is still popular today. Decorations have ranged from fresh flowers to huge bows to ostrich and marabou feathers to gemstones. Large picture hats are sometimes also called cartwheel hats. Camilla Parker Bowles is often photographed wearing a picture hat, and the "Ascot Gavotte" scene from My Fair Lady is full of marvelous picture hats.

Pillbox

  

Jacqueline Kennedy nearly single-handedly brought the pillbox into popularity in the early 1960s. Its distinctive round, brimless. straight-up, flat-crowned shape often has a small birdcage veil (which drops just below the eyes) attached, and it may be unadorned or be decorated with ribbons, bows, or flowers on the top. Other famous pillbox wearers include Doris Day and Audrey Hepburn. 

Tam

  

The tam is a woman's version of the traditional Scottish tam o'shanter (named after a character in a Robert Burns poem), and is somewhat similar to a beret. It is a soft, brimless hat with a round, full crown, often knitted or crocheted, and topped with a small pom-pom. Modern women's versions often replace the pom-pom with a small button or omit it altogether. The tam is generally worn drooping to the side or the back. Occasionally a small brim is added in front, creating an almost bonnet-like style, as in the third example above.


Let me know if there are any styles you're still confused about, or if I've missed explaining any!

A Piece of Magic is a Hat

I love hats. I love wearing them, I love when other people wear them, I love decorating them, I love shopping for them. I love looking back at the hats of other eras, and I love modern hats. But it makes me sad that not many people share my love for hats these days – or at least, not many people wear hats these days. The problem seems to be that many people aren’t sure when a hat is appropriate, what type of hat is appropriate at an event, and where to even buy a hat!

 I’d like to help bring back the hat with this handy guide for when it is appropriate to wear a hat, and what type of hat is most appropriate for a given occasion, and links to where to purchase a variety of types (and prices) of hats.

If you’re looking for a basic, practical hat to wear to the beach, gardening, or a backyard barbeque, a sun hat is the kind for you. A sun hat is a practical way to both keep your skin protected from the sun and keep cool. A sun hat should have a large brim, and should be of a relatively lightweight, breathable fabric or woven straw. A sunhat can be quite plain, decorated with only a simple hatband or occasionally a bow, or can be a bit more decorative, made from colorful straw or fabric or adding a small bow or pretty ribbon.

Here are a few examples of practical sunhats and where to find them:

 Crescent Beach Sun Hat from LL Bean, $29.95

 

 Ombre Straw Sun Hat from J. Crew, $34.50

 

 Ribbon Sun Hat from REI, $24.50

If you’d like something a bit dressier, but still practical for keeping the sun off, try a garden party hat: medium- to large-brimmed, but more elaborate or more decorated than a sun hat – in other words, it’s the more fashion-forward version of a sun hat. Both straw and fabric hats are appropriate.

 Ivy from Salmagundi Hats, $128

 Luxury Divas Hat with Big Flower from Walmart, $25.99

 

 New Lynda’s Church Hat from MensUSA, $65

The lavender hat above is lightweight and has a wide enough brim to keep off the sun, making it practical, but the elegant shape and satin flower also make it appropriate to wear for a slightly more formal occasion, say, an outdoor wedding or an Easter church service. Here are a few other hats that can be worn for dressier occasions. Keep in mind that if you’re at an event where guests will be seated, your hat should not be overly large, to avoid blocking the view of guests behind you. 

 Mr. Hi Straw Church Hat from Divine Fashion, $43

 Scala Ivory and Red Sinamy Hat from Bluefly, $17.99

Another nice option for any event when your hat needs to be kept to a minimum is a fascinator. A fascinator has a small base attached to a headband, pinned to the hair, or held on with an elastic, and can range in style and size from small and dainty to elaborate and ornate. Fascinators surged in popularity after Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton, but they’ve been around for decades. They’re easy enough to make yourself if you’re creative and have access to a glue gun (or a stapler), but if you prefer to get one pre-made, here are a few lovely options.  

 Fabulous Floral Fascinator Headband from Nordstrom, $38

 

 Tilt the End of Time Fascinator from Modcloth, $39.99

 August Hats Begonia Fascinator from Macys, $34.99

Are these fascinators too simple and delicate for you? Are you dying to REALLY make a statement with your hat? Then here are the heavy-hitters of the ladies’ hat world: the Kentucky Derby hats. Now, Kentucky Derby hats do, in fact, include more traditional (and demure) styles such as church hats and fascinators. But the queens of the Derby Hats are the giant, elaborate statement hats. Hats like these (note: when you look at some of the prices, remind yourself that it’s not just a hat, it’s an investment):

 Organza Derby Hat with Ruffles from Greatlookz, $32.99

 Sinamay Hat Black-Ivory from Fit Rite Fashions, $100

 Dahlia from Salmagundi Hats, $128

 Buttercup from Salmagundi Hats, $208

And if you’d prefer to make a statement with style rather than size, how about a lovely vintage-inspired hat, perhaps one of these?

 Pure Edith Hat from ModCloth, $44.99

 Feather & Veil Pillbox Hat from Village Hat Shop, $40

 Large Bow Wool Cloche from Dahlia, $29.95

 Elegant Bowknot Wool Felt Hat with Veil from Choies, $25.99

 Satin Pillbox Hat with Veil from Overstock, $38.99

Still not convinced of the wonderful role hats could have in your life? Here are a few more thoughts on hats from some people who are wiser (or at least more famous) than I.

“You can put it on and say, "Hey you, person without a hat! I've got something you don't! How did I get it? Probably by being worth more to society.” (Alice LeGrow)

“Wearing a hat is like having a baby or a puppy; everyone stops to coo and talk about it.” (Louise Green)

“A hat is a flag, a shield, a bit of armor, and the badge of femininity. A hat is the difference between wearing clothes and wearing a costume; it’s the difference between being dressed and being dressed up; it’s the difference between looking adequate and looking your best. A hat is to be stylish in, to glow under, to flirt beneath, to make all others seem jealous over, and to make all men feel masculine about. A piece of magic is a hat.” (Martha Sliter)

“...For when a woman puts on a hat, A transformation oft takes place: Self-confidence and self-respect, Show in the lady's face. She accents her femininity; She stands tall, with shoulders back; Even when her derriere, Is clothed in jeans or slacks. I think tomorrow is a say-something-hat day.”  (Vida Boheme)
 

Here’s my “say-something hat.” Where’s yours?