After A Fashion: A Hat by Balenciaga, c. 1960

Hat of Woven Green Straw
Balenciaga, c. 1960
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made circa 1960, this attractive hat of woven green straw is trimmed with a pin which has a bobble on each end. The unlined headwear features a hatband with a grosgrain back and green velvet front.

The hat was made in Paris, France, and is the work of the famed designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, (1895 – 1972). It’s part of the collection of Mrs. Fern Bedaux—the extremely wealthy widow of an American multimillionaire office systems pioneer, Charles Bedaux--whose beautiful clothing was given to the V&A by her niece and heiress Miss E Hanley. Mrs. Bedaux always celebrated for her fashion sense, purchased her entire wardrobe regularly from Balenciaga, amassing an unrivaled collection of the designer’s work.

History's Runway: The Doge's Corno Ducale, 1675-99

Corno Ducale
1675-1699
Venice, Italy
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For over a thousand years, from 700AD until 1797, the Italian city-state of Venice was ruled over by a chief magistrate who was known as the Doge. The Doge was chosen by a committee comprised of members of the leading aristocratic families of Venice.  This magistrate held the office for the duration of his life.  The Doge, among other perks, was given a special hat.  I think all leaders should have special hats.

The hat that we see here is an example of the “corno ducale,” a ceremonial crown which was worn by the Doge over a cap of fine linen which was known as a “camauro.”

These caps were hand-made by the nuns of the Convent of San Zaccaria.  A new cap was presented to the Doge every Easter Monday, following a procession from San Marco to the convent.  How nice!

This corno ducale dates between 1675 and 1699 and is made of gold silk and metal thread brocade.  The crown of the hat curves up into a smooth vertical protrusion at the back. The whole thing is trimmed with metal braiding.

Unusual Artifacts: The Hummingbird Spray, 1894

Thing
More specifically a floral spray ornament meant for a hat
Made from dead hummingbird feathers, skin and beetles.
English, 1894
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This odd, yet completely Victorian, object is an 1894 creation of millinery wire wound with brown silk thread and adorned with Coppery-headed Emerald Hummingbird feathers and Indian Beetle wings arranged in the form of a floral spray. Gotta love our Victorian forebears and their ability to make something attractive out of anything—even pieces of dead bugs and birds. The feathers have become leaves and seven pieces of iridescent copper hummingbird skin, delightfully cut in the shape of a flower petal form a blossom, with seven pieces of beetle-wing in the center. Fun!

This…thing…was created to be used as an ornament for a hat. The 1880s to about 1921, a lady of fashion enjoyed wearing hats which were decorated with the plumage of exotic birds. This poor birdy was from Costa Rica.

Now, even by Victorian standards, this was a bit extreme since it required the actual killing of the bird. Of course, most of the feathers which made up such ornaments came from birds who were killed, but a case could have been made that the birds were found dead or, perhaps, willing offered up their plumage. You can’t say that about this…thing. It certainly would have required killing the hummingbird since the presence of the creature’s SKIN makes this reality undeniable.

Just before this ornament was made, The Society for the Protection of Birds was formed in 1889 in Britain. The organization passionately protested the killing of Britain's great-crested grebe for use in fashionable dress. By the 1900s, the Society was campaigning against the use of most exotic birds in millinery and other fashions. The V&A tells us that, “the first Anti-Plumage Bill was defeated in the House of Commons in 1908 and finally passed in 1921, preventing any further use of birds as fashionable decoration.” You all know how much I adore all things Victorian. And, I confess, I’m often drawn to the weird bits of aviary taxidermy from time to time because they’re just so darn beautiful. They really are. I would never purchase one, however, since I have a natural aversion to dead things. What appeals to me about such items is the bird itself. That’s what appealed to our Victorian forbears. The birds were attractive--so attractive that they were murdered for it. The Victorians wanted to make beauty permanent, and, in their estimation that was a good way to do it. I don’t fault them for it, but I would certainly not support such a thing. I like birds. I have, truly, about six doves who have made homes for themselves around the protected exterior of my house—quickly making me the Crazy Dove Man of McKinney and turning my porches into a dove factory. I talk to them. I talk to all animals. I’m a little peculiar. But, there must be a middle ground between displaying dead animals in your home and, well, being like me and offering sanctuary to any wildlife which comes my way. Perhaps one day I’ll find a middle ground. The Victorians didn’t. Still, we can enjoy the beauty of these animals which lost their lives so long ago. 

History's Runway: A Hat by Balenciaga, c. 1960

Hat of Woven Green Straw
Balenciaga, c. 1960
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made circa 1960, this attractive hat of woven green straw is trimmed with a pin which has a bobble on each end. The unlined headwear features a hatband with a grosgrain back and green velvet front.

The hat was made in Paris, France, and is the work of the famed designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, (1895 – 1972). It’s part of the collection of Mrs. Fern Bedaux—the extremely wealthy widow of an American multimillionaire office systems pioneer, Charles Bedaux--whose beautiful clothing was given to the V&A by her niece and heiress Miss E Hanley. Mrs. Bedaux always celebrated for her fashion sense, purchased her entire wardrobe regularly from Balenciaga, amassing an unrivaled collection of the designer’s work.

Unusual Artifacts: A Top Hat Box, 1890-99

Hat Box of Leather and Silk
Containing two fine hats
1890-1899
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This hatbox, dating to about 1890 to 1899, is made of brown leather, and boasts two leather straps with snap fastenings and a handle for transportation. The box is lined with red grosgrain—essentially, a heavy, corded silk which is primarily used for ribbon.

The case contains two fine hats. Inside the bottom part of the hatbox is a top hat of black silk plush, lined with white satin. The V&A notes, “The top of the hat has a ventilation hole marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co Reg. US Patent Office'.” The top portion of the hatbox contains a gibus (a top hat with a collapsible crown, which came into fashion in the 1840s and was worn with evening dress) of black silk grosgrain lined with black silk marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co., Copyrighted CBH'.  Sadly, we have no pictures of the hats.

While this box contains two hats, some hatboxes included a storage space for a the type of brush which was used to keep the hats shiny and smooth by bushing the nap. These brushes were often used for advertising by hatters and were given away with new hats. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Mrs. Church Hat, c. 1960

Straw Hat
Aage Thaarup
c. 1965
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by casual Victorian designs, this natural straw broad-brimmed hat is adorned with fabric poppies, cornflowers, daisies, and wheat stalks. The hat was made in the mid-to-late 1960s by the celebrated milliner Aage Thaarup (1906 - 1987).

The hat was once worn by one Mrs. Blair Cook whose sister Mrs. B. Church donated the hat to the V&A. A hat such as this was perfect for a warm day in country. When it was made, softer, more feminine styles were taking the place of the more severe looks which preceded it in the post-World War II years.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Silk Top Hat, 1900-1910

Frequently a silk hat is never seen between Sunday and Sunday. Churchgoers still, to a certain extent, affect it, but in these days of outdoor life, bicycling, and so on, the costume worn by men in church is experiencing the same modifications that characterise it in other department.

--“Manners for Men,” by Mrs Humphry ('Madge of Truth')

Top Hat
Silk
James Locke & Co.
1900-1910
The Victoria & Albert Museum

No Nineteenth or Early Twentieth Century gentleman’s evening attire was complete without the proper headgear—a top hat. Tall, high-crowned hats with a narrow brim (which was most often slightly turned up on the sides), top hats, in the Nineteenth Century, were worn in black for evenings, but sometimes, for sporting and casual events, they could be grey or brown. For a brief period in the early Nineteenth Century, pale colors between off-white and gray were worn with sporting dress from about 1820, and into the 1840s were acceptable for a man’s daily wardrobe. 

The top hat reached the apex of its popularity during the 1840s and 1850s as the middle classes had greater access to manufactured attire. After 1850, new styles emerged, such as the straw boater and soft felt hat, but the most popular of the trendy new styles was the bowler. The rise of the bowler challenged the predominance of the top hat in daily use, but they remained the height of evening fashion. 

The advent of the collapsible top hat (called a “gibus”) came in the 1840s and was often worn with evening dress. The gibus worked by means of an accordion of corded silk or cloth over a metal framework, allowing it to be opened easily and closed so that it could easily be carried under the arm.

This particular hat is made of silk as opposed to some which were made from felted beaver fur (and consequently called “beavers). This model by the English firm James Locke and Co. dates between 1900 and 1910.

History's Runway: A Hat by Balenciaga, c. 1960

Hat of Woven Green Straw
Balenciaga, c. 1960
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made circa 1960, this attractive hat of woven green straw is trimmed with a pin which has a bobble on each end. The unlined headwear features a hatband with a grosgrain back and green velvet front.

The hat was made in Paris, France, and is the work of the famed designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, (1895 – 1972). It’s part of the collection of Mrs. Fern Bedaux—the extremely wealthy widow of an American multimillionaire office systems pioneer, Charles Bedaux--whose beautiful clothing was given to the V&A by her niece and heiress Miss E Hanley. Mrs. Bedaux always celebrated for her fashion sense, purchased her entire wardrobe regularly from Balenciaga, amassing an unrivaled collection of the designer’s work.

Unusual Artifacts: The Hummingbird Spray, 1894

Thing
More specifically a floral spray ornament meant for a hat
Made from dead hummingbird feathers, skin and beetles.
English, 1894
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This odd, yet completely Victorian, object is an 1894 creation of millinery wire wound with brown silk thread and adorned with Coppery-headed Emerald Hummingbird feathers and Indian Beetle wings arranged in the form of a floral spray. Gotta love our Victorian forebears and their ability to make something attractive out of anything—even pieces of dead bugs and birds. The feathers have become leaves and seven pieces of iridescent copper hummingbird skin, delightfully cut in the shape of a flower petal form a blossom, with seven pieces of beetle-wing in the center. Fun!

This…thing…was created to be used as an ornament for a hat. The 1880s to about 1921, a lady of fashion enjoyed wearing hats which were decorated with the plumage of exotic birds. This poor birdy was from Costa Rica.

Now, even by Victorian standards, this was a bit extreme since it required the actual killing of the bird. Of course, most of the feathers which made up such ornaments came from birds who were killed, but a case could have been made that the birds were found dead or, perhaps, willing offered up their plumage. You can’t say that about this…thing. It certainly would have required killing the hummingbird since the presence of the creature’s SKIN makes this reality undeniable.

Just before this ornament was made, The Society for the Protection of Birds was formed in 1889 in Britain. The organization passionately protested the killing of Britain's great-crested grebe for use in fashionable dress. By the 1900s, the Society was campaigning against the use of most exotic birds in millinery and other fashions. The V&A tells us that, “the first Anti-Plumage Bill was defeated in the House of Commons in 1908 and finally passed in 1921, preventing any further use of birds as fashionable decoration.” You all know how much I adore all things Victorian. And, I confess, I’m often drawn to the weird bits of aviary taxidermy from time to time because they’re just so darn beautiful. They really are. I would never purchase one, however, since I have a natural aversion to dead things. What appeals to me about such items is the bird itself. That’s what appealed to our Victorian forbears. The birds were attractive--so attractive that they were murdered for it. The Victorians wanted to make beauty permanent, and, in their estimation that was a good way to do it. I don’t fault them for it, but I would certainly not support such a thing. I like birds. I have, truly, about sixteen doves who have made homes for themselves around the protected exterior of my house—quickly making me the Crazy Dove Man of McKinney and turning my porches into a dove factory. I talk to them. I talk to all animals. I’m a little peculiar. But, there must be a middle ground between displaying dead animals in your home and, well, being like me and offering sanctuary to any wildlife which comes my way. Perhaps one day I’ll find a middle ground. The Victorians didn’t. Still, we can enjoy the beauty of these animals which lost their lives so long ago. 

History's Runway: The Pudding Safety Hat, 1775-1800

"Pudding" or "Safety" Hat
Britain, 1775-1800
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A “pudding” hat was essentially a safety hat designed for a young child to wear while learning to walk. The hat was designed to be fastened around the head, horizontally, above the ears. The name comes from the resemblance of the rolled part of the hat to the sort of English sausage known as “pudding.” This horseshoe-shaped roll of glazed cotton would feature four lightly padded triangular flaps attached at regular intervals. Two of these flaps fastened together over the head.

This type of “pudding” hat was very popular for children during the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. Not only was it cute, but it served to protect a tot’s soft, smooshy head for injury should he or she take a tumble while staggering about in that way that babies have. Clearly, I’m not a parent… 


The sausage-like horseshoe-shaped roll on this “pudding” hat is constructed of glazed pink cotton. This includes a padded white linen inner piece which has been stiffened with wire and card, and a black petersham ribbon tie at each end. The four lightly padded triangular flaps are also stiffened with card and attached to the roll at regular intervals (partly covering the crown of the head). The edges of the triangular flaps and the top seam of the roll are all edged with narrow black velvet ribbon. This hat was made in the U.K. between 1775 and 1800. 

Unusual Artifacts: The Mrs. Church Hat, c. 1960

Straw Hat
Aage Thaarup
c. 1965
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by casual Victorian designs, this natural straw broad-brimmed hat is adorned with fabric poppies, cornflowers, daisies, and wheat stalks. The hat was made in the mid-to-late 1960s by the celebrated milliner Aage Thaarup (1906 - 1987).

The hat was once worn by one Mrs. Blair Cook whose sister Mrs. B. Church donated the hat to the V&A. A hat such as this was perfect for a warm day in country. When it was made, softer, more feminine styles were taking the place of the more severe looks which preceded it in the post-World War II years.

Unusual Artifacts: A Top Hat Box, 1890-99

Hat Box of Leather and Silk
Containing two fine hats
1890-1899
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This hatbox, dating to about 1890 to 1899, is made of brown leather, and boasts two leather straps with snap fastenings and a handle for transportation. The box is lined with red grosgrain—essentially, a heavy, corded silk which is primarily used for ribbon.

The case contains two fine hats. Inside the bottom part of the hatbox is a top hat of black silk plush, lined with white satin. The V&A notes, “The top of the hat has a ventilation hole marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co Reg. US Patent Office'.” The top portion of the hatbox contains a gibus (a top hat with a collapsible crown, which came into fashion in the 1840s and was worn with evening dress) of black silk grosgrain lined with black silk marked 'Extra Quality Trade Mark Dunlop & Co., Copyrighted CBH'.  Sadly, we have no pictures of the hats.

While this box contains two hats, some hatboxes included a storage space for a the type of brush which was used to keep the hats shiny and smooth by bushing the nap. These brushes were often used for advertising by hatters and were given away with new hats. 

History's Runway: The Doge's Corno Ducale, 1675-99

Corno Ducale
1675-1699
Venice, Italy
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For over a thousand years, from 700AD until 1797, the Italian city-state of Venice was ruled over by a chief magistrate who was known as the Doge. The Doge was chosen by a committee comprised of members of the leading aristocratic families of Venice.  This magistrate held the office for the duration of his life.  The Doge, among other perks, was given a special hat.  I think all leaders should have special hats.

The hat that we see here is an example of the “corno ducale,” a ceremonial crown which was worn by the Doge over a cap of fine linen which was known as a “camauro.”

These caps were hand-made by the nuns of the Convent of San Zaccaria.  A new cap was presented to the Doge every Easter Monday, following a procession from San Marco to the convent.  How nice!

This corno ducale dates between 1675 and 1699 and is made of gold silk and metal thread brocade.  The crown of the hat curves up into a smooth vertical protrusion at the back. The whole thing is trimmed with metal braiding.