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While headgear has been used since times immemorial, hats are a modern
version, used for protecting the head from the vagaries of weather,
heat, cold, rain, snow. In the olden times, a hat was used as a fashion
accessory, for practical and artistic reasons, or even to indicate the
social status of the wearer. There have been myriad forms and types of hats available and used since olden times.
The wide-brimmed straw hat is one of really old-fashioned ones
having its genesis in agricultural areas when people would weave the
straw into a concentric circular braid, make protective hats and use
them as a protection against the sun. The straw hat still exists, is
relatively cheap, easy to replace, though it has gone through many,
more fashionable varieties.
Long ago hats were worn mostly for weather protection. Probably they
soon achieved a more symbolic status. In olden times, slaves used by
the Greeks and Romans, when freed, could wear the Phrygian cap, which
was a kind of skullcap, pointed and curled. Royalty, of course, wore
crowns and priests and other religious heads wore different types of
headgear, depending on their position in the religious hierarchy.
Hats have been made of different materials throughout the ages and
that persists even in modern times. Stiff fabric, felt, leather, straw,
fur, cloth were used in early times and now newer materials like
plastic, faux leather and others are also used to make hats. Hood-like
styles and skullcaps, straw and cloth hats have given way to more
elaborate creations with different embellishments.
In the Middle Ages, hats were worn to denote modesty because hair
was expected to be covered by a veil or handkerchief. In the later part
of the 15th century, hats became more of a part of fashion, got more
intricate and had a structured appearance by the 16th century. From
being something to cover their modesty, women made them a fashion
statement and they came into their own. This was also the time that
hat-makers and milliners evolved and took their place in the fashion
world, from being merchants who got straw from Milan to weave into hats
to designers.
In the middle of the 19th century, it was the women’s bonnet which
was worn by the majority of women, but soon it came to be associated
with older women and more fashionable hats took over. From the small
hats of the 1880s to the boaters a decade later, women began to look at
hats as a fashion accessory. Sporting wear influenced the advent of the
boater. During the Edwardian era hats were huge and at times they were
decorated entire flower arrangements or even birds.
After the First World War the cloche became popular; it was small
and suited the new hair-style, the bob. In the early part of the 20th
century while milliners were still popular, ready to wear hats were
more easily available besides being a more practical option, by the
middle of the century. After that period, hats have lost their place in
fashion and are used only on special occasions rather than an integral
part of the wardrobe. You can chose whether or not to wear a hat and
what kind you want, the variety is endless. The 21st century is
flexible as far as fashion is concerned. You can go with flow of
fashion or make your own fashion statement, whatever you want.
Bland recommends both Juicy Couture hats and Lacoste hats as both brands make durable and fashionable hats for your wearing pleasure.
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Mike Feng
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