atherton

"Lounge Room"?

"Lounge Room"?

While the wearing of hats is mostly reserved for cold weather or a royal wedding nowadays, there was once a time when a woman wouldn’t dare leave the house without one. Hats have a long, elaborate sartorial history, especially when it comes to women’s fashion. One hat style in particular from the “heyday” of hat-wearing is even still occasionally worn today- the cloche. While it is a defining fashion icon of the 1920s, this stretch of time is only the height of its popularity. Its history stretches back to the turn of the century when it was first created- 1908 to be exact. The design was invented by French milliner Caroline Reboux: a small bell-shaped hat that was easy to form, and simple enough that it could be embellished and styled in a number of ways. The accessory was aptly named, “cloche,” the French word for bell. The 1920s version of the cloche is iconic. It featured an even more snug fit than its predecessors and was worn so low over the eyebrows that women walked with their chins up and eyes cast down. Fortunately, walking with this kind of poise only added to the allure of the look, as women felt it created an air of confidence and independence in the wearer. During this decade, no woman ever left the house without a chic cloche to top off her look. As cloche styles began to grow and change, embellishment began to feature more heavily in the design. Art deco was a heavy influence in all aspects of 1920s fashion, and hats were no exception. The art style impacted the brim and seam styles of cloche hats, as well as what decorated it. Applique, beads, brooches, or feathers were popular and helped to dress up hate for more formal occasions. Some versions were made from laces and silks to add glamour, and could be paired with a fancy evening ensemble. Source: startupfashion.com/fashion-archives-history-cloche-hat/