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#7 - 19TH CENTURY FASHION: HEADWEAR
At the museum we have a new display this year that is a collection of headwear worn during the 19th century by both men and women. On display we have what was common 19th century headwear for men, which is displayed on the top shelf. These styles include the top hat, the homburg (with a dent in the top) and the bowler (with a bowl shaped top). The lower shelves show a number of styles of bonnets for women from the 19th century. Most of what we have are morning bonnets and hats that would be worn by women during times of loss here in Bradford County. The two hats pictured are the most colorful hats we have in our collection and are quite beautifully crafted. Headwear for women began in earnest during the Middle Ages when the church decreed that their hair must be covered. During the 18th century, milliners took the hat-making art out of the home and established the millinery profession. Traditionally a woman’s occupation, the milliner not only created hats and bonnets to go with costumes but also chose the laces, trims, and accessories to complete an ensemble. The term ‘milliner’ comes from the Italian city of Milan where in the 1700s, the finest straws were braided and the best quality hat forms were made. Bonnets were fashionable in the early 19th century, growing to huge proportions by 1830. They began to decrease in size through the 1840s and 1850s in order to reveal more of the face and hair. By 1860 parasols had become a fashion staple and bonnets, except for cold weather wear, became purely ornamental. Due to their reduced functionality, bonnets continued to decrease in size throughout the decade. Styles began with the ‘Spoon’ bonnet named for its shallow shape. It had a peaked crown that could be decorated with a nosegay of flowers. Throughout the 1860s hats began to be reintroduced into the wardrobe. They were worn perched at the front of the head over enormous hairstyles. Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, hats and bonnets were both popular. Women who wanted a more modest appearance often preferred bonnets. Very tall hats of the mid 1880s were known as ‘3-story’ or ‘flowerpots’ and soared atop the hair. Hats downsized again in the middle of the 1890s but grew in width again by 1900.
Visit the Bradford County Historical Society Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm to see this and hundreds of other local history pieces.
