A Fascinating History 8: Victorian Tilt Hat

VICTORIAN TILT HAT: 1872 By the mid-to-late Victorian era, hats were both grand and diverse. “the discovery of synthetic textile dyes and their rapid industrial development, initiated famously by William Perkin’s Mauveine… resulted in the availability of a wide range of new bright colours for use in garment coloration,” (Vettese, Christie, 1). Perching hat styles, including the half-hat design shown here, were available through local milliners. Tipped forward toward the center of the forehead, these types of designs offered the chance to show off a variety of interests and acquisitions, all on one headpiece. By this time, after mostly ribbon-based embellishments in the 1860s, the 1870s saw the use of bird wings on hats heavily favoured. “A public outcry against the slaughter of birds for use in millinery was denounced as ridiculous by the Milliner and Dressmaker, (a magazine) “as the result of any ban on the use of feathers would simply be to deprive hundreds of respectable young women of their livelihood in the trade,” (De Courtais, 130).

Works Cited

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De Courtais, G. “Women’s Hats, Headdresses and Hairstyles: With 453 Illustrations, Medieval to Modern.” Dover Pictorial Archive, Dover: 2006, pp.18-164.

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*Note: Practical details and references for my recreation of this set of historical headwear thanks to De Courtais.