Junk Love Monday: This Junk Love Will Never Die!

Yeah, yeah, so it's really Tuesday. But, we were up really late last night doing the new window display at the store, so we didn't have time for junk love blogging....

Anyway, I came across an article about hats today. I believe we have established the fact that the Blackbird girls love vintage hats. We also love certain modern hats, even if they are more art than fashion, and this is especially true of anything that Phillip Treacy has done or will ever do for Alexander McQueen. So, you would think that as the world's most famous milliner, Mr. Treacy would know what's what about the world of hats. But then he said this: "The fascinator is dead and I'm delighted."

What?

First of all, the man has made some of the most famous fascinators ever worn (remember Princess Beatrice's giant ribbon thing from the royal wedding?). Second, I beg to differ, Mr. Treacy. In the vintage world, people are currently crazy about fascinators. The other Blackbird has been making custom fascinators for people since last fall, and we have seen them flying out the doors of our favorite vintage and antique shops. They are especially popular for weddings right now (in North Carolina, at least). We southern girls love some vintage headpieces, especially ones with feathers.

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We love some great netting, too.

From RockAndRollVintage

And let us not forget Dita Von Teese. She has been a burlesque star for years, but is just as well known as a fashion icon with a love for vintage couture. She also wears hats, particularly fascinators, quite often. In fact, she has a room of her home devoted entirely to hat storage. (It is fabulous--stacks and stacks of clear hat boxes as far as the eye can see.) We realize that Ms. Von Teese is not a new discovery, but she has certainly been featured a lot lately in a variety of pop culture venues. Her closet was on a recent episode of Dukes of Melrose, she is in the latest 30 Seconds to Mars video/short film, and she has been in red carpet shots all over the place lately. If there is anyone in this world with a greater love for fascinators than the Blackbird girls, it is definitely Dita Von Teese.

When Dita Von Teese, who is beautiful, successful, and always impeccably dressed, is photographed in fascinator after fascinator, do you really believe that people aren't going to jump all over that? Of course they will. Women want to be her, they want to dress like her...and as if that isn't enough, Lady Gaga, Kate Middleton, and Katy Perry all wear fascinators (*ahem...some of them made by Phillip Treacy). With such popular ladies wearing them left and right, there is bound to be a surge in fascinator...fascination. Let the people of the vintage world unite in our love for these hats! Seriously, just look at them:

Get with the program, Mr. Treacy. This love will never die.

The Skinny -- Cloche to My Heart

I love vintage hats. (Of course, I do.  Is there anything vintage I don't love, really?)  But cloche hats are my favorite.  There's just something about them.  A cloche hat frames the face in that perfect way -- drawing attention to the shape of the wearer's eyes and lips.  I think they also draw attention to a woman's neck, showing the freedom and sensuality of a short hair style and a bare neck.



The cloche hat was invented in 1908 by Caroline Reboux, a Parisian self-made milliner (hat maker) that lived from 1837 to 1927.  She was a striking figure, white hair juxtaposed with a youthful, girly look.  Reboux promoted her creations by insisting that a woman's look was not complete without the finishing accessories, such as the perfect hat.

From Adrianna Sassoon, here.

Although the cloche was invented before the 1920s, the era of the flapper was its heyday.  The distinct shape dictated the hat's name, cloche being the French word for "bell".  The sleek, close fit shaded the eyes and the forehead, forcing ladies to look up to see.  That pose became part of the attitude of the wearer -- to look down your nose and hold your chin up became de rigueur, as did the coyness of looking down, with your eyes hidden, as a flirt would do.

Cloche hats were adopted by all the major fashion houses. They were worn as everyday hats, and they were beaded and appliqued to be worn in the evening or by brides.  They were primarily made from felt or soft fabric, but were later shaped from straw, sisal, and knitted fibers.

From Hoodoo that Voodoo, here.

The women chopped off their hair to match the hats.  Josephine Baker wore what was called the Eton Crop, a short, slicked down style that appeared in Britain first in the mid-1920s.  The style resembled how Eton boys wore their hair, hence the name.  Soft finger wave bobs and severe Louise Brooks style bobs were also very popular, and all showed off a woman's bare neck in a new way.  Very risque!

Now for a fun fact!  From my research, it seems that women could send messages with the ribbons on their cloche hats. For example, a firm knot trim indicated the wearer was married and unavailable; an arrow shaped ribbon indicated a single girl that was already in love with someone, and a flashy bow meant single and looking for love.

The stunning Carole Lombard, from here.

There are some beautiful new examples of cloche hats out there right now, too, like this one from Behida Dolic Millinery, available here on Etsy.  This is on my wish list!