THE

HISTORY
AND

DEVELOPMENT
OF

HATS
AND

HEAD-GEAR.
BY CHARLES E. KEATOR.

SMITH PRESS
762 MYRTLE AVENUE
BROOKLYN, N Y

T h e following paper was read at the Polytechnic
Institute, under t h e auspices of the Brooklyn Institute
of A r t s and Sciences, in connection with a paper on
the manufacture of hats in the order above mentioned,
with an interim of a week.

AT

the request of Dr. Austen I am before you
this evening, and hope to be one week from
now, to tell what little I know about '' The
History and Development of Hats and Head-Gear"
and '' The Manufacture of Hats." If my knowledge
of the history and manufacture of hats were as complete as the Doctor's knowledge of the sciences, my
task would be easier and your evening more enjoyable.
I must say, however, in justice to my trade and its
followers, that the historian has treated the hatter in
anything but a generous manner; and that while the
scientist's search for information is only limited by the
time he can spare and the contents of his pocketbook
—for the libraries and book stores contain for him a
good record of the past—the hatter must depend almost
wholly upon tradition and experience, for the literature
on his trade is very, very meagre.
The New York Sun says, Concerning the introduction of the silk hat: '' To whom the honor of introducing the new head-gear is due even the most
laborious delver in the mysteries of the past has been
unable to discover." The silk hat came into use about
1797, which is only 100 years back, yet there is no
authentic account of its origin.
The genus head-gear, if the expression is allowable, its species, the variety of the species, and the
5

adorning of the variety open up a field, each class
treated separately, far in excess of my abilities to
describe, and as large as the literature upon the subject
is small. Such detailed description would be, even if
I were equal to the task, exceedingly dry and uninteresting, as one can judge by a glance at the variety
of hats to be seen any day on our thoroughfares.
The Century Dictionary defines Head-dress as
" A covering or decoration for the head, as a hat, cap,
coif, kerchief or veil, or any arrangement of the hair
with or without such a covering," which, inversely,
is about the way the hat has evolved from the hair as
it was anciently arranged.
Head-gear, as merely a covering for the head,
needs no explanation. Prehistoric man was undoubtedly contented with what Nature furnished him. As
civilization advanced and mankind, by invention and
ingenuity, began to fabricate raw materials and produce
animal and vegetable dyes, vanity began to make itself
known, and the simple covering supplied by Nature
was gradually supplemented or replaced by the handiwork of man, which, in variety and extravagance, in
shape and color, gradually grew to be almost boundless.
This love for finery became so deeply rooted and
grew so rapidly that edicts were issued to repress the
evil, which it was considered to be.
These edicts or sumptuary laws, as they are now
called, were considered such an interference with the
6

private rights of individuals t h a t blood was actually
shed in resisting them.
Even the submissive Chinese were roused to fury
when their T a r t a r conquerors ordered their queues cut
off, and actually opposed the decree so strenuously t h a t
in many instances t h e Chinese lost their heads. A n d
because the Persians would not wear their whiskers to
suit the T a r t a r s , a long and bloody w a r was waged by
the latter against the former.
As recent as t h e E i g h t e e n t h Century, in Spain,
an attempt to banish the Gapa and Sombrero met w i t h
such obstinate resistance t h a t it resulted in the disgrace
and flight of t h e prime minister.
Even Queen Elizabeth, t h o u g h so extremely fond
of dress, made m a n y laws respecting the costumes of
her subjects, among which was one commanding t h e
lower classes to wear a cap of a certain shape on Sundays ; also t h a t it should be made of wool and manufactured in Britain. T h i s law was probably made for
a twofold purpose—to encourage a home industry and
to discourage foreign styles, which were becoming too
prevalent within her realm. T h i s lady always seemed
to lean kindly toward the hatters. I t was she w h o
spoke of t h e m as " gentlemen h a t t e r s , " a term which
is much prized by the j o u r n e y m e n of to-day.
I n these general remarks Fashion has been selected
as the n e x t in order. France is undoubtedly the fountain head of modern fashions, and t h e writer upon the
subject must look to t h a t country, especially her belles,
7

for material with which to construct his story. And
w h a t is said concerning t h e styles in France, except,
perhaps, the last half century, is largely applicable to
the rest of t h e civilized world.
Fashion has in no w a y shown her caprices more
t h a n in head-gear, especially t h a t of t h e ladies, 'The
n a t u r a l covering of t h e h u m a n head has been changed
by Fashion till it is impossible to enumerate her vagaries. Sometimes she ordains t h a t l u x u r i a n t curls be
cut off close to t h e scalp. T h e n , tired of heads resembling convicts, she orders t h a t the hair be permitted
to grow and h a n g in various forms round the neck and
shoulders.
T h e n her mind changes again, and t h e
hair, stiffened and powdered, is placed over a form,
fastened there with pins and combs, and the wearers
made to look considerably taller t h a n they really are.
T h e ancient Gauls prized long hair, but Caesar,
when he conquered them, ordered it cut off as a m a r k
of servitude. I n France flowing tresses were considered a peculiar privilege of royalty, and to deprive a
prince of his hair reduced him to the r a n k of a subject.
F r e n c h historians considered t h e length of t h e hair of
their monarchs of so m u c h importance t h a t they made
it a m a t t e r of record.
T h e clergy opposed long hair, and issued a canon,
about 1096, t h a t those w h o wore it should be excluded
from the Church while living, and not prayed for when
dead.
T h e men of a tribe of N o r t h American Indians
8

had the longest hair known. T h e hair of t h e women
of the same tribe, strange to say, was, by comparison,
much shorter.
False hair was m u c h used by the Ancients. T h e
perukes (wigs) were made of painted hair stuck together.
T h e British Museum contains an ancient
peruke the w o r k m a n s h i p of which would puzzle a
modern wigmaker. I t s shape and h u e are good now,
t h o u g h it is probably thousands of years since it was
made.
I n France the p e r u k e began to be worn about t h e
Seventeenth Century, and t h e rest of E u r o p e soon
adopted it. At first t h e younger element declined to
replace their n a t u r a l hair by a b u l k y wig, but before
long Fashion conquered, and y o u n g and old, clergymen and laymen, obeyed her dictates. Later on t h e
wig was prohibited among the clergy, and finally society generally gave it up, and t h e n a t u r a l hair was
allowed to grow, t h o u g h it was arranged to resemble
the peruke.
After this came the pig-tails, which
lasted for m a n y years.
H a v i n g said enough just now about Fashion, t h a t
" s o l e arbitress of d r e s s , " we will now proceed to a
more detailed description of head-gear, which will be
followed by illustrations.
T h e most ancient head-dress found in history is,
perhaps, the tiara, which, it is said, was in t h e form
of a tower. A m o n g the Persians t h e k i n g only was
allowed to wear it straight ; noblemen and priests
9

being compelled to bend it down in front. It was
sometimes surrounded with the diadem, and sometimes
had a half moon worked on it. As worn by others
than the king, the tiara was known as the Phrygian
cap.
The veil, which is to-day worn by the people of
almost every country, is mentioned by Homer as part
of the dress of the Greek ladies. In ancient times
queens and ladies of rank wove them for themselves.
Among Eastern nations, at a time not very long since,
the veil was worn in a very different form from what
it is with us. It was made of large sheets of various
kinds of materials, which fell from over the head down
to the feet, enveloping the whole body. The best
were worn by ladies of distinction, and were made of
silk; people in a lower station of life had them made
of linen or cotton. In Turkey they were made of
horse hair, so that they were transparent from within
but opaque from without. The veil is the most beautiful feature of a bride's costume, and, to use the
words of the poet, " adds another charm to the loveliness it seems to hide."
The caul is a very ancient head-dress. It was
used as is the net of the present time, or as the net
was recently used, for at present it is seldom seen.
The Egyptians, as is evidenced by the reliefs and
paintings on the walls of tombs and temples, wore
thick and elegant head-dresses. Hats with brims were
apparently unknown. Their head-gear consisted of
10

wigs, hoods, and caps. T h e wigs were very likely
made of hair or tow, for their great size could not be
made by t h e dressing of a person's own hair. T h e
caps were also very large and high, and made of material which, as to its kind, can only be guessed at.
T h e largest were cupola shaped, and their use was
probably confined to those of royal blood. T h e y were
yellow, white, and red. I t is supposed t h a t t h e yellow
ones were made of brass, and were a kind of h e l m e t ;
t h a t t h e white was t h e crown of upper E g y p t ; and
t h e red t h e crown of lower E g y p t . T h e psehent, a
combination of the white and the red, was considered
as the symbol of rule over t h e entire land. Lower,
flat-crowned caps were worn both alone and over a
hood, and sometimes with a strap under the chin to
hold the head-gear in place. T h e h u g e wigs were
probably worn upon t h e shaven head, as it is supposed
that clean shaving was as prevalent in E g y p t as it is
now in tropical Asia.
T h e ancient Greeks usually went with t h e head
uncovered ; for it was considered a sign of physical
weakness to wear a hat. T h e higher types of art
among t h e Greeks represent t h e n u d e or nearly n u d e
body without any head-covering. T h e y devoted time
and attention to their hair, and a custom prevailed of
dedicating it to one of their deities ; and shaving off
the locks for t h a t purpose was quite general with both
men and women. T h e ancient Athenians curled their
hair and decorated it w i t h ornaments, some of which
11

were shaped like grass-hoppers, betokening t h a t they
were sons of t h e e a r t h / False hair was considerably
used, both curled and frizzed, and it was very bulky.
Married women parted their hair in front in a different
m a n n e r from t h e unmarried. Veils were worn by t h e
ladies when t h e y appeared in public, also as an emblem
of grief.
W h a t caps t h e Greeks wore were made of leather,
cloth, and felt. T h e y were t i g h t fitting, resembled
t h e modern tarboosh (skull c a p ) , and were worn both
alone and under a helmet. T h e paintings on vases
show t h e m as worn by sailors, soldiers, and mechanics.
H u n t e r s are represented as wearing a petasus which
were of various shapes, some even resembling the
cocked hats of t h e E i g h t e e n t h Century.
T h e Causia, a hat not very unlike the petasus,
with t h e diadem fastened around it so t h a t the ends
fell on t h e neck, was worn by the Macedonians as a
badge of royalty.
T h e Romans, as shown on ancient coins and
medals, are bareheaded.
Baldness was considered a
deformity, and Caesar, who had no hair, and probably
no " C a e s a r " to point to as a consolation, prized t h e
laurel crown bestowed by the senate above all t h e
other dignities conferred upon him by t h a t body, because it served to hide his bald head. T h e Romans,
to protect their heads from t h e weather, frequently
used the folds of their gowns, b u t when they met any
one to whom they wished to pay respect, t h e y dropped
12

the folds and remained with t h e head uncovered. At
sacred rites, and when in grief, danger, or despair,
they veiled their heads.
A t festivals a woolen cap
was worn. Both men and women wore false hair, the
latter to a greater e x t e n t t h a n the former.
Great
attention was paid to the a r r a n g i n g of the hair. I t
was frizzed and curled by slaves, under the supervision
of females skilled in the art, and t h e dame herself
watched the process closely in a mirror made of polished metal. Fillets were a general head-dress, and
nets were often used to enclose t h e hair. Elaborate
head-covering seems not to have been the custom with
the men of the Roman world.
While the R o m a n s as a rule went bareheaded,
there were times when they wore caps or hats. Artisans wore a conical cap called a pileus, which, when
placed on a slave's head, wras a part of the ceremony
of his manumission. T h e liberty cap was afterwards
u'sed for t h e same purpose.
D u r i n g t h e Middle Ages t h e hood was t h e headcovering most used.
I t was not u n k n o w n to t h e
Romans, by whom it was usually made of cloth. A
like head-dress, made of leather or skin, was quite
common t h r o u g h o u t N o r t h e r n E u r o p e previous to the
conquest of Gaul and Britain by the Romans. I t was
sometimes fastened to a cape, so t h a t it could be pulled
over t h e head as a primary or secondary covering.
T h i s combined garment was generally used by mechanics, field laborers, etc., t h r o u g h o u t this age.
13

These hoods, when combined w i t h a cape, were worn
in various shapes.
W h e n t h e hood fell over t h e
shoulders t h e face appeared t h r o u g h a slit in the
front. Sometimes t h e cape was twisted rope-like and
t h e n w o u n d a r o u n d t h e head, upon which t h e faceopening had been arranged previously ; at other times
t h e hood was simply drawn over t h e head at t h e faceopening, and t h e cape allowed to fall loosely down t h e
back. Some were made with long tails, which dangled
about t h e neck and shoulders.
T h e reason t h e hood was so generally worn is
undoubtedly t h e facility w i t h which it was made in
t h e home, its manufacture requiring little skill, whereas
a hat required considerable skill and tools to m a k e it.
I n this age t h e hat was looked upon as a badge of
wealth, being mostly used by persons who could m o u n t
on horseback and travel. T h e by-cocket, or cap of
maintenance of English heraldry, was t h e most remarkable of this species.
T h e peculiarities of the
head-dress of the Middle Ages were not confined to
h a t s and caps alone. T h e hair was variously arranged
by all women, except t h e poorest, down to the Twelfth
Century. One style was to twine ribbons around thick
locks and allow the whole to fall over t h e neck and
shoulders.
Modern styles will receive more attention t h a n
has been given to either those of medieval or ancient
times, and the rest of t h e evening w7ill be devoted to
France, E n g l a n d , and our own country, and these
14

countries will be spoken of in the order named.
T h e Gauls wore generally a skin hood or cap of
a very primitive shape.
I n fact all their g a r m e n t s
were few, simple in form, and coarse. T h e caps worn
b}7 the women were t r i a n g u l a r shaped, otherwise t h e y
dressed about like t h e men. T h e love of ornaments
and display, which have always been characteristic of
the French, were apparent at this early time, for t h e
Gauls adorned themselves with rings, chains, necklaces, bracelets, etc.
T h e first novelty in head-gear was the capuchin
(hood) of Charles le Bon. Those worn b y the noblewomen were of various s h a p e s ; some were confined
by a band around the head, which made t h e m look
like c a p s ; others lay like a plate on top of t h e head
and a veil arranged so t h a t it fell in folds over t h e
cheeks and n e c k ; others were pointed in front, w i t h
an ornament resting upon t h e forehead and t h e veil
arranged so t h a t more of the hair could be seen.
I n the reign of Philip of Valois considerable
changes were made. Men wore hats w i t h an appendage fastened thereto, t h e other end of which was
thrown over t h e left shoulder.
I n 1357 men began to adorn their hats w i t h
feathers, and t h e ladies to wear bonnets, t h e variety
of which was almost endless.
About ten years later the ladies began to use their
hair to ornament their heads, without hood, bonnet,
or cap. T h e hair was arranged in one large curl or
15

plait on each side of the face, and only a small wreath
of flowers or jewels was interspersed with it.
About this time Queen Isabella of Bavaria came
to reign in France, and great were the changes in
fashion made by that lady. The head-gear was extreme to a fault, and almost beyond description. The
tower-hat was the first of these frightful shapes.
Others, such as the sugar-loaf and horned-cap, followed. The men, too, indulged in this extravagance,
until finally Isabella herself used her power to the end
that more reasonable styles might prevail.
L,ouis X I . is shown with his head covered with a
cap of crimson velvet, under which he wore a coif.
The ladies decorated their heads in about the same
manner as in the preceding reign. Very tall sugarloaf caps were worn, and in opposition to them some
equally flat.
When Louis X I I . married the beautiful and accomplished Anne of Brittany she wore her hair without
ornaments and simply arranged. Her head-dress was
sometimes merely a hood of black velvet lying flat on
the top of the head and falling down the back; at
others, it was the shape of the head with a long piece
behind, while underneath the ermine, which formed
the border, appeared a plaited frill, all in strong contrast to the towers worn during the preceding reigns.
Anne was much beloved by the French.
The caps worn by the men of this period were
usually made of velvet; red, blue, or black, and
trimmed with jewels and ostrich feathers.
16

I n t h e reign of Iyouis X I I I . there began a departure from t h e plain head-dress introduced by A n n e ;
and in the reign of IyOuis t h e X I V . there was a r e t u r n
to some of t h e extravagances of t h e past. D u r i n g this
reign there was a very becoming way of dressing t h e
hair. Curls were raised from the forehead to t h e top
of the head, and between each row a string of pearls
was placed. T h e long back hair was arranged in large
curls which fell upon t h e neck and shoulders, some
falling quite to t h e waist, and t h e whole decorated
with jewels promiscuously arranged. T h e forehead
was left bare.
T h i s also was an era of wonderful head-dresses.
One was composed of two spires, and rose so high on
each side of t h e head t h a t a w o m a n who was of low
stature without her head-dress resembled a giantess
w i t h it on. T h i s was k n o w n as t h e F o n t a n g e , and
originated as follows : T h e Duchess de Fontanges,
while h u n t i n g with a party, had her head-dress disarranged by a gust of wind, and to keep it in place used
one of her garters to m a k e it fast. Louis admired her
head-dress when so arranged, and begged her to continue to wear it so. T h e n e x t day the ladies of t h e
Court appeared with a top k n o t to which was given
t h e name F o n t a n g e .
About 1714 Iyouis, being favorably impressed w i t h
the low head-dresses of two E n g l i s h ladies, requested
the ladies of his Court to decorate their heads in t h e
same manner.
17

The men's head-dress in this reign was quite
extreme. Enormous perukes, with short curies upon
the forehead, longer ones upon the shoulders, and still
longer ones hanging down the back, almost to the
waist, were the fashion. It is supposed that the style
originated in the desire of Louis's courtiers to please
their youthful majesty in every thing he wanted.
Louis had beautiful and luxuriant hair, which fell in
long waving curls upon his shoulders; but as Nature
had not been so generous with his attendants they
had to resort to perukes, and soon the whole Court
appeared in wigs. It is also said that this style originated in the desire of Louis to conceal his shoulders,
which were not shaped alike.
In Louis XV.'s reign a celebrated law suit was
brought in the highest court of judicature by the
coiffures des dames de Paris against the corporation
of master-barbers and hairdressers. One of the advocates said that dressing ladies' hair was a liberal art,
and compared it with that of the poet, painter, and
sculptor. In another part the dames are made to say :
'' If the arrangement of the hair, and the various
colors we give the locks, do not answer our expectations, we have under our hands all the treasures of
the mines of Golconda. To us belongs the happy
disposition of the diamonds, the placing the pearl pins,
and the suspending of the feathers." The grave
tribunal before whom the case was tried dismissed it
as unworthy the majesty of the court. The coiffures,
18

however, finally gained their cause, and t h e decision
was hailed with great joy. D u r i n g this period and
t h a t of Louis X V I . t h e head-gear was high, various
and elaborately decorated.
D u r i n g t h e revolution t h e men wore hats so small
t h a t it was no easy matter to keep t h e m on. Most of
the coiffures were made after ancient statues. A few
caps and t u r b a n s were worn ; but t h e usual headdress, especially for unmarried women, consisted of
short hair decorated w i t h w r e a t h s of flowers.
About Napoleon I ' s time some very extreme
head-dresses were in use, of which t h e giraffe—a tower
of bows, ribbons, combs, and feathers:—and the casque
were the most e x t r e m e .
England is the n e x t in order, and is the last of
the countries of the Eastern Hemisphere of which we
will have a n y t h i n g to say.
T h e S a x o n women were probably t h e first to introduce hair-dressing into Britain. T h e Anglo-Saxon
women wore a long veil which was gathered u p and
wound around their necks and breasts. T h e y seldom
went with the head uncovered.
I n t h e reign of E d w a r d I I I . the hood made its
appearance in E n g l a n d .
I t probably came from
France. Some had long tails which were allowed to
h a n g down t h e back, or were coiled u p on top of t h e
head, over which a hat was worn.
I n the reign of H e n r y I V . t h e coiffure was raised
at the top, had two square pieces p r o t r u d i n g from t h e
19

sides, like horns, and a veil, nicely embroidered, hanging down the back. This queer-looking head-covering
was made of silk or linen, interwoven with ribbons
and gold and silver cords. The hair was generally
completely covered. The men wore their hair short
and curled, and sometimes broad brimmed hats.
The time of Henry V. is noted for the introduction into England of that celebrated monstrosity, the
horned head-dress. Anything more inconsistent with
the laws of beauty than the various shapes of this
head-dress cannot very well be imagined, and ingenuity must have been taxed to the utmost in their
construction. The popularity of the monk, Thomas
Conecte, was brought about by his going from place
to place and preaching down these ridiculous shapes.
He made such an impression that the women threw
them aside in the middle of his sermon and made a
bonefire of them within sight of the pulpit. The
horned head-dress, the mitre, and the butterfly were
the most ridiculous of this class.
In the reign of Henry VI. the horned head-dress,
slightly altered, was again in fashion. Some were
shaped like a heart, surrounded with a border ornamented with jewels; others were high and pointed, with
a veil thrown over the points; the veil being used only
as an ornament and not to cover the face. It is said
that Charles VI.'s queen introduced this head-dress
into France from her own country, Bavaria, and like
most French fashions it found its way into England.
20

T h e reign of E d w a r d I V . finds the men wearing
steeple hats under which t h e hair h u n g in short ringlets. Ridiculous coiffures are still in vogue.
I n t h e days of H e n r y V I I . coiffures changed
greatly from w h a t they were in t h e preceding reigns.
T h e y were m u c h smaller, three cornered, fell over
the shoulders behind, and had long lappets reaching
almost to the waist. Some resembled turbans, others
t h e hoods worn by the men, and others round and
pointed, but not high.
T h e men wore their hair
brushed back from t h e forehead and falling in long
ringlets upon t h e shoulders, which, w i t h their smooth
faces, made t h e m appear very effeminate.
Velvet
caps trimmed with enormous plumes and feathers
were the extreme fashion, while those w h o wished to
appear more modest wore broad felt hats. T h e hood
which had been m u c h worn u p to this time almost
disappeared.
H e n r y V I I I . is shown wearing a cap of black
velvet surmounted with a white feather, and beneath
it a broad band of rubbies, emeralds, and diamonds,
mixed with pearls.
T h e ladies' head-dresses were
numerous, and consisted of velvet caps adorned w i t h
jewels, long flowing veils, cauls, F r e n c h hoods, and
some three-cornered white caps with peaks three or
four inches from the face.
T h i s despotic monarch
ordered the m e n ' s hair cut quite short, to the disgust
of the gallants of t h a t day.
A sermon preached by L a t i m e r before youthful
21

K i n g E d w a r d gives a good idea of the dress in this
reign, and of t h e desire for F r e n c h modes. I n speaking of t h e ladies, lyatimer says : '' T h e y must wear
F r e n c h hoods and I cannot tell you, I, w h a t to call it.
A n d w h e n t h e y m a k e t h e m ready, and come to t h e
covering of the head, t h e y will call and say, ' Give
me my F r e n c h hood, give me my bonnet, and my cap,
and so forth.' But here is a vengeance devil; we must
have our power (a name he gave the bonnet) from
T u r k e y of velvet. F a r feete, dear bought, and when
it cometh, it is a false sign. I would r a t h e r have a
t r u e English sign t h a n a sign from T u r k e y ; it is a
false sign when it covereth not their heads, as it
should do. F o r if they would keep it under the power
as they o u g h t to do, there should not be any such
tussocks nor tufts be seen as there be, nor such laying
out of the hair, nor braiding to have it o p e n . "
T h e gentlemen in this reign wore velvet caps
w i t h a band around them, and a rosette of ribbons
and jewels on one side. T h e y also wore flat caps.
W h e n the '' good Queen B e s s ' ' ascended the
throne, styles altered in a remarkable manner. Stubbs,
a critic of t h e time, said m a n y interesting things of
t h e fashions. H i s own words, in expressing some of
these follies, cannot be improved upon :
'' T h e n follow the t r i m m i n g and tricking of their
heades in laying out their haire to she we, which of
force must be curled, fris.led, and crisped, laid out
(a world to see) on wreaths and borders from one ear
22

to the other. And least it should fall down, it is
underpropped with forks, wiers, and I cannot tell
what, like grim, sterne monsters rather than chaste
Christian matrones. Then on the edges of their
boulstered haire (for it standeth crested rounde their
frontiers, and hanging over their faces like pendices
or vailes, with glass windows on every side), there is
laide great wreaths of golde and silver, curiously
wrought and cunningly applied to the temple of their
heades. And for feare of lacking anything to set
forth their pride withal, at their haire thus wreathed
and crested, are hanged bugles, (I dare not say babies)
ouches, rynges, golde, silver, glasses, and such other
childishe gewgaws."
In this reign the men wore hats made of coarse
woolen cloth. It is also said that masks and visors
of velvet, with glasses for the eyes, were also worn,
and were kept in place by a bead attached to the inner
part and held in the mouth of the wearer.
Concerning the men's hats of this period Stubbs
says : * * They use them sharp on the crowne, peaking
up like the speare or shaft of a steeple, standing a
quarter of a yard above the crowne of the heade. Some
others are flatte and broad on the crowne, like the
battlements of a house. Another sort have round
crownes, sometimes with one kind of band, sometimes
with another—now black, now white; now russet,
now red ; now green, now yellow; now this, now that;
never content with one color or fashion two days to an
23

end. And thus they spend the Lord's treasure, consuming their golden years and silver days in wickedness and sin." Again he says : ''And as the fashions
be rare and strange, so is the stuffs whereof their hats
be made divers also, for some are of silk, some of
velvet, some of taffety, some of sarcenet, some of wool,
and, which is more curious, some of a certain kind of
fine haire, these they call Bever hats, of 20, 30, or 40
shillings price, fetched from beyond the seas, from
whence a great sort of other vanities come besides."
About 1595, periwigs became fashionable, also dyeing
the hair. Both these styles were severely censured
by the press and the clergy.
Sir Walter Raleigh, that distinguished statesman
and gentleman, wore a hat with a moderate sized
crown, a broad brim turned up all round, and adorned
with a large pearl and feather.
It seems strange that Elizabeth, such a devoted
follower of fashions, should have busied herself in
making laws restricting dress. In fact she enacted
more laws respecting styles than any other monarch,
among which was : " That no hat, or curled or long
hair, be worn, nor any gown but such as be of a sad
colour.''
In the reign of James I. little attention was paid
to fashion.
This monarch's desire for ease and comfort was
greater than the love of dress. He seemed to abhor
foreign styles; and was much displeased when re24

quested by one of his attendants to wear a Spanish
hat.
T h e extravagances indulged in prior to James I.
reappeared under Charles I. W i t h this k i n g originated, the " l o v e - l o c k , " a curl worn on the left side,
which was m u c h longer t h a n the rest. N o t h i n g in the
line of hair, wigs or periwigs, ever created such commotion. A book, entitled '' T h e Unloveliness of Lovel o c k s , " contained a great deal of m a t t e r against this
fashion.
I t s author, Mr. P r y n n e , mentions a nobleman
who, being dangerously ill and m u c h frightened at t h e
prospect of death, declared in public, after his health
was restored, his detestation of his "effeminate, fantastic love-lock, which he t h e n sensibly perceived to
be but a cord of vanity, by which he had given t h e
devil hold-fast to lead him at his pleasure, and w h o
would never resign his prey as long as he nourished
this unlovely b u s h . " H e therefore ordered his barber
to cut it off. Mr. P r y n n e ' s book had little effect, for
the love-lock was t h e rage for m a n y years.
D u r i n g the commonwealth there was quite a
change. Fashions were m u c h more modest, and, as
a rule, extremes were avoided.
Cromwell always
dressed very plainly.
I n the reign of Charles I I . periwigs attained an
enormous size. T h e r e seemed to be a general wigmania, for, with b u t few exceptions, t h e men all wore
wigs. T h e ladies wore their hair either curled, braided
25

or hanging loosely down the back. The hair was
sometimes arranged with a colored ribbon, or band of
jewels, so as to form a long lock similar to the lovelock of the gentlemen. This lock was known as the
heart-breaker.
In the reigns of James, and William and Mary
fashions remained similar to what they were under
Charles ; the coiffures, however, were in great variety.
About this time the Fontange head-dress made its
appearance into England from France. John Edwards,
a divine, preached against the high head-dress in
these words :
'' This is the pride which reigns amongst our very
ordinary women at this day, they think themselves
highly advanced by this climbing foretop. All their
rigging is nothing worth without this wagging topsail;
and, in defiance of our Saviour's words, they endeavor,
as it were, to ad a cubic to their stature. With their
exalted heads they do, as it were, a superiority over
mankind ; nay, their Babel builders seem, with their
lofty towers, to threaten the skies and even to defy
heaven itself."
The writers of the time thus expressed themselves.
One said : '' Within my own memory I have known
a ladies head-dress rise and fall over about 30 degrees.
About ten years ago it shot up to a very great height,
insomuch that the female part of our species were
much taller than the men. The women were of such
an enormous stature that 'we appeared as grass26

hoppers before t h e m . ' '' A g a i n we have t h e following:
'' W o m e n in all ages have t a k e n more pains t h a n men
to adorn the outside of their heads, and indeed I very
m u c h admire t h a t those female architects, who raised
such wonderful structures out of ribbands, and lace,
and wire, have not been recorded for their respective
inventions.
I t is certain there have been as m a n y
orders in these kinds of buildings as in those w h i c h
have been made of marble. Sometimes they rise in
t h e shape of a pyramid, sometimes like a tower, and
sometimes like a s t e e p l e . "
Other coiffures were
b r o u g h t from F r a n c e into E n g l a n d . Some of which
were as low as t h e others were high. F r e q u e n t l y a
band of jewels only confined the hair, at others it was
arranged in many unconfined curls among which were
placed ornaments.
A head-dress consisting of pasteboard, ribbons,
lace and gauze was fashionable in 1700, and about 1711
t h e French hood again made its appearance, and was
commented on t h u s by a popular writer of the time :
'' T h e ladies have been for some time in a kind of
moulting season, and with regard to t h a t part of their
dress, having caste great quantities of ribbon, lace and
cambrics, and in some measure reduced t h a t part of
t h e h u m a n figure to t h e beautiful globular form which
is natural to it. W e have for a great while expected
what kind of ornaments would be substituted in t h e
place of t h e antiquated head-dress. * * * A s I
was standing in the hinder part of t h e box (at t h e
27

opera) I took notice of a little cluster of women, sitting
together in the prettiest-coloured hoods that I ever
saw. One of them was blue, another yellow, and
another philomot, the fourth was of a pink colour, and
the fifth of a pale green. * * * I am informed
that this fashion spreads daily, insomuch that the
Whig and the Tory ladies begin already to hang out
different colours, and to shew their principles in their
head-dress."
A letter written to a publication mentions an
assemblage of ladies which exhibited thirteen different
colored hoods, and an advertisement in this paper
inserted by the parish vestry reads : '' All ladies who
come to church in the new-fashioned hoods are desired
to be there before divine service begins, lest they
divert the attention of the congregation." In 1715 a
feather head-dress was worn, and is commented on
as follows, by one named Addison :
'' I pretend not to draw the single quill against
the immense crop of plumes, which is already risen to
an amazing height, and unless timely signed by the
bright eyes that glitter beneath, will shortly be able
to overshadow them. Lady Porcupine's head-dress is
started at least a foot and a half since Sunday last.
* * * But so long as the commodity circulates,
and the outside of a fine lady's head is converted into
the inside of her pillow, or if fate so ordered it, to the
top of her hearse, there is no harm in the consumption,
and the milliner, upholsterer, and undertaker, may
28

live in an amicable correspondence, and m u t u a l dependence on each o t h e r . "
I n the reign of George I I . t h e pigtail made its
appearance. Bob-wigs foliovtfed soon after, and some
men even wore their own hair curled and well
powdered. T h e cocked hat was imported from Germany, and was called the Kevenhuller.
Caps and
straw hats were considerably used. A new headcovering for the ladies was invented about this time.
I t was k n o w n as a calash, and consisted of silk d r a w n
over a wire frame. Some of t h e head-dresses were very
extreme. T h e hair was d r a w n over a h i g h cushion,
and surmounted by a gauze or lace handkerchief.
T w o curls were sometimes allowed to fall upon the
neck, or a long streamer, fastened at t h e top, answered
t h e same purpose. T h e caps were made of ribbons and
lace. T h e writers of this period said m a n y peculiar
things about head-gear, among which is t h i s :
'' Those heads which are not able to bear a coach
and six (for vehicles of this sort are very apt to crack
t h e brain) so far act consistently as to m a k e use of a
post-chariot, or a single horse chaise with a beau perching in the middle. * * * T h e vehicle itself was
constructed of gold threads, and was d r a w n by six
dapple greys of blown glass, with a coachman, postilion,
and gentleman within, of t h e same brittle manufacture. Upon further inquiry the milliner told me,
with a smile, t h a t it was difficult to give a reason for
inventions so full of w h i m . "
29

Pomatum and powder were used by both sexes.
False hair was much worn and assumed many forms.
It is said that some curls resembled eggs strung on
wire; others scallop shells. So much powder and
paste were used that it was impossible to build up a
lady's head every day. The coiffures were frequently
untouched for several weeks. One writer said :
'' I consent, also, to the present fashion of curling
the hair, so that it may stand a month without combing ; though I must confess that I think three weeks,
or a fortnight, might be sufficient time. But I bar
every application to those foreign artists, who advertise that they have the secret of making up a lady's
head for a quarter of a year."
In the reign of George I I I . Fashion ruled supreme.
Hats of every shape and dimentions were worn. The
men were as extreme as the women. One writer said
that the men spend nearly the whole morning in
dressing their hair and arching their eyebrows, and
that they wore as many different kinds of wigs as the
blocks at the barbers. The ladies also wore wigs.
At this time a coiffure, which rivaled any of its
predecessors, came into use. It was a mountain of
curls, powder, pomatum, flowers, feathers and ribbons,
one piled upon the other. A work issued in 1776
mentions that a parrot with wings and tails extended
was often worn on top of this head-dress. After this
the hair was cut shorter, and surrounded with a
narrow band and a rose placed on the forehead. Bon30

nets equally remarkable were also worn. This brings
us into the present century, and, as time is pressing,
we will pass to our own countr}\
While the head-gear of Colonial Times was more
modest than that of Western Europe, there was,
nevertheless, considerable variety. The ladies decorated their hair with clasps, lace, hair-peg, or bodkin,
and hair-pins. The clasps were usually cheap ornaments set with paste jewels, sometimes they were made
of cut steel; the lace was worn as a fillet or ribbon for
fastening up the hair, and seemed to be used by the
women of all classes ; the hair-pin came into use about
1755, and made its first appearance into Boston. It is
probable that previous to that time the New England
dames used skewers.
The Massachusettes Bay Company allowed each
emigrant one '' black hatt lyned at the brow with
lether." This was most likely the best hat of the
time, and was probably only worn on Sundays and at
funerals, etc. About ten years later a State law was
enacted prohibiting the wearing of beaver hats, except
by men of wealth. This law, though men were prosecuted under it, did not amount to much, for those
who were willing to pay the price wore the hats, if
they so desired. A good beaver hat cost from 4 to 6
pounds, therefore the number who could indulge in
such a luxury was not large. It is no wonder that
such an expensive article} when owned in frontier
provinces like New England and Virginia, should be
31

left by bequest, and be given as tokens of friendship
and respect. I n Maryland and Virginia hats trimmed
w i t h gold bands and feathers were worn. As time
rolled on hats were made of other materials, such as
broadcloth. I n 1672 the Massachussetts hatters asked
protection from t h e Colonial Government, to encourage
their industry. T h i s petition was refused, until t h e y
made better hats. Not long after this t h e exportation
of raccoon fur to E u r o p e was prohibited, as it was
found useful in home manufacture.
Cocked hats came into use here at about the same
time as t h e y did in E n g l a n d . T h e y were worn in
various ways, sometimes being t u r n e d u p in front only
and held there with a button, while at other times t h e
brim was made fast to the crown in three places. T h e
brims were generally about six inches wide, and in
some instances even wider. T h e y were e l a b o r a t e ^
trimmed w i t h laces, cords, buttons, rosettes, cockades,
etc., and some were even painted. T h e cocked hat
was worn both by civilians and soldiers. D u r i n g t h e
W a r of the Revolution a punishment of five lashes was
imposed on any soldier whose hat was unlooped, as it
" gave him a hang-dog l o o k . "
T h e P u r i t a n women wore felt hats and left t h e m
by will also. About 1660 straw hats are mentioned.
T h e y became quite fashionable about 1730. I n April,
1742, t h e Boston Evening Post advertisd Leghorn straw
hats for women at 16 to 50 shillings each. I n 1773
t h e ladies wore W h i t e Beaver Riding hats which were
32

denounced as an exceeding affection. I n 1784 large
brimmed hats were fashionable.
T h e y were low
crowned, made of silk or gauze, and trimmed with
three ostrich feathers, and had a ribbon bow with long
ends h a n g i n g down t h e back.
Y o u r familiarity with t h e styles of to-day makes
a detailed description unnecessary. While t h e ladies'
hats are far more modest and beautiful t h a n of yore,
t h e variety is exceedingly numerous. Wherever m a n y
ladies are collected together observation will show that,
generally speaking, no two are exactly alike, diversity
seemingly being t h e order of the day. A n d while the
paucity of t h e theatre bonnet and t h e generous proportions of t h e wide brim hat, especially when the
latter is worn in t h e theatre, are oft-times material for
the caricaturist, these bonnets and hats, as a class, are
marvels of neatness and taste, and so are the ladies
w h o wear them, for t h e ladies of America, in their
general style of dress, have no peers ; and this applies
to the inmates of t h e cottage as well as the palace.
T h e m e n ' s hats are few and plain, consisting of t h e
derby, tourist or alpine hat, straw hat, and silk hat ;
and are probably most worn in the order named. T h e
cap is considerably worn just now, having been resurrected by the bicycle, t h o u g h the tourist hat for this
diversion is becoming quite popular for both men and
women.
I n conclusion, and before commencing the illustrations, it may not be amiss to say a few words, in a
33

general way, concerning fashion, this power which
has been such an important factor in the development
of head-gear, and wields such an influence in the
economy of every-day life. I t has been said t h a t this
love of change and the short duration of styles have a
degrading effect upon t h e designer, the manufacturer,
the merchant, and consumer. Upon the designer, because he will not, n a y , cannot, p u t sincere feeling in
work which becomes a t h i n g of t h e past and an object
of ridicule in a season or two. Upon the manufacturer, because durability is a secondary consideration,
his endeavors being to make goods t h e value of which
is more apparent t h a n real, and also creating a demand
for such stuffs as come from countries like China and
Japan, to the detriment of the perfectly prepared raw
materials of E u r o p e and our own country, Upon t h e
merchant, because he takes little interest in goods t h a t
will be valueless in a few months. And upon the consumer, because it develops discontent and extravagance, and an absence for the appreciation of t h e
superb and permanent.
T h i s arbitress dictates w h a t shall be worn, regardless of one's characteristics.
Perhaps, not quite so
m u c h to-day as formerly, as there is a growing tendency toward individuality, b u t no one dares deviate
far from the reign of Fashion. Fashion imposes her
decree upon every woman, regardless of her complexion or stature, and in like m a n n e r upon every
man. T h e extent to which styles change is curious.
34

One woman may look well in a certain color and shape
of head-gear, while in the case of another it may not
harmonize at all with her complexion or figure, b u t
Fashion decides t h a t at t h e same time all women shall
wear one k i n d of head-dress.
T h e exact cause of the various styles it would be
hard to determine. Many have a peculiar idea concerning their origin. T h e y suppose a leader of fashion
determines within his own mind, and according to his
o w n fancy, just w h a t t h e public shall wear, when in
reality the successful leader first finds out about w h a t
t h e public will wear, and makes his styles accordingly.
A t any rate this is t h e only safe course at present.
T h e leader w h o imagines t h a t he can make the public
follow his whims will not be at t h e head very long.
I t is only people who are " too self-willed to be wise "
w h o u n d e r t a k e such things. A t t h e best, they only
succeed a few times and t h e n shrink into oblivion,
having only their past record to console them. Style
m a k i n g is an exceedingly hazardous business, and
should not be indulged in except by persons of n a t u r a l
taste, ripe experience, exceedingly close observers, and
by those who have the ability to '' catch on to a good
t h i n g ' ' t h a t a society leader—a Beau Brummell—may
introduce.
T h e way in which Louis X I V . wore his hair for
t h e purpose of concealing his deformed shoulders made
the wig fashionable.
So the F o n t a g n e head-dress,
already referred to, was unconsciously introduced by
35

t h a t lady when she used her garter to fasten on her
coiffure after her hat had blown off.
In a similar
way, t h e cape overcoat was introduced by Count
D'Orsay, t h a t Prince of Fashions, who, being caught
in a storm while riding, threw a blanket or something
of the k i n d over his shoulders to protect his body from
the storm.
H i s refinement and excellent taste had
made him a society leader, and w h e n one of his admirers saw him t h u s rigged out he imitated what he
supposed was a new fad of the Count's, and thereby
introduced, without t h e C o u n t ' s knowledge or intention, a new style.
T h e most popular curl to-day used on the brim of
hats is k n o w n as the D'Orsay. I t has been said t h a t
the Prince of Wales, by leaving unbuttoned t h e lowest
b u t t o n of his vest, t h a t his abdomen might have more
room, created a style t h a t was followed by many.
T h e r e is reason to believe t h a t these stories concerning
t h e Prince, t h e Count, the Duchess, and the King, are
true, as they agree to a certain e x t e n t with the origin
of styles at t h e present time.
Many people of refinement and taste are, by the
suggestions t h a t t h e y make to t h e shop-keeper, unconsciously assisting in the m a k i n g of styles. W h e n I
say people of refinement and taste, people who dress
conspicuously " l o u d " are not meant, nor those who
dress painfully plain.
T h e followers of the dress
of t h e Society of Friends are not likely to be much
more numerous t h a n the followers of persons who
36

depend solely upon their conspicuous dress for notoriety.
I n these days of keen competition, when the
leaders are closely pursued by would-be-leaders, it
behooves the former to consider carefully t h e wishes
of t h e public, not to become too arbitrary, and, if possible, to reduce style-making to a system, so t h a t t h e
n a t u r a l ability which may be possessed by t h e y o u n g
people in their employ may. be gradually developed,
and not for any reason whatsoever use t h e welldeserved reputation of their houses to build u p a name
for those who have neither n a t u r a l taste, ambition,
nor experience.
If the foregoing points are not watched carefully,
such leaders m a y find, w h e n too late, t h a t the difference between themselves and the would-be-leaders was
too little to allow of such blunders. F o r the w a n t of
a better example, we will here diverge a little from
the substance of t h e subject.
Big sleeves have reigned supreme for t h e last few
years, n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g m a n y efforts of t h e so-called
leaders of fashions to change them. Undoubtedly t h e
person does not live who could have introduced successfully narrow sleeves until t h e ladies were ready
for the change. T h e transition from t h e loose to a
closely fitting sleeve is now going on, b u t it is only
proceeding gradually ; and no body b u t a person suffering from '' big h e a d ' ' would have u n d e r t a k e n to
introduce a tight-fitting sleeve before the public had
37

tired of the bag-like ones, and this, notwithstanding
t h a t large sleeves have been worn in the kitchen as
well as in the parlor, on the e x t r e m e East side, West
side, and Bowery, as well as on Fifth Avenue. W h a t
is t r u e in sleeves is true all along t h e line. A n y leader,
no matter how great his hold upon t h e public, would
surely meet with ruin if he should u n d e r t a k e to m a k e
such radical changes in defiance of public desires.
Dr. Austen requested t h a t this lecture and the one
to follow be made as interesting as possible, consistent
w i t h the w o r k of t h e institute, therefore the countries
and periods of time selected, also illustrations, are
those which seemed to me would confer the greatest
pleasure.