Spring Hats from "New Idea" (May 1903)

It's spring in Australia, so time for some spring hats!

Once upon a time nobody left home without some form of head covering, and what you put on your head and the etiquette of wearing it depended on your class, age and sex.  This plate shows some of the latest styles available to the fashionable woman of 1903.   As you can see, the hats were both large and heavily ornamented—and hats and their trimmings would continue to grow into the early 1910s.

From top left to bottom right:

"This pretty little French sailor is made of alternate rows of rose-colored satin straw-braid and plaited ribbons of the same color.  Four bunches of dwarf rosebuds and foliage are held against the crown at the front, sides and back, by knots of two-inch rose-colored velvet ribbon."

"A fancy turban of black straw.  The brim is draped with white Cluny lace held to position with narrow black velvet ribbon.  A spiked aigrette of heron's feathers is fastened at the left side, and a rosette of black velvet ribbon with falling ends is set at the back."

"An exceedingly smart toque of fancy straw.  The crown is appliqué with a motif of coarse yellow lace in leaf points, which hold two white clipped quills in position.  A knot of black velvet ribbon at the right side is carried to the back through incisions in the straw."

"The "scoop" of an earlier day is to have a revival of popularity.  This is a graceful example of the style.  The hat illustrated is of white French chip, trimmed at the back with sweet peas and foliage and bows of pink and lavender Liberty ribbon."

"A beautiful evening hat of pale-blue Malines.  The form is covered with folds of the tulle, appliqué with medallions of Irish crochet lace.  The brim, formed of the medallions mounted on a backing of Malines, lifts decidedly at the left.  Thick folds of Malines are held to the edge with small lace units.  A bird-of-paradise-feather is fastened to the left side of the crown."

 You may also notice that some of these hats are trimmed with feathers from rare species of birds.  This sparked one the first modern environmental movements of the twentieth century with people working to get the "feather trade" outlawed.