180 x 180mm (18 x 18 cm)
Acrylic on Canvas Board
SOLD
COPYRIGHT MARIE THERON 2010
The bell-shaped cloche hat was first designed in France by Caroline Reboux around 1908. It was a development of the dowdy Victorian bonnet. Soon a truly small and fashionable hat appeared in the twenties and became all the rage. It was made of soft felt and fitted over cropped hair to give a small head shape. The shape contributed to the new slimmer lines of clothing during the Twenties.
The little pointed ribbons on the hats were always a puzzle to me. On Wikipedia I found a fascinating explanation. The ribbons were carrying all sorts of messages: The arrow-shaped pointed ribbon showed that a lady was single but has given her heart to someone. A firm knot was symbol of a firmly married lady, while a bow indicated someone interested in friendships.
The year 2007 saw a revival of the cloche hat on the catwalks and the streets. There are lovely hats available on e-bay, designed by Berti Borell. Let me know if you bought one!!!
